April 2025 Director's Corner:
Exploring Building

Have you ever wondered why we offer so many different indoor and outdoor block building opportunities at the Children’s School? Or why we incorporate explorations of building innovations and buildings in our thematic units, like the PreK / Kindergarten’s current study of Ancient Greece?

A 2001 study by Wolfgang, Stannard, and Jones found that “block-play performance in preschool is a predictor of mathematics achievement in middle school and high school.” Children typically progress during the early childhood years from carrying and otherwise exploring blocks, to building mostly in rows (either horizontal or vertical), to bridging spaces, to enclosing spaces, to making decorative patterns, to naming structures that they build intentionally (e.g., saying they’re making a zoo), to symbolizing known buildings with blocks. In the process, they explore concepts of gravity as they relate to balance and stability, count and measure building features, strengthen geometric concepts and spatial skills, and discover multiple solutions to building problems (Discovery & Exploration). They strengthen eye-hand coordination, build strength to handle large blocks, manage body movements to avoid bumping structures, follow safety procedures with blocks, etc. (Physical Capabilities / Health & Safety). Given enough time, they can experiment with design, notice varied features of buildings, imagine new constructions, etc. (Artistic Expression & Appreciation). In school, children often work on block building with peers, so they strengthen their skills for sharing materials, coordinating actions, and negotiating cooperative designs (Interaction & Cooperation), as well as practice Communication by discussing plans, writing labels or drawing blueprints, etc. Throughout the exploration, they develop confidence by mastering diverse materials, taking responsibility for cleaning up the space, managing emotions when structures fall, etc. (Self-Esteem & Independence). For another perspective on the value of block play, see this recent article by Todd Erickson, a colleague from Stanford’s Bing Nursery School: Block Building For Overstimulated Children

All of these skills are essential components of the Carnegie Mellon undergraduates’ carnival “build week” experience that was happening right outside our windows as I was writing this article. More sophisticated levels of similar skills are on display every time we have opportunities to watch new campus buildings grow from the basic supports and utility infrastructure to the finished buildings, like the recent Highmark Center across from our main entrance on Margaret Morrison Street. As members of the campus laboratory school community, our children have frequent opportunities to be intrigued and inspired by the adult builders they observe working around them.

Adults can reinforce children’s interests and support their building explorations by:

• Building WITH the children to gently support progress without directing or frustrating them.
• Taking the child’s lead, following the child’s interest, and providing only the support needed.
• Adding people, animals, vehicles, etc. to the selection of blocks to extend the play.
• Allowing children to combine a variety of blocks, as well as diverse recycled materials.
• Allowing children to continue working on a structure for a period of days.
• Encouraging children to dissemble buildings as they assemble them – one block at a time (i.e., rather than knocking or kicking them down).

Now that the weather affords more outdoor play, shift the building from blocks to rocks (and other outdoor “loose parts” like sticks, logs, leaves, and moss). Construction with natural materials that have different features challenges the children’s understanding of balance and sense of aesthetics in ways that prompt renewed interest, plus the fresh air and open space have a way of offering inspiration of their own. Be ready with the camera to document the children’s ingenuity!