A Week or Two of Kindergarten Block Play

As Kindergarten teachers most of are familiar with block play and how children's imaginations are fostered through it. Many of my Kinders play with blocks each day and the rule is that loose parts have to be tidied up at the end of play time, but that
structures and enclosures can stay as long as they are on the block area carpet.

On Friday we ran into a little dilemma- tidying up loose parts and shelf block play. A group of about six Kinders were working on a project over several days and ran out of room. Braxten was sitting between the enclosures and the shelves where blocks are stored. He turned and spied the now empty shelf and voila! He started building ramps and mini enclosures on the empty shelves. Within minutes his building team were working with him. At tidy up time they couldn't imagine taking down their new block world so that the loose parts could be stacked. After a short discussion, they decided that small loose parts went into the storage boxes under the shelves and all others were integrated into their designs. Magic.

Today they returned to their shelf block building with a plan. Using mini animals they built a small world and were busy enjoying a brand new centre- shelf block building. .