Blocks are a wonderful opportunity for children to build creative skills, develop motor skills, spatial awareness and so many more "building blocks" for their later learning. Additionally, working with blocks introduces opportunities for social interactions including negotiating, sharing, and problem-solving. Check out our 37 fun activities for preschoolers that involve blocks.
1. Mega Blocks on the Move
This activity uses just 10 mega blocks (large Legos), making it a great option for a busy bag or on-the-go activity. Preschoolers get the opportunity to build spatial awareness, follow visual instructions, and learn about patterns.
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2. Sight Word Pattern Blocks
Encourage literacy and math with these pattern block mats! Preschoolers can work to form words and to read the words they've made. They also can complete an additional worksheet, count the number of each type of pattern block, and practice writing the sight word.
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3. Pattern Block Math
This activity pack includes ocean animal pattern block mats for children to work through. In addition to the puzzles, it includes a reproducible math worksheet that students can work through by counting each type of block and comparing amounts.
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4. Block Play: The Complete Guide
This book is full of lots of ideas for teachers and parents to help preschoolers get the most out of their block play time. It also includes helpful diagrams for naming the different types of blocks, as well as practical tips for setting up and utilizing a block center in the classroom.
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5. When I Build With Blocks
This book is a wonderful addition to the preschool classroom. In this book, a child explores playing with blocks, transforming them into scenes from the ocean to outer space. Help your child expand their building skills with this title.
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6. Roll and Cover
Using the included printable mat and dice, students roll the dice and cover the matching shape on their board. The first person with a full board wins. This is also a great way for students to learn the shape of each pattern block.
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7. Basic Addition
Preschoolers should use two different colored unit blocks for this activity- one for each number. Once they stack the two quantities together, they should then count the whole tower for the answer to the math problem.
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8. Number Circles
Draw circles on a whiteboard or butcher paper. Label each circle with a number. Ask students to place the correct number of blocks in each circle.
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9. Most and Least
Grab a handful of pattern blocks. Sort the blocks into categories by shape. Count each category. What do you have the most of? The least?
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10. Upcycled Blocks
Have students bring in a variety of cardboard tubes and boxes. With a little tape and patience, preschoolers can create their own custom blocks by taping boxes shut, or taping them together.
11. Make Your Own
Purchase these simple block kids and construct them ahead of time. Then, encourage preschoolers to exercise their art skills by decorating their very own blocks for the classroom. This also makes a fun end-of-year gift.
Learn More: Play to Learn Preschool
12. Playdough Stamp
Roll out a ball of playdough. Use different kinds of Lego blocks to make patterns. You could also do this by dipping blocks into poster paint and stamping them on a piece of paper.
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13. Block Bowling
Set up a group of blocks like bowling pins in a corner of the room. Use a rubber ball to "bowl". Toddlers will enjoy knocking the blocks over and setting them back up!
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14. Building Books
The block center shouldn't just include blocks- add books, too! Encourage a love for engineering, transportation, types of structures, and cooperation with the books on this list.
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15. Measure That
Have preschoolers trace hands, feet, or basic objects on a piece of paper. Then, using unit blocks, have them measure each object. How many units blocks long is your hand?
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16. Build Your Name
Introduce a literacy element to block play days with this simple game. Write letters on Duplo blocks and mix them up. Then, write the students' names on a piece of paper, or give them a complete block. Have them then copy or spell their name several times using the Duplos. Make it easier by varying the number of letters provided on a single block.
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17. Block Center Prompts
Add more structure to your block corner with laminated block prompts. These simple and fun block activities encourage students to develop spatial awareness and some basic engineering skills. You can also encourage students to develop their own prompts to photograph and add to the deck.
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18. Chalkboard Blocks
Make your wooden blocks even more personable by painting the largest sides with chalkboard paint. Once the paint dries, preschoolers can add windows and doors to their block buildings. Use colored chalk on painted tree blocks and let them change with the seasons.
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19. Alphabet Connetix
Use the magnetic blocks and the free printables during block center time to reinforce students' understanding of uppercase letters. Students place the Magnatiles on top of the printable (either using the colored version to include color matching), or the blank one to form a letter.
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20. Basic Block Shapes
Help kids' creativity takes off by modeling or photographing basic structures with these simple wooden block prompts. Encourage them to modify, expand or totally change these basic shapes into something new.
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21. Giant Shape Match
Trace the outline of giant building blocks on a large piece of butcher paper. Tape the paper to the floor for easy use. Then, ask your preschooler to lay the correct building block on its matching outline.
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22. Block Printing
Using a sheet of paper, acrylic paint, and a sheet of paper, turn block play into art! Dip the bumpy side of the Duplo or large Lego block into the paint and then place it firmly on the paper. Make patterns, designs, or even fun wrapping paper with this activity.
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23. Which Tower?
Help preschoolers build their mathematical skills with this block play activity. Build two towers (or several, to make it harder). Ask preschoolers to identify which is the biggest tower, and which is the smallest.
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24. Walk the Plank
In this simple block activity, use wooden blocks, and make a long "plank". Ask preschoolers to "walk the plank" by balancing on this low wall. You can also have them jump over it with one or both feet, balance on one foot, etc.
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25. Letter Matching
In this fun activity, students can practice their literacy skills. Use a sharpie to write a pair of upper and lowercase letters, one on each 1x1 Duplo block. Mix up all the letters, and ask your preschooler to match the letters on a 2x1 base.
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26. Counting Block Tower
Use a cookie sheet or a piece of poster board like in the video. Write out numbers 1-10. Students can practice their counting by building towers with the appropriate number of blocks.
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Using pattern blocks (they're colorful, simple-shaped blocks) and the printables provided on this website, ask preschoolers to replicate these animals. If they're having trouble, ask them to place the blocks on top of the pattern mats first. Encourage kids' creativity by asking them to make their own animals.
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28. Block Patterns
This simple printable is a great block play idea for building math skills. It introduces basic patterns and asks students to copy them. Encourage development within your preschooler's creative muscles by asking them to make their own pattern, too.
Learn More: Teachers Pay Teachers
29. Block Maze
Use the blocks to form a maze on the floor. Give your preschooler a matchbox car and ask them to help the car find its way to the center of the maze. Extend this activity by asking your preschooler to make their own maze.
30. Odd Man Out
Place a group of Duplo blocks on the table. One of them doesn't fit the block pattern. Have your preschooler identify the one that is different. You could mix it up by making the "odd one out" a different color, shape, or size than the rest.
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31. Letter Jenga
This block idea incorporates a classic game. Write a letter on the short ends of each of the Jenga blocks. As students pull the Jenga block, they have to identify the letter. Keep going until the tower falls over!
32. Memory
Make block playtime a little more structured with the help of this simple game. Write a single letter, shape, or number on one side of each of the blocks. Then, flip them all face down. Have students look for pairs. When they find a matching pair as they flip the blocks over, they can remove it from the pool.
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33. Make Letters
This activity works best with rectangular-shaped blocks. Ask students to form a particular letter with their blocks. You could make this a more interactive activity by arranging the children in a circle, asking them to make a letter, and then moving one spot to the left. Ask them to identify the new letter they're looking at.
34. Make a Shape
Similar to the above activity, this activity works best with rectangular blocks and will help children improve their spatial reasoning and maths skills. Ask students to form a particular shape with their blocks. Extend the activity by asking them to form a shape with a specific number of blocks.
35. Number Grab
Call out a number, and ask the preschool students to group that quantity of blocks. Extend this activity by asking for groups of blocks, for example; 2 groups of 3 blocks each. Make the activity more competitive by making it a race.
36. Block Tower
Simply ask preschoolers to see how high they can build a tower. Reinforce counting skills by asking them to count the blocks as they build. Make it even more fun by seeing if they can improve their building skills and beat their own record each time.
37. Block Sort
Dump all the blocks on the floor. Ask preschoolers to sort blocks by color, size, or shape. Turn it into a more physically active activity, or even a relay, by placing sorting bins across the room and dividing the group into teams.
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