Thursday, December 15, 2011

BRING BACK THE BLOCKS


Finally!  The pendulum has swung about as far as it can in terms of pushing academics and I see a movement back to the basics of childhood.  You’ve got to read this article in the NY Times.
         nytimes.com/2011/11/28/nyregion/with-building-blocks-
         educators-going-back-to-basics
Imagine parents with all the money in the world taking a class to learn how to play with blocks with their children!  (Gee, I could set up a model kindergarten class for those parents and call it a childhood spa where they could pay $1000 to come and play!  Sounds like good therapy to me.)

I don’t know who came up with the idea to remove blocks from kindergarten, but they should be ashamed of themselves!  Froebel would roll over in his grave.  The more high tech and plastic our world becomes, the more children need natural elements like wooden blocks.  When children play with blocks they develop motor skills, spatial awareness, math concepts, problem solving, language, social skills, creativity, and so much more.

Oh, the joy of finding wooden blocks under the tree this year!  Blocks don’t need batteries, won’t break, and can grow with the child.  Last year after the gifts were unwrapped, K.J. went back to play with his old friends -the blocks!