You can even use blocks to enhance science and social studies!
Life Cycle – Cut out pictures of the life cycle of a butterfly, frog, pumpkin, etc. and tape them to blocks. Children order the blocks and then orally tell a story.
Animal Families – Cut out pictures of mother animals and tape them to blocks. Tape pictures of baby animals to other blocks. Can children match them up?
You could also make a game where children match animals and their homes.
Solar System – Write “SUN” on a paper plate. Write the planets in the solar system on paper and tape to blocks. Children order the planets from the sun out.
Layers of Rain Forest – Write the layers of the rain forest or deciduous forest on paper and tape to blocks. Can children build the layers? Can they illustrate the layers and label them?
Habitats – Use blocks to create different animal habitats. Provide plastic animals and vegetation or let children make their own from play dough or art media.
Maps – Use blocks to create maps of the classroom, school, neighborhood, or community.
Community Helpers – Draw community helpers and tape to cylinder blocks. Create work spaces for different community helpers from blocks.
Homes – Cut out pictures of homes from different parts of the world and encourage children to replicate them with blocks. Encourage children to think about different building materials used and how homes reflect their habitat.
Tower Topple – This is a game children can play by themselves or in a group. First child places a block on the floor. Second child places a block on top of the first block. Third child selects another block and places it on top of the first two. The game continues as they try to build as high as they can before the tower topples.
*Hint! Encourage them to estimate how many blocks they can stack. Did they do more or less?
Copy Cat – Children work with a partner for this activity. One child builds something using blocks while the second child observes. The second child then tries to reproduce what the first child built. Exchange roles.
Hint! You might want to limit them to 5-10 blocks.