As I thought about this article, I found myself wondering about the sights, smells and sounds that Jesus would have had all around him in Joseph’s carpenter’s shop. Would there be chat between father and son as Joseph encouraged Jesus to hammer pegs or to smooth a plank?
What was it like to have the smell of wood shavings all around on the floor? Were some shaving even caught up in the dark curls of their hair?
I wonder if Joseph thought “Will Jesus make a good carpenter someday?”
And did Mary watch as Jesus played with the blocks of wood that had fallen on the floor? Did his friends come along as well and join in with pretend games and made-up cities? I think that we sometimes forget the childhood part of Jesus and the play that was probably very much a part of his life at that time.
Play is a central part of a happy childhood. But when children are immersed in play, they’re not simply having a lovely time, they are building up some key life skills. We know that play is essential to children’s physical and social development, emotional wellbeing, imagination and creativity and even their language skills.
Playing with objects begins as soon as babies can grasp and hold on to them, and involves biting them, hitting them and dropping them (again and again!) This exploration of objects becomes more sophisticated from the age of 18 months to two years when toddlers begin to arrange objects, like bricks and coloured pots, and by the age of three and four they will love building together with the imaginative storytelling that goes with their constructions.
Building blocks have been the favourite toys for generations of children, and part of their continued appeal is that these blocks stimulate creativity and provide limitless possibilities in small hands. Children love building blocks because there’s no right or wrong way to use them.
The joy of building a tower and knocking it down again gives children huge fun and freedom, especially because there aren’t many times when they’re allowed to knock things over again and again. Building bricks can be used any way children choose in ‘free play’ and all the time they’re improving their hand-eye coordination, problem solving, creativity and imagination.
Many experts agree the best way for children to play – and learn – is through imaginative, unstructured playing. This free play gives children opportunities to create and imagine without a specific end result and this is best done by using toys that can be manipulated and transformed into whatever they desire. There are no set rules to follow, just the fun of playing and exploring.
For example, the same building blocks can become whatever a child desires at that particular time – a tower, a train, a home for other toys, whatever they want.
My own children have always loved building blocks, from the baby years when they’d be intent on banging and chewing a few blocks on their highchair table to whole afternoons spent creating whole towns. I think the smooth, unbreakable, wooden blocks really appeal as a starting point, and then they simply have limitless possibilities.
I feel that an immensely powerful phrase to bear in mind while children play with blocks is – trust them! Although we may not see a purpose to their play immediately, as we begin to trust them more, we will see wonderful play and imagination develop. I do not have to guess the outcome or try to persuade them to tell me “What are you making?” I can fully trust them to explore while I keep the suggestions or questions safely in my head! I just need to trust that they can handle those blocks very successfully. The rest will follow. Children actually know a lot more about playing with blocks then I think they do! Hanging around watching them over many years has had its impact and I have absorbed a lot without realising it.
And while we watch, here are some of the wonderful skills we might observe.
Extending fine motor skills and dexterity
Blocks come in a wide range of shapes and sizes, ideal for tiny hands to practise assembling and pulling apart. These twists and turns with their hands, fingers and arms promote fine motor skills which they’ll continue to use from learning to write to doing up fiddly buttons. Nothing beats hands-on learning.
Building patience and self-confidence
A child who is entirely focussed on creating something new is taking on hugely important life lessons like patience, persistence and the importance of learning through trial and error. And you’ll see confidence grow too, with every extra block added, every teetering taller tower or more complicated building.
Developing problem-solving abilities
When a child is working out what shapes fit together or sizes balance best, they are learning how to think for themselves, experiment and solve problems – the exact same skills that are the building blocks to becoming independent, resourceful adults who relish a challenge.
Constructing imaginative stories
Children aren’t simply constructing a physical building; they are creating an imaginary world where anything can happen and they’re in charge. ‘Let’s pretend’ is one of the best ways children can develop their language and social skills.
Laying the foundations for friendship
Building blocks are ideal when children are just beginning to play with each other, rather than simply alongside each other. It’s fascinating to see the transition from shyly noticing what the other child’s doing, to lending a hand to actually working together, chatting all the time about what they’re going to build.
Blocks are one of the best toys for playdates, especially on rainy days. They’re ideal toys for sharing too – I’ve yet to find a child who keep hold of just one brick and won’t let anyone else play with it.
And, of course, when it doesn’t go to plan and a tower collapses (or is deliberately pushed over), a child is just discovering the joy of starting all over again to maybe build something even more exciting.
Lucy Waterman