In the world of early childhood education, the significance of foundational skills in mathematics cannot be highlighted enough. Engaging, interactive methods are necessary to develop an understanding of numbers and a keen interest for problem-solving from a young age.

The Power of Play

Learning through play is a fundamental principle in early childhood education.
Play is considered the secret language of children: through exploration and fun, they can experience the world around them full heartedly and form a foundation on which they can shape their own destiny and understanding. Toys and objects like building blocks offer a concrete, and therefore better, understanding of mathematical concepts.

A Sneak Peek at Numbers

Children learn to count orally and understand the concept of numbers by learning to recognise and write numbers. The addition of building blocks brings forth an excitement as it introduces these concepts within a new and enjoyable medium. It is not the mundane method of writing numbers on paper and learning about them at face value. It is about physically exploring the amounts: what they look like and why 8 is bigger than 5, for example. Building blocks help children to see the numbers and test the theory.

And Then Comes Counting

Children of varying ages are always willing to work on whiteboards for the sake of writing something and wiping it away. It is about the experience. Same with playing games that involve spaces to move or tower-like figures: the participants are forced to count without realising they are counting (doing maths). They naturally learn to count up to 10 and then eventually beyond. They want to know if they had won or how many blocks they had collected. Once they understand the basics, more abstract thought can be included: assigning colour to numbers and working with coloured blocks to give the answers to different exercises involving the numbers. An arrangement of numbers like a hundreds table can also be introduced, which leads to a better understanding of different digits changing as one moves across the table. This forms the basis of addition and subtraction.  

Patterns, Patterns…

Patterns serve as the building blocks of mathematics, laying the groundwork for more advanced concepts later on. Laying out patterns with blocks is almost more natural: a decorative concept children seem to explore on their own initiative. Homing in on this, one can add repetitive patterns, which ultimately leads to extended sequence, a basis for abstract mathematical principles.  

Shape Shifting

Shapes like circles, squares, triangles and rectangles are found everywhere, so it is vital to learn about them, know how to find them, and play with them to create other basic exploration of mathematical principles. Plus, helping children grasp basic spatial concepts like up and down, inside and outside helps them form an understanding of coding and programming, as well as spatial awareness. Fusing that all together with the practical application of blocks, the children learn to pay attention to detail and copy accordingly.

Collective Calculations

Building blocks introduce children to simple addition and subtraction concepts, since they are used as manipulatives or visual aids. By physically doing sums up to 10 or 20, or subtracting numbers, children are able to observe what happens to the amount of blocks and learn to start comparing. The blocks are grouped, or a focus on grouping of studs is used, leading to the concept of multiplication as repeated addition.

Problem-solving Programme

At its core, mathematics is about solving a problem. With the introduction of building blocks, opportunities for basic problem-solving activities that encourage critical thinking and reasoning skills are explored. Children need to follow and apply simple rules, work steadily, and solve challenges through trial and error. It’s an opportunity to apply mathematical concepts to real-life situations, like creating and moving through a maze.

With humble building blocks, children can learn to:

• Solve simple word problems involving addition and subtraction, and mathematical problems using a variety of strategies (for example, drawing pictures using manipulatives).
• Develop logical thinking skills through mathematical activities and puzzles.
• Solve mysteries based on trial and errors testing of clues.
• Be in the moment when executing certain skills so that they retain details and learn mindfulness.

Ready, Set, Play!

In the world of early childhood education, the integration of play and learning is paramount.

Building blocks act as the universal language, bridging the gap between abstract and concrete understanding of mathematical concepts. Through number recognition, counting, exploring patterns and shapes, learning about the basic mathematical operations and testing problem-solving techniques – all using building blocks disguised in the form of fun play – children have the opportunity to form a solid foundation for future academic success.

So empty that bag of blocks, and let the fun begin!