Infant wild and Playtime Science-Incredible babies steam stem Play
SPARKING EARLY CURIOSITY:
PLAYTime STEAM FOR INFANTS
Excerpts By: I'm The Chef Too Team and NAEYC
This page is written for my ever curious granddaughter who makes every effort
to create an adventure everyday to explore the wonders of her world.
Imagine a tiny hand reaching out to grasp a crinkly toy, eyes wide with wonder as a simple rattle makes a sound, or a baby giggling uncontrollably as you play peek-a-boo. These aren't just adorable moments; they are the very beginnings of scientific exploration, technological understanding, engineering design, and mathematical thinking.
It’s never too early to introduce young learners to STEM concepts and science explorations! Science experiences even the littlest learners the opportunity to discover and understand STEM concepts through hands-on learning. Kaplan’s selection of science materials, resources, and activities gives children an opportunity to develop critical science skills, explore the world around them, and embrace their natural curiosity and wonder!
Yes, even in their earliest months, infants are natural scientists, engineers, and mathematicians, constantly observing, experimenting, and building their understanding of the world. And know that you can find science in every toy and the type of play that they encourage.
Stacking & Nesting Toys: Explore balance, size, order, and cause & effect (what happens when I stack them high?). Shape Sorters: Introduce early geometry, problem-solving, and matching. Balls (V arious Sizes): Teach concepts of motion, gravity, rolling, and tracking objects. Bubbles: A sensory delight! Teaches light, air, movement, and encourages reaching/chasing. Discovery Mirrors: Help with self-awareness and understanding reflections. Simple Musical Toys/Mats: Introduce sound, rhythm, and how actions create sounds (cause & effect). Push/Pull Toys & Ride-Ons: Develop gross motor skills, balance, and the concept of force. Toys with Dials, Knobs, Switches: Teach mechanical action and immediate feedback. Pipettes/Droppers (with supervision/water) : Simple introduction to liquid behavior and control. Soft Blocks: Building and knocking down teaches physics basics in a safe way.
Everyday Science Experiences (No Specific Toy Needed!):
Water Play: Let them splash with cups and containers (supervised). Exploring Textures: Different fabrics, sand, water, leaves. Following Light: Shine a flashlight or use a simple torch.
Activities For
Playtime Science
for Babies
Playtime Science- PDF
Overview for This Webpage
Baby Physics- Balls- Cars Things That Roll
Playtime Science-Fabulus Physics
Playtime Science -Physics and Chemistry of Playdough
Playtime Science- Resources for Parent
Playtime Science- Botany & Nature Play
Playtime Science -Hydrology & Fluid Dynamics in Painting
Playtime Science -Pre-Chemisty Play
Playtime Science-Why spend time outside?
Playtime Science- STEAM Resources and Books
Playtime Science-Discovery Games
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Now I have been defending my belief that most art and play is based on foundational science since the early ‘80’s in seminars, websites and training programs. Ok, I am old now (65) so I can understand how some young students and workers are questioning the relevance of my concepts in today's world. But in a seminar last year, one arrogant student recently asked me why I am the only website to make the claim that both art and play are based in science.
My response was that I didn’t notice that being true. And that there is tons of supportive data all over the web that art and play build a scientific understanding of our world in their little minds.
So even with me saying I was going to stop writing, I am writing a response to this dilemma or challenge.
Playtime Science
Exploring Science
While Painting
While Painting
Painting is basically the movement of liquid as in hydrology and chemistry interplays if you make your own pain t.
Painting is deeply intertwined with science through the chemistry of materials (pigments, binders), the physics of light and color (how we see hues), the biology of perception, and the artistic documentation/communication of scientific concepts , using skills like observation, experimentation, and creative problem-solving common to both fields. Artists explore light, while scientists use art to visualize data and explain complex ideas, making them complementary ways of understanding the world.
Inspiring Discovery: Art can show potential scientific realities (like exoplanets before discovery) or present phenomena (like clouds) in new ways, sparking scientific questions and theories.
Shared Processes & Skills
Inquiry: Both fields rely on deep observation, asking questions, exploring, and interpreting the world.
Experimentation: Both involve trial and error, testing hypotheses (or color mixes), and developing new methods.
Examples of Intersection
Scientific Illustration: From ancient cave paintings to modern biology diagrams, art documents scientific findings.
Artist-Scientists: Artists like James Turrell use engineering and light science to create immersive art, while scientists use art to conceptualize.
Communicating Scientific Concepts Through Art
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May 15, 2024 — that most activities are actually Global rather than specific to one side or while this may seem like a relatively har…
Using crayons or markers Mark making for littles Using stencils or silhouettes **Using fun paint brushes in different ways **Using different surfaces to create on **Using art stamps of all kinds (inclding fruit and veggies) How to spread glitter, tissue paper, natural elements **How to use clear contact paper for easy collages and suncatchers How to make a home (or background) for a sticker, stamp or silhouette **Using stick glue, school glue, mod podge, tape **How to create interesting layers in a collage **How to tear paper for a collage or suncatcher How to use scissors or tearing paper **Choosing which paint or glue to use How to make drawing fun Using embellishments and nature Pre-Sort your supplies into surfaces, tools, and mediums or materials. Exerpts from our Art For Babies pages on our Making Art Possible website.
ART STEAM PDF's
Download to view, save or print
Easy Collage PDF
Exploring Science With
Collage and Building Items
Collage
Playing with Collage (paper and felt) and building items (loose parts and blocks) bring forth creativity and art skills, physics and engineering play.
Creating collages and building play are foundational to science for babies because they foster ** curiosity , exploration , problem-solving , and understanding physical properties ** through hands-on testing, comparing, sorting, and hypothesizing about materials, building skills like balance, space, and measurement naturally, all key elements of scientific inquiry and STEAM . These open-ended activities let babies test cause-and-effect (what happens when I stack this?), observe differences (big vs. small, heavy vs. light), and develop cognitive flexibility, laying the groundwork for scientific thinking.
Building Play (Blocks, Loose Parts) Links to Science:
Physics & Engineering: Stacking blocks teaches gravity, balance, and structure; arranging sticks or rocks demonstrates stability and forces (Newton's Laws).
Measurement & Geometry: Lining things up, using boxes to see what fits, or comparing sizes introduces early math and spatial concepts.
Cause & Effect: Knocking down towers shows consequences; figuring out how to build higher is experimentation.
Hypothesis Testing: "What if I put this heavy block on top?".
How Collage (Nature, Textures) Links to Science:
Observation & Classification: Sorting leaves by color, shape, or texture develops observational skills.
Sensory Exploration: Touching different materials (feathers, sand, fabric) teaches about physical properties and textures, a core science activity.
Art as Data: Creating a nature collage or journal documents discoveries, helping babies recall and compare experiences, which supports memory and revisiting scientific observations.
STEAM Integration: It connects Art (color, texture) with Science (properties, observation) and Math (sorting, counting items).
The Core Scientific Skills Developed:
Inquiry: Asking "what if" and "why".
Prediction: Guessing what might happen.
Comparison: "Which is bigger/smoother?".
Problem-Solving: Figuring out how to attach items or build something stable.
Documentation: Drawing or talking about creations.
Babies learn science through felt play by exploring sensory details (texture, color), cause & effect (pulling pieces off, making patterns), and early physics (stacking, fitting shapes), developing foundational STEM skills like observation, comparison, and problem-solving in a safe, hands-on way, guided by caregiver language that names concepts like "soft," "match," "up," or "sink/float".
Sensory Exploration & Properties:
Touch: Babies feel the soft, fuzzy texture of felt versus other surfaces, learning about material properties.
Sight: Vibrant felt colors teach color recognition, matching, and contrast, essential for visual science.
Cause & Effect (Physics/Action-Reaction):
When a baby pulls a felt shape off a board, they learn their action causes a reaction (the piece detaches).
Stacking felt shapes shows gravity and stability; watching them fall teaches about forces.
Patterns & Sequences:
Arranging red, blue, red, blue felt pieces introduces simple repeating patterns, a core math/science skill.
Creating life cycles (egg to frog) teaches sequences and transformations in nature.
Spatial Awareness & Geometry:
Fitting shapes together (circles in circles) develops understanding of how objects relate in space, notes this article from I'm The Chef Too and this piece from firstthingsfirst.org.
Classification & Sorting:
Sorting felt shapes by color, size, or type helps build early classification skills, key for biology and chemistry.
Language: Narrate actions ("You put the blue shape next to the red one," "It's soft!") to build vocabulary for scientific concepts, says this Head Start article.
Open-Ended Questions: Ask "I wonder what happens if..." to encourage inquiry, notes this Head Start article.
Modeling & Experimentation: Create simple scenarios, like pretending felt objects "sink" or "float," notes this article from The Busy Bee Board.
Safe Exploration: Provide plenty of time and a secure environment for the baby to touch, move, and explore at their own pace, according to this Head Start article.
Art Skills for Littles or New Artists
Hopeful Art Inquires for Babies /Toddlers
Ultimate Felt Ideas Page
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Art for Babies and Toddlers
Ultimate Playdough Page
Hopeful Art Collage
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Exploring Science with Duplo’s and Puzzles for Babies and Up
Duplo play and puzzles build an understanding of physics and engineering.
Duplo play and puzzles are fundamentally linked to early science for babies by building core STEM skills: they teach cause & effect, balance, spatial reasoning, problem-solving, and early math concepts (shapes, sizes, counting) through hands-on exploration, fostering curiosity and the ability to understand how the world works long before formal schooling.
Duplo blocks specifically are foundational for science in babies by teaching core STEM concepts like cause-and-effect, gravity, spatial reasoning, problem-solving, fine motor skills, physics (balance, stability), math (counting, shapes, patterns), and engineering principles (structure, loading), all through hands-on, sensory play that develops cognitive abilities and prepares them for more complex learning. In essence, Duplo blocks turn playtime into a laboratory, allowing babies to experiment with the physical world in a safe, engaging way that directly supports their scientific understanding and future academic success.
Core Scientific Concepts Taught by Duplo
Physics & Engineering: Stacking teaches gravity, balance, and structural integrity (what makes a tower fall vs. stay up), introducing static loads and stability.
Cause & Effect: Babies learn that pushing a block causes it to move, or stacking too high causes a collapse, demonstrating direct consequences.
Spatial Reasoning: Building helps them understand how shapes fit together in space, crucial for math and science.
Problem-Solving: Figuring out how to build a stable structure or a specific shape fosters critical thinking.
Math Skills: Counting blocks, recognizing colors, and understanding size differences build early math foundations.
Fine Motor & Coordination: Grasping, connecting, and placing chunky Duplo bricks refines hand-eye coordination and finger control.
Cognitive Development: It encourages logical thinking, planning actions (like stacking), and understanding object properties.
Curiosity & Inquiry: Playing with different materials and seeing how they behave promotes exploration and questioning.
Building Blocks for STEM: Duplo play directly builds skills needed for later STEM subjects, linking sensory experiences to abstract concepts like measurement, geometry, and engineering design.
Foundation for LEGO: It's a gentle transition to more complex LEGO sets, teaching basic building techniques and fostering a passion for creation.
By manipulating blocks and fitting puzzle pieces, toddlers experiment with physics (gravity, stability) and logic (how things fit), directly mirroring scientific inquiry.
Cause & Effect (Physics): Stacking blocks shows that if you don't balance them, they fall (gravity). Putting a puzzle piece in the wrong spot shows it doesn't fit, but the right spot works.
Spatial Reasoning: Figuring out how shapes fit, mentally rotating them, and seeing how parts make a whole are crucial for engineering and math.
Problem-Solving: Building a tall tower or completing a puzzle requires analyzing challenges, testing solutions, and thinking critically – core scientific processes.
Early Math: They learn about counting, comparing sizes (big/small), recognizing shapes, and understanding patterns and symmetry.
Curiosity & Inquiry: Exploring how materials interact (What happens if I add this? Will it stay?) fosters the natural "why" and "how" questions of science.
Motor Skills: Grasping and connecting bricks develops fine motor skills, essential for later scientific tasks like writing or lab work.
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Exploring Science with Playdough and Loose Parts
Playdough and loose parts tinkering are also physics and engineering play.
Playing with playdough is deeply connected to science by teaching fundamental concepts in chemistry (mixtures, reactions), physics (forces, volume, states of matter), and earth science (geological models), while also boosting math, engineering, and critical thinking skills through hands-on exploration, recipe following, and creative modeling. It turns abstract ideas into tangible experiences, like mixing colors (pigments), seeing fizzing reactions (acid-base), or sculpting 3D shapes (spatial reasoning).
Chemistry & Material Science
Mixtures & Reactions: Making playdough shows how ingredients (flour, salt, water) combine into a new substance with unique properties. Adding baking soda and vinegar creates fizzing acid-base reactions.
Properties of Matter: Kids learn about texture (smooth, lumpy), consistency, and how heat or additives change materials.
Forces: Squishing, poking, and pulling demonstrate pushes, pulls, and the effects of force.
Volume & Shape: Creating different shapes from the same amount of dough shows that volume stays the same even as shape changes (e.g., a ball into a snake).
Earth & Biology (Modeling)
Geology: Playdough models can represent rock layers, erosion, or landforms, helping visualize complex geological concepts.
Biology: Children can build models of atoms, cells, or animals, connecting tactile play to biological structures.
Math & Engineering (STEM)
Measurement: Measuring ingredients for homemade dough involves fractions, units, and counting.
Geometry: Identifying shapes (spheres, cubes, triangles) and understanding spatial relationships.
Technology/Engineering: Using tools (knives, rollers) for shaping and design applies basic engineering principles.
Scientific Method & Literacy
Experimentation: Asking "what if" questions (more water? different color?) encourages prediction and testing.
Vocabulary: Using words like "wet," "dry," "mix," "dissolve," and "texture" builds scientific vocabulary.
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Babies learn science concepts in loose parts play by hands-on exploration, discovering properties like weight, texture, gravity, and cause-and-effect through touching, stacking, and dropping materials, fostering inquiry, problem-solving, and developing foundational understanding of physics and material science as they experiment with open-ended items like blocks, balls, and natural objects.
Gravity & Force: Rolling balls down ramps (gutters, boards) or dropping objects from heights helps them understand gravity and motion. Balance: Stacking blocks or balancing items teaches concepts of stability and weight. Motion: Pushing and pulling objects shows how to start, stop, or change movement.
Texture & Weight: Feeling smooth bowls versus scratchy loofas or heavy wood slices versus light fabric teaches material differences. States of Matter: Playing with ice introduces melting, freezing, and temperature. Properties: Exploring how different materials (string, planks, wood slices) behave, float, or sink.
Cause & Effect: Dropping a spoon makes a sound; a ball rolls down a slope. Prediction: "What if I stack this block here?" or "What happens if I push it?". Observation: Noticing shadows, colors, and how light interacts with objects.
How it Works for Babies & Toddlers
Sensory Exploration: Infants use all senses, tasting, touching, and shaking objects to learn about the world. Open-Ended Play : Materials like tubes, baskets, and fabric have no single purpose, inviting experimentation and discovery. Motor Skills: Scooping, filling, dumping, and balancing build coordination while exploring science.
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Sensory & Physical Science: Cause & Effect: Dropping toys, splashing water, or rolling balls teaches physics fundamentals (gravity, motion). Properties of Matter: Feeling textures (playdough, sand, water) and observing how liquids flow. Motion & Force: Pushing cars, spinning tops, or watching things fall explores movement and forces. Life Science (Biology): Animal/Plant Behavior: Small worlds with farm or zoo themes let kids act out animal sounds, diets, and habitats, learning about life. Nature Exploration: Using magnifiers or collecting natural items (leaves, stones) fosters observation skills. Scientific Thinking (Inquiry): Observation: Babies closely watch how things work or interact within their tiny worlds. Hypothesis Testing: Pretending a toy "flies" or "sinks" is a simple form of testing ideas. Problem-Solving: Figuring out how to build a bridge for a toy car involves planning and executing steps. Vocabulary: Naming animals, actions (splash, zoom), and objects builds language crucial for science. Cognitive Skills: Executive Function: Open-ended play builds planning, self-regulation, and flexible thinking, which are key for complex learning.
The "Science" in Play
Small World Play: Creating mini-environments (farms, cities, forests) with figures and loose parts (fabric, pebbles) allows for role-playing and enacting scenarios, teaching about systems and interactions. Retail Playsets: Specific toys like magnetic tiles, shape sorters, or water tables offer structured ways to learn concepts like geometry, magnetism, and liquid dynamics.
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Sensory Exploration: Touching playdough, feeling water, seeing objects fall, or hearing sounds from different materials teaches properties and reactions. Cause & Effect: Pushing toys down ramps, dropping objects in water (floating/sinking), or seeing how things move teaches basic physics. Observation & Inquiry: Watching mini-animals in a pretend habitat or experimenting with tools like scoops develops observational skills. Hypothesis & Testing: Imagining a toy animal crossing a bridge and figuring out how to build it tests simple ideas. Language & Concepts: Adults narrate ("The block is heavy," "The water is wet"), linking sensory experiences to words and concepts like gravity or habitats.
Marilyn Fleer -YouTube • Feb 10, 2023
Physics: Building with blocks (balance, gravity), rolling toy cars on different surfaces (friction, speed). Biology/Ecology: Creating a farm with animals, exploring textures like leaves and twigs, learning about different environments. Chemistry (Basic): Mixing water with sand or water play itself (dissolving, flow). Engineering: Figuring out how to make a structure stable or move a "heavy" object.
Provide Materials: Offer varied textures, natural elements, and simple tools (cups, scoops). Narrate & Question: Describe actions ("You're making the car go fast!") and ask open-ended questions ("What do you think will happen if...?"). Observe & Support: Allow uninterrupted play to foster creativity and problem-solving, intervening only to expand learning with language or new ideas.
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Science
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Exploring Science with Sensory Play Items
Sensory play items and play are great for developing observation, examining, and sorting skills. As well as, hands-on exploration of the world, teaching core scientific concepts like cause-and-effect, chemistry (fizzing reactions), physics (sink or float), properties of matter (texture, density), and encouraging observation, critical thinking, and language development through direct experience, building neural pathways for future STEM learning.
How Sensory Play IS Science
Scientific Method in Action: Children instinctively conduct experiments by mixing sand and water, watching ice melt, or creating baking soda volcanoes, testing hypotheses and observing results.
Chemistry & Physics: Activities like color mixing (food coloring in water), density exploration (sink/float bins), or simple acid-base reactions (vinegar/baking soda) introduce basic chemical and physical principles.
Sensory Integration: Engaging multiple senses (sight, touch, smell, sound) helps build strong brain connections and understand how senses work, a key part of sensory processing and learning.
Language & Cognitive Skills: Describing textures ("squishy," "bumpy"), sounds ("crunchy," "fizzing"), or changes (melting, mixing) builds vocabulary, inference, and problem-solving skills.
Motor Skill Development: Scooping, pouring, and grasping objects in sensory bins refines fine motor skills, crucial for writing and self-care, notes Brightwheel.
This video explains how sensory play acts as a foundation for science:
STEAM with Seleste -YouTube • Oct 22, 2025
Examples of Sensory Science Activities
Fizzing Volcanoes: Baking soda + vinegar + food coloring for a chemical reaction.
Sink or Float Bins: Exploring buoyancy with various objects in water.
Nature Walks: Identifying textures (bark, leaves), sounds (birds), and sights (colors).
Slime/Playdough: Investigating texture, elasticity, and consistency.
You can watch this video for a simple five senses experiment:
Explore Planet English -YouTube • Jul 20, 2021
For many parents and educators, the term "STEM" (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) often brings to mind complex experiments, coding classes, or advanced robotics. We see STEM – and even STEAM, with the crucial addition of Art – as something fundamental, accessible, and deeply woven into the fabric of everyday discovery, right from birth.
Our mission is to blend food, STEM, and the arts into one-of-a-kind "edutainment" experiences, sparking curiosity and creativity in children of all ages, facilitating family bonding, and providing a screen-free educational alternative. While our signature cooking kits are designed for slightly older hands, our philosophy of hands-on, engaging learning begins much, much earlier.
STEM activities for babies focus on sensory exploration, cause-and-effect, and motor skills using simple, everyday items like blocks, water, and household objects to teach foundational science, tech, engineering, and math through play, such as dropping balls (gravity), stacking cups (engineering), or sorting toys (math). These activities introduce concepts like sorting, counting, building, and exploring physics (like sink or float) in fun, hands-on ways that develop curiosity and problem-solving from infancy.
Science & Technology
Cause & Effect: Shake a rattle, push buttons on safe toys, or drop soft objects from a high chair to see/hear what happens.
Light & Shadow: Use flashlights to explore shadows on walls or foil.
Sink or Float: In water play, let babies drop different safe items (like plastic toys, sponges) to see if they sink or float.
Ice Rescue: Freeze small toys in ice and let babies explore melting them.
This video shows how to explore cause and effect with infants:
Idaho STEM Action Center-YouTube · Jul 11, 2019
Engineering & Math
Building & Stacking: Stack blocks, cups, or rings to learn balance and height.
Ramp Races: Roll balls or cars down simple cardboard ramps to watch them go.
Sensory Bins: Fill bins with items like pom-poms, pasta, or water and add scoops and cups for pouring and exploring volume.
Sorting: Group toys, blocks, or snacks by color, shape, or size.
Shape Hunts: Point out shapes (circles, squares) in nature or around the house.
You can see an example of simple household item play in this video:
By A Physicist -YouTube · Oct 15, 2023
Nature Walks: Point out leaves, rocks, clouds, and animals.
Playdough: Explore textures and colors with homemade playdough.
Musical Instruments: Use egg shakers, drums, or kitchen utensils to explore sounds.
Use everyday items: Spoons, cups, pots, and blankets are great tools.
Focus on the process: Let babies lead, explore, and make messes.
Talk about it: Use words like "up," "down," "big," "small," "more," "loud," "quiet" to build vocabulary.
The Best DIY Blocks for Kids
DIY Blocks Kids will LOVE!
Every kid should have at least one good set of building blocks. Block play stimulates learning in all domains and is researched to lead toward academic success. These DIY blocks for kids make it easy to have enough for everyone!
Kids love to play with blocks and rainbow peg dolls. Click on the link to learn how to make your own!
I have placed this amazing collection of DIY blocks for kids and adults into categories so you can easily find what you are looking for.
There are blocks with the letters of the alphabet, recycled blocks, basic wood blocks, interlocking blocks, colored blocks, painted blocks, house, city, and people blocks, natural blocks, outdoor blocks, and puzzle blocks–whew!
Enjoy making one of these sets or find inspiration to create your own! Click on the link to see the tutorial for each set.
The Best DIY Blocks for Kids: For Baby
Soft Rattle Blocks for Babies | While She Naps
Homemade Personalized Fabric Blocks for Baby | And Next Comes L
DIY Sensory Blocks | Red Ted Art
The Best DIY Blocks for Kids: Alphabet Blocks
ABC Blocks | This and That Creative
Awesome ABC Blocks | Mejia Mamma
Alphabet Blocks | The Questionable Domestic
The Best DIY Blocks for Kids: Recycled Blocks
Toilet Paper Roll Building Blocks | Swoodson Says
DIY Cardboard Tube Construction Set | Picklebums
Cardboard Building Blocks | Sunny Day Family
Quiet Blocks | I Can Teach My Child
Jumbo Building Blocks | The SAHM Survival Guide
Egg Carton Building Blocks | The Pinterested Parent (not pictured)
The Best DIY Blocks for Kids: Plain Wood
Make Your Own Wooden Blocks | Frugal Fun for Boys & Girls
How to Make Wooden Blocks | How to Make Toys
Toy Wood Blocks | Instructables
Build Blocks | Instructables
The Best DIY Blocks for Kids: Specialty
Color Blocks | And Next Comes L
Sand Blocks | Adventure in a Box
Wooden Mirror Blocks | Adventure in a Box
Patterned Wood Blocks | The Imagination Tree
Awesome Interlocking Building Blocks | Improvised Life
Sticky Blocks | No Twiddle Twaddle
Wooden Pull Cart and Building Blocks | Woodworking for Mere Mortals
DIY Pattern Building Blocks | Frugal Fun for Boys & Girls (Not pictured)
DIY Blocks for Kids: Colored & Painted
Rainbow Colored Wooden Blocks | Rhythms of Play
Dyed Rainbow “Grimm Style” Wooden Blocks | Fun at Home with Kids
How to Make Wooden Monster Blocks | Adventure in a Box
Painted Blocks by Kids | Art Bar
Make a Monster Blocks | Adventure in a Box
Wooden Gradient Blocks | Adventure in a Box
Painted Blocks | The Life Jolie (not pictured)
DIY Blocks for Kids: Houses, Cities & People
Chalkboard City Blocks | Hellobee
House Blocks for the Railroad | Adventure in a Box
Stacking House Blocks | Mer Mag
Wooden Block Family | Beci Orpin for The Etsy Blog
Olliblocks | Ollibird
DIY Blocks for Kids: Natural & Outdoor
How to Make Waldorf-Inspired Nature Blocks | Adventure in a Box
Cheap & Easy DIY Outdoor Wooden Blocks | Simply Kierste
Every kid should have at least one good set of blocks. These DIY blocks for kids make it easy to have enough for everyone. Enjoy making one of these sets or find inspiration to create your own!
Your kids may also like to have their own sand and water table,, chalkboard, mud kitchen or sandbox
Science Play Together
Tinkering as a Way to Encourage Deeper STEM Learning
Tinkering is a popular term used in many early learning circles to describe a kind of open-ended learning and play. This article explains the benefits of incorporating tinkering into an early learning classroom to promote STEM learning and offers ideas that you might want to try with the children in your classroom or program.
Tinkering for babies means encouraging playful, open-ended exploration with simple, safe objects to discover cause-and-effect, textures, sounds, and movement, fostering curiosity and foundational learning through sensory experiences like bubbles, blocks, sensory bags, and exploring everyday items with adult support, rather than specific outcomes, building early science, motor, and problem-solving skills. It's about the process of trying, seeing what happens (like shaking a rattle or knocking blocks down), and learning through iterative discovery, guided by an observant adult.
Simple Tinkering Activities for Babies
Cause & Effect Play: Shake homemade rattles (bottles with rice), bat at colorful mobiles, or play with light switches (with supervision).
Sensory Exploration:
Bubbles: Chase and bat at bubbles during tummy time or play.
Sensory Bags: Fill sealable bags with gel, water, or beads (taped securely) for squishing and visual exploration.
Texture Bins: Offer safe, varied items like smooth stones, soft cloths, or crinkly paper.
Building & Knocking: Provide large blocks or soft items for stacking and then joyfully knocking down.
Water Play: Splashing during bath time with cups and toys.
The Adult's Role (Co-Learner)
Provide Materials: Offer simple, developmentally appropriate objects.
Observe & Support: Watch what interests them; don't direct the play.
Ask Questions: Prompt curiosity ("What happens if...?" or "Can you reach that?").
Introduce Complexity: Slowly add new materials or ideas as they master the basics.
Develops fine motor skills (reaching, grasping).
Teaches cause and effect (shake -> sound).
Builds perseverance and resilience (trying again).
Fosters creativity and problem-solving.
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Understanding Science Through Tinkering
Tinkering with babies means safe, sensory, open-ended exploration of objects, focusing on the process (touching, shaking, mouthing, banging) over a final product, guided by an engaged caregiver who provides age-appropriate materials (big, safe, non-choking hazards) and support, fostering curiosity, motor skills, problem-solving, and foundational STEM learning.It's about allowing tiny humans to use their senses and hands to discover "how things work" in a low-stakes, joyful environment.
What Tinkering Looks Like for Babies (Under 12 Months)
Sensory Exploration: Babies learn by grabbing, shaking, squeezing, mouthing, banging, and dropping objects.
Appropriate "Tools": Safe household items, textured fabrics, big blocks, water (in bath), pop-up toys.
Supervision is Key: Always stay close, ensuring items aren't too small (choking hazards) and guiding them away from truly unsafe items.
Engaged Adult Role: You're a co-learner, modeling "wow, this feels bumpy," asking "what if," and supporting their discovery.
This video shows examples of tinkering with toddlers at home:
57s
Children's Museum NH -YouTube • Mar 17, 2020
Benefits of Tinkering
Curiosity & Creativity: Fuels natural interest in the world.
Motor Skills: Develops fine motor skills (grasping, poking) and gross motor skills (reaching, crawling).
Problem-Solving: Figuring out how things fit or work.
Resilience: Learning that mistakes (things falling) are part of exploring.
STEM Foundations: Introduces basic physics (cause/effect, balance) and engineering concepts.
This video explains the benefits of tinkering for children:
1m
Chicago Children's Museum-YouTube • Jul 10, 2020
Key Things to Remember
Process Over Product: The experience of exploring is the goal, not a finished toy.
Open-Ended Play: Provide materials with multiple uses (e.g., blocks, tubes, scarves).
Time & Space: Give them room and uninterrupted time to explore.
Ask Questions: "I wonder what would happen if..." encourages deeper thinking.
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Defining Tinkering
“Tinkering is about hands-on experiences, learning from failures, and unstructured time to explore and invent.”
There are many definitions of tinkering that float around the world of early childhood education. But, generally speaking, tinkering refers to the kind of open-ended, hands-on, focused exploration of a variety of different materials that often leads to new ideas and discoveries.
An NAEYC article explains, “Children initially use their senses to explore the physical properties of materials. They tinker as they take things apart, put things together, figure out how things work, and attempt to build and make creations using tools.”
Tinkering and Early Learning
One of the cornerstones of tinkering is an emphasis on process over product. The end result is less important than the children’s experiences. Tinkering often looks like children making and creating new things, or exploring different parts to investigate how they work together.
To enhance the tinkering experience, we will want to offer a variety of materials for exploration. Tinkering can be supported by asking children open-ended questions like “I wonder what would happen if…?”, by encouraging children to try a variety of approaches, and by reinforcing the satisfaction children can experience when they learn how things work.
For older children, tinkering can be done in a group setting. This offers an opportunity for children to work together and learn important skills in teamwork, problem-solving, collaboration, experimentation, and perseverance.
Of course, we should always consider the age of children in their care and ensure the materials used are safe and developmentally appropriate. Smaller pieces are best for children who are older and less curious about exploring items with their mouths.
An art bar is a table or shelf that displays a variety of art materials for children, such as markers, tape, paper, crayons, stickers, paint and brushes, yarn, or any other materials you have available that children can use for artistic expression.
Legos, or other blocks and building materials are commonly found in makerspaces. Children love to build with open-ended materials that allow them to use their imagination and creativity. Legos and blocks made of wood or foam are great for children to practice building. You might even use empty cardboard boxes or plastic containers for children who want to construct on a larger scale.
Books about science, construction, electronics, or influential people from the field of science can be a great source of creative inspiration for children. You can make the books feel more accessible to the little ones in your classroom by displaying them upright with the book covers at the children’s eye level.
Recycled and found materials, such as paper towels and toilet paper rolls, empty plastic containers, egg cartons, corks, and other found materials are great for children to create with — and they offer an opportunity to engage in conversation about reusing materials!
5 Reasons Why Building Blocks Are Great FOR Development
Who knew that something as simple as a set of building blocks could have such a profound impact on toddler development? In today’s post, I am going to share 5 reasons why building blocks are good for toddler development.
Building blocks are a classic child’s toy. If you look online or at any given store, you will find countless numbers of building block sets. From wood to plastic to silicone, there are more options to choose from than we could ever need.
Call me a purist, but when it comes to building blocks, wood is my material of choice. Perhaps because it’s classic, or perhaps it’s because I have a slight addiction to wooden toys now that I have a kid. Maybe I’m making up for missing out on things in my own childhood. Who knows. 🤷
I always knew that Jacob was going to be getting some building blocks when he got older. But I had no idea just how fun the blocks would be for me too! I think I enjoy them just as much as he does (and maybe sometimes more).
He’s not quite to the point where he’s building huge towers and full cities. For now, he mostly enjoys stacking 3-5 blocks at a time and then taking the blocks out of the box and putting them back in. He also loves piling them around his feet and then kicking his feet vigorously and seeing them scatter. He thinks that is delightful. Oh! And he is also a HUGE fan of knocking over anything I build. Lol!
Incorporating Montessori Methods into Our Home
I’ve always known that I wanted to incorporate alternative learning styles into our home when we had a child. I love aspects of a variety of educational styles from Montessori to Waldorf to traditional homeschooling. There are things about all of them that I truly love and believe in.
While our home is far from being a traditional Montessori or Waldorf home, we do try to incorporate methods from those styles into our daily lives, whether it be during playtime or just general life. This is also probably why I love wooden toys so much. Wooden toys are a classic Montessori tool.
Building blocks are regularly used in Montessori education. Recently, the company Lovevery reached out to me and asked if I would like to test some of their products, one of which was their popular block set. Of course, I said yes because who am I to turn down free toys for the little one?! Especially wooden ones! Lol!
I immediately snagged their block set and am so impressed by it. I’ll talk more about the Lovevery block set later in the post. For now, I want to share 5 reasons why building blocks are great for toddler development.
But First! Become an Observer.
Observation
5 Reasons Why Building Blocks Are Good for Toddler Development
1. Building Blocks Help Cultivate Their Imagination and Creativity
2. Building Blocks Help Encourage Problems Solving
3. Building Blocks Teach Basic Mathematics
When it comes to math, building blocks are an excellent tool. Not only do they teach a child about size, shape, and patterns but they also encourage the child to use other mathematical skills to figure things out. They can use the blocks to learn about adding, subtracting, counting, and sorting. Blocks also teach about spatial dimensions like length, width, and depth.
4. Building Blocks Help Build Self-Esteem
Who knew that something as simple as playing with blocks could improve self-esteem? But it can! Toddlers can learn that they have ideas and can implement those ideas in practical and creative ways. They can bring to fruition an idea from start to finish while overcoming obstacles along the way. All of this builds confidence and research shows that building confidence at an early age will help children throughout their entire life.
5. Building Blocks Help Improve Motor Skills and Hand-Eye Coordination
Nothing has been more fascinating to me than watching my little one play with blocks. I pay attention to the way he holds the blocks and maneuvers his hands. It has given me such an incredible perspective on motor skill development and how much we take for granted as adults. Things that are so easy for us that we don’t even think about them are frustratingly hard for a toddler. They have to learn how to hold the block so they can place it on the stack. They have to learn how to gently place a block (rather than slam it down or throw it on) so it balances and doesn’t knock the tower over. They have to learn how to move the block in their hand so it fits through the shape sorter lid. And so on… So many things that we take for granted! It’s fascinating.
That’s 5 of my favorite reasons why building blocks are great for toddler development. What other things would you add to this list?
If you have any questions about the block set or using blocks in your own home, please leave me a comment below! If you’d like to check out the Lovevery block set for yourself, you can do that via this link.
Constructive Play |
A World Of Exploration Opportunities in Physics and Engineering
As your child engages in constructive play, they see the ideas they imagine come to life. Let’s explore what construction play is all about!
What is constructive play?
A constructive play definition- Also known as construction play, is about manipulating, shaping, or constructing something. In other words, constructive play is creating and building with different types of materials.
It involves various methods such as putting together, taking apart, stacking, molding, sorting, and more. However, most important is that children are connecting and interacting with their environment.
Constructive play typically starts around the age of two, when children can focus on one activity for extended periods. Previously children have been through an exploratory phase using their senses for investigation and discovery.
Usually, this involves simple and repetitive actions, like banging blocks or moving blocks from place to place. This exploratory phase helps prepare them to begin constructing. During construction play, their movements are more purposeful.
They have moved from exploring the materials to creating something. Nowhere is this transition more evident than during the stages of block play, from simply knowing how a block feels to building a basic tower.
Through constructive play, they get to see and feel things for themselves.
A key component of constructive play is that it is open-ended. That kids are using materials to creatively and intentionally build something.
The open-ended materials can take many forms, for example, playdough, sand, water, recycled materials, and all types of blocks for kids. Through construction play, children engage their imagination and creativity while sparking their curiosity.
Construction play is a form of hands-on inquiry where children, by nature, discover and explore things for themselves. They gather information, experiment, and ask questions while engaging in constructive play.
Kids build, stack, construct, and draw as they test various materials. For example, they can make a sandcastle, compose a sidewalk chalk mural, or build a city with blocks and loose parts.
Children learn through their interactions and experiences in the physical and social world.
Compose a sidewalk chalk mural
Benefits of constructive play
Constructive play offers an unlimited world of opportunities for exploration and discovery. Children experience using various materials and tools to put things together, test ideas, solve problems, and stretch their imaginations.
As we have discussed in other articles about block play, construction play shares many of the same benefits. The encouragement of constructive play is valuable because it reinforces open-ended, free play and allows children to be children. It will enable them to explore their own ideas and connect them to the world around them.
Here are some of the construction play benefits your child may experience:
Physical Development
Construction play requires the use of both fine and gross motor skills to build something. By strengthening these motor skills, fine motor and gross motor activities can better shape and control their environment, empowering them.
Cognitive Development
Construction play encourages cognitive development by allowing kids to regulate and control their thinking. It requires trial and error. As children think, plan, and assess their actions, they develop problem-solving skills.
The way a child approaches their building with persistence to overcome any problems. They experiment with different materials and find new ways to use them. They try new methods and modify them when needed if something doesn’t work. This is problem-solving at its best.
Language Development
Constructive play helps kids become better communicators. They expand their vocabulary by using building words like over, under, and on top.
Placing signs around the construction play zone increases the connection between the written and spoken word. The encouragement of an adult who engages with open-ended questions supports language development.
Hands-on Exploration And Curiosity
Kids absorb information better through hands-on exploration rather than formal instruction. They learn to connect to their world and explore how materials can represent different objects (i.e., a stack of blocks becomes a skyscraper). Through constructive play, they get to see and feel things for themselves.
Imagination And Creativity
Construction play ignites your child’s imagination and creativity. Children use their creativity for planning and designing their creations. At the same time, they use their imaginations to create imaginary worlds, which leads to pretend play.
Creative and constructive play works best when you…
Now that we know what constructive play is and why it is important let’s look at how we can support and encourage it. Most importantly, we must understand and believe in the value of this type of play and ALL kinds of play.
Play comes naturally, and we should advocate for children to be children as long as possible—enough time each day needs to be allotted for play, including construction play. Our children should be encouraged to enjoy, explore, and experience the thrill of constructive play.
Provide Adult Support
We can support constructive play by:
Providing spaces that are safe, accessible, and full of open-ended materials
Encouraging construction play activities, whether inside or outside
Having interaction with children and asking open-ended questions
Helping them document their discoveries and creations
NOT directing it, but merely providing support to the play
Getting down on their level models the importance of playtime for your child
Encouraging constructive play activities inside and out
Add Inspiring Materials
Constructive play is essential for young children. What’s important here is to supply a variety of materials that are open-ended with no specific outcome. Where the kids control and determine how they are used to create something.
Continually adding new and stimulating elements while removing others keeps it fresh and exciting. Keep developmental stages and choking hazards in mind when sourcing your materials.
All types of blocks in varying shapes, sizes, and materials
Block props(i.e., vehicles, animals, people, signs, cogs, and wheels)
Train or car tracks
Water and water toys
Sand and sand toys
Modeling materials (i.e., playdough or clay)
Loose materials (i.e., pieces of fabric, vinyl, ribbon, or balls of wool)
Natural materials (i.e., shells, leaves, bark, sticks, and stones)
Art materials (i.e., easels, brushes, paint, markers, crayons, chalk, paper)
Craft materials (i.e., buttons, googly eyes, popsicle sticks, string, sequins)
Recycled materials (i.e., boxes, milk crates, mosaic tile pieces, clean PVC pipe pieces)
Wood pieces (i.e., clean in a variety of shapes and sizes) and strong glue
Tools (i.e., measuring tape, clipboard, pencils, stapler, scissors, tape)
Wagons or buckets to move the materials around
Camera and sketching materials for documenting their creations
Play Indoors or Outdoors
Constructive play should not be limited to just indoor block play. Again, the premise of construction play is about your child’s interaction with their environment. Changing how the materials and your child interact encourages a variety of constructive play.
For example:
Taking the blocks outside
Bringing natural elements inside
Mixing sectors like:
Block play with science
Math with language activities
Recycled materials with art
Taking the easels and paints outside adds an additional dimension to the play. Additionally, encouraging children to use traditional materials in new and innovative ways creates more opportunities for construction play. For example, painting on a fence or drawing with chalk on the sidewalk.
Engineer rivers and dams in the mud or sand
Blend It with Imaginative Play
Children have a natural tendency to combine construction play with imaginative play. As they build and create, they begin to try on and test how they experience the world. For instance, they may stack a few blocks, add some animals, and call it a zoo.
From there, they pretended how they would spend their day at the zoo. Or they might make something entirely imaginary, like an amusement park on Mars. This is the time to entertain their fantasy and ask them about their amusement park and Mars.
What is important is that your child is using their imagination with no rules or expectations.
Create Time and Space
Constructive play requires time. Allowing enough time for your child to create without interruptions is essential.
Creating a block center and outdoor space for other materials is beneficial. Adding, combining, and changing elements creates an environment conducive to constructive play.
Induct Their Creations Into The “Hall of Fame”
While some of their constructions may be able to last for a while, most of them will be temporary in nature. However difficult this might be for some, it is an essential part of the learning experience. To help bridge the learning curve:
Take a picture
Make a video
Have your child draw or sketch their creations
Record what they say about their creations
Then they can enjoy the fun of knocking it all down just to build it again tomorrow.
Constructive play examples
We tend to go straight to block play and traditional building sets when we think of construction play. Yet, constructive play activities also include many other options.
Expand construction play by inviting your child to experience one or more of the activities below.
Assemble an outside fort with tires, hay bales, milk crates, and other large boxes
Build an inside hide-out from sheets, blankets, tables, and chairs. Construct a tunnel from recycled boxes and other materials
Create art from natural materials found on a nature walk.
Design and build a city with wooden building blocks, train and road tracks
Engineer rivers and dams in the mud or sand with plastic pipe pieces
Inspire children to draw building ideas with a clipboard, paper, and pencil
Make something using scraps of wood and strong glue to introduce woodworking
Organize and construct an obstacle course
Sculpt sandcastles
Set up construction challenges that encourage collaboration and problem-solving
Shape something from playdough and craft materials
Do you have a favorite memory of building or creating something?
I do; I loved visiting my aunt’s house, which had all the great wooden building toys. She had Tinker Toys and Lincoln Logs, which we didn’t have at our home. See, she had two boys, and I was a girl.
To this day, one of my favorite kids’ activities is building with blocks. Whether it is giant blocks, magnetic blocks, or wooden unit blocks, I love seeing my ideas come to life.
Why not open the world of constructive play with some building sets of your own?
Some images were provided by Guidecraft, a design-based company creating educational children’s furniture and toys. For more information about their products, please visit their website. Use our code DISCOVERY10 to save on everything in the store!
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