I am beginning with block building to discuss the stages of development because it is so wonderfully graphic and fun to see. There are five major stages that children pass through on their way to being competent and complex builders. At each stage, they will play many times using the materials differently but within their current skill level and they will develop a certain level of mastery before moving to the next level.

Stage One

Tote and Carry - Blocks are carried around to feel their smoothness, their weight, and to hear what kinds of sounds they make when they fall. Children like to fill containers, dump them out, and refill them.

Stage Two- early preschool

Building begins- Children lay the blocks, often in rows, either horizontally or vertically, with much repetition. Children may play alone or near other children , but rarely in a cooperative way.

This structure was the beginning of extending play that eventually included the house and then animals.

Stage Three- three year olds

Trial and Error Bridging- Two blocks with a space between them connected by a third block. Children learn by trail and error.

This structure was motivated, as many are,  by the desire to create a bridge for a certain activity, in this case, car travel. After several tries, the successful trip across the top produced great satisfaction. The following days had increasingly complex roadways and bridges.

Stage Four- three and four year olds

Enclosures- Blocks are placed in such a way that enclose a space. Bridging and enclosing are the earliest “technical” building problems that children learn to solve. As children work at building enclosures, they learn a number of important spatial concepts.

This enclosure was the stage for a train that went inside the circle. She annexed it to a building. The stage of enclosures is a good launching pad for more elaborate play.

Stage five- late threes, mostly four and fives

Representational building- At this stage, children add dramatic play to their block building. They name their structures which relate to a function. Before this, children may also have named their structures but the names were not necessarily related to the function of the building.

This zoo added a new dimensions to the previous weeks of more complex building. The play was extended as the animals moved about the zoo and arrangement were discussed.

Stage Six

Building Sociodrama- By age 5, group cooperative play is common. Children decide beforehand what they want to build, and they may reproduce structures that are familiar to them. Children may ask to leave their structure standing and may play with it again.

This wonderfully elaborate structure had many play components that engaged several children for almost an hour. They were proud of their collective building and requested that it be  photographed. It remained up for continued play in the afternoon.  This was an amazing and incredibly collaborative building.