Wood blocks should certainly be one of the staple materials in every childcare classroom. Wooden blocks come in a wide variety of shapes, textures, sizes, and colors, and they are capable of offering hours of fun to kids on their own, that is even before you add manipulative items to it. In addition to that, playing with wood blocks is an incredible way for kids to strengthen their fine motor skills and it helps them to practice science concepts such as balance and weight.
Many experts recommend that a 2-year-old kid should have a minimum of 200 blocks available to him/her while 3-year-olds must have at least 300 wood blocks available to them. Likewise, the number of wood blocks available to a 4-year-old or 5-year-old kid should increase exponentially. You should also note that each class should have wooden blocks in different shapes, textures, and sizes to entertain kids.
Different types of wood blocks and other materials can be used for a wide variety of applications or purposes. If your childcare center cannot afford different types of wood blocks in each one of the classrooms, it is best to buy different wood blocks and then rotate it between the classrooms on a regular basis. Below are a few examples of basic building blocks that you can purchase for an affordable cost.
Unit Blocks
Unit blocks are the most popular wood blocks available in the market and they usually last for several years, which means that they are a worthy investment. The name “unit blocks” was given to them since they are built from solid hardwood with the same basic standard of measurement.
Large Hollow Blocks
Large hollow blocks are large enough for a kid to stand on and it can be used for building numerous life-sized structures. They are mostly designed as hollow to reduce the weight. If your kids are above the age of five, it is wiser to invest in large hollow blocks.
Foam Blocks
Foam blocks are usually lightweight and soft but they do come in a wide variety of sizes and shapes. Some sets of foam wood blocks tend to use standard unit block measurements while the rest of them are as large as hollow blocks.