What is the big deal with blocks, really?

Ever wondered why blocks remain a staple of any kid's playtime? I mean, they're just blocks...right? How great can a cube (or cylinder, or cone) be?

Truth is, early childhood educators have known for a long time that block play (PDF) is a simple, effective, and therefore indispensable, tool in the development of our kids. Playing with blocks starts kids learning basic math and science concepts (abstract) -- sorting, counting, size, shape, weight, spatial relationships -- and the imaginative story-telling that it stimulates improves language and reading skills. When you add in other kids and parents into the equation, your child develops social skills like cooperation, negotiation, and responsibility.

Worried about having to pick up the blocks after your little one is done? Make that part of the process and putting toys away can be a sorting game all on it's own.

Here's some good guidelines used in play-based classrooms:

• We build with blocks, not throw them.
• You may knock down only the tower you build.
• You may build as tall as you are.
• We keep the blocks on the carpet.
• We build away from shelves and other people and furniture.
• We take out only what we will use.
  

We've got a great selection of blocks here at Urban Kids Play, too. Stop by to say hi and check them out!

Little knit wits!

Knitting is big with the urban set these days, so who can blame it when our daughters and sons want to get into the action? Did you know that knitting is excellent for developing hand/eye coordination, math skills, and spacial and geometric senses? It can also be used to calm anxious children (and parents!) and is taught worldwide in Waldorf Schools. And, since it helps the right (intuitive, emotional) and left (cognitive, analytical) sides of our brain communicate, it can actually help your kids become better readers.

Think your kids are too young? Maybe not. When I was too small to handle needles, I learned how to finger knit, which is easy, fun, and a great introduction to the addictive world of fiber arts. Later on, my mother taught me to knit "continental-style" and crochet like my Pennsylvania Dutch grandmother, and now my sister and I both carry on our family's warm tradition this way.

Try out these great online knitting resources:

knitty.com, easily the best known (and best!) free online knitting magazine, offering cool reviews, articles (like the one above on finger knitting), and patterns ranging from easy to super-duper hard.

ravelry.com, an online knit and crochet community, has more fun patterns and excellent message boards, plus an online stash* organizer.

knittinghelp.com has videos and step-by-step instructions.

Of course, you can always come in to UKP for one of our knit sets, knitting books, or run over to our neighbor Hilltop Yarn for supplies!


*That's knit slang for "big pile of yarn".

Photo courtesy of Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Activity: Make Some Music with the Gathering Drum

Most kids seem to be music fanatics (or at leasting banging fanatics) and that is why our activity suggestion for today is the Kids Gathering Drum. No instructions needed. No music to read. Just bang away. These drums can be played by one, two, three, or more players at a time with hands, mallets, or sticks. If you have more than one, you can create a drum circle. And it's a great activity for big and little kids to be involved in together.

You can even join in the fun. You'll love to see your kids inventing cool rhythm patterns all on their own. Add one of these basic beat egg shakers to the mix.

Product Review: Automoblox

We had fun dressing up and hanging out with the neighborhood an the annual Community Center festival and Helpline Kid's parade. Unfortunately, it is raining today so I thought I'd share a great product for adventure imagination play. Mix the fun of zooming around a wooden car with the fun of putting together car models and you get Automoblox.

Automoblox was designed to inspire creativity in children by allowing them to visualize and assemble cars of their own design. The Automoblox X9-X Sport Utility is a perfect mix of style and utility. It has running boards, front and rear skid plates, a roof rack and spare tire and is equipped to tackle the craggy mountain trails and stark canyon floors at the far edge of imaginations landscape.