Blocks are just perfect in our digital age!
They are more than a baby toy but a toy that grows with our under 5 children.
Today I have an interview all about the big deal about blocks.
Empowered by Play was founded in 2009 by teacher-turned-activist Geralyn
Bywater McLaughlin, M.Ed. A classroom teacher for 19 years, she is also a mother of seven-year-old twin boys. Geralyn became a play advocate in response to her classroom observations of children who were forced to grow up too quickly in the current commercialized, plugged-in culture.
She is also a contributing writer to So Sexy So Soon: The New Sexualized Childhood and What Parents Can Do to Protect Their Kids
Read the article by Geralyn on blocks
Geralyn on Twitter :: Geralyn on Facebook
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Show notes::
We learn
- Aubrun, Maine school department spending approximately $200,000 on ipads for their incoming Kindergarteners.
- Opposition and activism following that announcement
- Evidence about how blocks are disappearing from early childhood classrooms and homes via Crisis in Kindergarden– Alliance for Childhood
- about spontaneous idea opportunities generated from block play
- about why we should have block play.
- Update of the AAP guidelines on screen time for the Under 2s.
- Value of blocks over time vs finite shelf life of software and the digital world.
- Blocks are not just for babies
- Block sizes and amounts for each age group
- community playthings on blocks
- the value of adding marbles, ramps and balls to block play
- creative ways of block play
- Different ways to use blocks
- Photoblocks :: MindWare Blik-Blok
:: Jenga:: Build-Your-Own-StoryBlox™ :: Art History block
- Kapla blocks :: Keva Blocks
- Our Nativity blocks :: Felt Nativity blocks
- ways to teach block use if we don’t use blocks right now….side by side? Join in? teach? leave them to it?
What book has helped you raise a playful tot?
Inspired you to do better and be better. Leave your comment in the show notes
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[…] podcast I recorded, “What is the big deal about blocks?” is now available on iTunes. Click here to find the podcast and the Raising Playful Tots website. I had a great time talking with the terrific UK host, Melitsa Avila . I hope you have a great time […]