Playing with blocks isn't just fun; it is also a learning experience for young children

Credit:  Microsoft

Playing with blocks helps young children develop spatial and math skills, according to a new study. Good spatial and math skills are required for jobs in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

Over 100 children 3-year olds were assessed as they performed different block building tasks. Some tasks were designed to test math skills and other tasks evaluated spatial skills.

A block building task was used to test the children's spatial skills.  Spatial skills refers to a reasoning ability to understand problems involving physical spaces, shapes, or forms and to think of objects in three dimensions.  The children's math skills were tested using a "measure developed for 3-year-olds that focuses on a wide range of skills, from simple counting to complex operations like adding and subtracting."

The researchers also noted that children from low income families were often behind their peers in spatial skills. Playing with blocks can help these children develop their spatial skills.

"Research in the science of learning has shown that experiences like block building and puzzle play can improve children's spatial skills and that these skills support complex mathematical problem solving in middle and high school," explains Brian N. Verdine, one of the study's authors. "This is the first research to demonstrate a similar relationship in preschoolers."

The study is published in the journal Child Development. 

©Mary M Conneely T/A Advocacy in Action