Right now, parents and teachers are looking for ways to engage children learning from home. Because of this, we wanted to provide insight into how you can use Blocks Rock! as part of your daily home learning.
To do this, we interviewed Lucy from Find the Little Mind, a long-time user of Blocks Rock! and advocate of creative play. Learn how Lucy integrates Blocks Rock! into her home learning and more!
How do you integrate Blocks Rock! into your children's day?
There are several ways that we enjoy Blocks Rock!, but primarily we use it as a transition activity. By this, I mean I will set up the game, an activity using the blocks, or the 3D Companion App at a time in the day when we need to change gears.
Sometimes this is in the morning when we need a brain boost, and others it is after some screen time when I want to enjoy some quality and productive time together. I am also sure to have it available for them to access whenever they wish. I sometimes find my 3-year-old happily completing a few of the Pre-K STEM Cards all by herself in the toy room.
Why do you like using Blocks Rock! as a home learning tool?
One of the main reasons I rate Blocks Rock! so highly as a game and STEM product is because it is versatile, and both my 3-year-old and 7-year old benefit equally from it. Many family games require lots of setup and can be too complex for both of my children to enjoy together.
Just yesterday, we had Blocks Rock! out with my eldest enjoying a 3D Companion App building session while I worked with my toddler on some of the challenge cards. Both kids benefitted from the same game but in many different ways that were age-appropriate.
What tips do you have for using games or tools like Blocks Rock! for home learning?
Don't be afraid to think outside of the box when it comes to using a game like Blocks Rock!
Some of our favorite play sessions have been when we just made up a different way to play the game. For example, we added a timer, and we challenged each other to see how many cards we could complete in 3 minutes. So much additional numeracy learning was happening.
I will also add that often kids will have the best ideas. I will sometimes ask my 7 yr old to make up a new version of the game or design some new challenge cards he loves.
It is also important as a parent to model enthusiasm for the game you are playing. It can be tempting just to hand over a game and expect it to entertain your kids, but it makes such a difference when you engage in the activity with your kids. They feed off your enthusiasm for playing as well!
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
If your child is distance learning this school year, it can work well to use a game like Blocks Rock! for brain breaks. During distance learning, I would have a few STEM games and toys on the table for my son to choose from when I could tell his concentration was dwindling. It worked really well...especially as he beat me nearly every time and then had bragging rights for the rest of the day!
Discover More Home Learning Resources
To get a set of Blocks Rock! for your home, you can buy through our websiteor on Amazon.
If you’re in search of more home learning ideas, click here to explore our 2020 Home Learning Library.
All images have been provided by Find the Little Mind.
