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Homemade Building Block Toys

The standard alphabet block first appeared in 17th century England, and was praised for its educational value by philosopher John Lock. An important developmental toy for children, building blocks teach lessons about spatial dynamics and structures, and even help children relive past experiences and explore feelings through surrogates. While easily available from a number of producers, making these toys yourself, from construction to decoration, can be an inclusive family activity.

Creating Blocks
- When constructing blocks, there a number of key features to remember. The first is weight. A block should have weight to it, but it should be in line with the abilities of your child. A lighter block will seem flimsy, while a heavier block will be hard for your child to play with. Excellent blocks can be created from harder materials, such as wood, and they will likely last longer. Parents concerned with safety may want to construct the blocks out of softer materials, such as paper and cardboard, but should be aware that they may end up having to replace the blocks more often.
  
  Before construction, decide what you will put inside the blocks. You could put nothing but air in them, but they will be too light if made from cardboard. Soft packing material, such as shredded newspapers, packing peanuts or scraps of cloth, can add weight to your creations while helping to ensure safety.
  
  Some easy options for creating building blocks are to use things you have around the house. Paper bags can be filled, their tops folded and secured with tape to create a standard box block. Depending on the size of the bag and the amount of packing material you include, you can create blocks of different sizes and shapes. Other good block resources are food boxes, such those from cereal or pasta, and appliance boxes.
  
  Don't limit yourself or your child to square shapes. Oatmeal containers are often cylinders and fairly sturdy. Triangles can easily be formed with some folded cardboard and tape. Give your child plenty of options.
Decorating Blocks
- Imagine the possibilities for decorating the sides of the blocks. Writing the alphabet on different sides, while obvious, is as beneficial as ever. But don't stop at letters. Introduce numbers to your child on the blocks, then use them later as props to teach them about math.
  
  Cutouts from magazines, photographs or drawn images also can be put on the sides. Letting your children add images to the blocks will help them feel involved and important.
  
  Finally, you may want to draw architectural features on the blocks, such as windows and doors. This allows for a more realism as your child builds different houses and buildings.

Educational Toys