Blocks have been a favorite toy for hundreds of years. Though they have been around for centuries, this developmental children’s toy has improved in both appearance and functionality. Today, blocks come in every shape, size, color and material. They range from elementary, baby safe toys to complex and sophisticated building toys. The benefits of this fundamental plaything are as varied as the styles in which they come.

 
The History of Children’s Blocks
Early mention of children’s blocks suggests they were made to be an educational toy for kids. They have been used to teach everything from the letters of the alphabet to physical concepts like gravity and spatial relationships. Blocks are still a great educational toy today. Improvements on the classic toy have made the developmental benefits of children’s blocks even more extensive.

 
The Benefits of Blocks

Blocks have surprising benefits for your little one. They assist in the development of fine motor skills, improve social skills, and even enhance logical thinking. Recent improvements on this old favorite have made this toy even more beneficial for children and a plaything that can grow with your child.

Playing with blocks helps kids develop fine motor skills. Handling blocks builds strength in young kids’ hands, promotes dexterity and improves hand eye coordination. Playing with blocks generally makes young kids more adept at any task involving their hands.

Blocks give kids a creative outlet. With blocks, children can build anything they can imagine; and exercising that imagination builds creativity. As kids get older, playing with more complex blocks or building sets gives them the same freedom to explore and create.

Playing with blocks improves logical thinking. If kids are assigned a task with their blocks, they need to think of the logical steps involved in completing that task. Kids begin to practice logical thinking when they try to build with blocks or organize them in a meaningful way.

Block play improves social skills. Kids that play with blocks together or with a parent will reap social benefits from block play. Playing together helps kids learn to communicate and cooperate. Because kids need to learn to work together to play, they can become more friendly and cooperative from the experience.

Blocks are a long lasting toy. This durable plaything has an un-complicated, hard to break design. This long lasting toy also grows with your child. From baby to toddler to preschooler, kids can continue to learn from playing with their blocks.

 
Modern Blocks

Improvements on the classic block have made this toy’s benefits even further reaching. This traditional toy has become a favorite product of eco-friendly companies. Many environmentally responsible companies are making their own versions of the classic wooden block. The simple design of blocks makes them a long lasting toy (an eco-friendly principle) and blocks can be made of sustainable wood. This environmentally friendly spin on the block is just one way the classic toy is being modernized.

Variety in colors, sizes, shapes, textures and patterns of blocks makes them more stimulating for younger children. The added sensory complexity of modern blocks offers more sensory stimulation for young children and more developmental benefits.

Another block innovation is increasing complexity. Small blocks like LEGOs make the possibilities for block play even further reaching. Kids are no longer restricted to a limited number of cubes to stack. They can build castles or ships or even people from their small building blocks.

Modeling sets like the sets that COBI offers are another trend in blocks. Kids can buy a set of blocks and pieces that will form something specific like a detailed pirate ship or military helicopter. With the introduction of building sets like these, blocks can be built with in a whole new way and by an older group of kids. As kids grow up, they have more challenging block sets with which to play. This gives older kids many of the same educational benefits that younger kids gain from playing with simple block sets.

Can’t wait to start reaping all of those block benefits?! Stop by our official store to see simple block sets and complex building sets today.