Wooden blocks have always been a favorite in our house and they still are for our pre-schooler and toddler. They’ve also been a favorite toy recommendation by child development experts for centuries.

So why is this old fashioned toy still so popular today?

Beyond inspiring my children to use their imagination, blocks also frustrate them to no end sometimes. Their towers fall over {or little brother kicks it over}, the square won’t sit on top of the triangle the right way, or the bridge is too narrow for the toy animal to get through. This creates an excellent {and sometimes extremely trying} opportunity for teaching EQ – emotional quotient.

“A lot of educational toys will teach the alphabet, numbers, and other “cognitive” skills—and blocks can, too. Many of them have letters, numbers or pictures painted on the side.

However, blocks give a far more important edge in academic excellence. Studies show that the kids who succeed in school, and in life, have high emotional quotient. They have perseverance, critical thinking, curiosity, and a willingness to examine a problem from all sides. Each time a block tower falls, they have to think of a way to build it better. Each time they create a castle, they must analyze the shapes to find a way for the pieces to “fit”—or adjust their original “design” to accommodate whatever they have.

Blocks teach dexterity: Each time your child balances one block on top of the other, he uses the same muscles in the hand required for handwriting, sports, and even holding a spoon full of food without making a sticky mess.

 The advantage, of course, is he can practice those skills all he wants without you freaking out that he’ll break the toy. Blocks can take a surprising amount of abuse— and the fact that your child doesn’t hear an endless litany of “be careful!” “stop!” “you’ll hurt yourself!” also nurtures his confidence in his abilities.

Blocks teach social skills: Blocks are one of the few toys that are more fun when shared. Bring them out during a playdate, or teach important skills like sharing, taking turns and teamwork. Saying things like “Let’s make a really tall tower together!” or “Can I borrow the red block, please?” also helps him practice good manners and polite behavior.”

Read more here.

Related posts:

1. green gift guide: gummylump {melissa & doug giveaway}
2. disney: “mickey mote” child size remote & dvd set
3. oh, beautiful child…
4. Pfffft.