Which blocks for a child to buy? - What you need to know before you buy?

Blocks for a child is one of the best gifts you can give them. These small elements positively influence the child at different stages of development, help him learn about the world and stimulate his imagination. However, the blocks should be matched to the child's age, development level, and interests. When to buy the first blocks? What to pay special attention to? What blocks to choose for one-year-old, two-year-old and four-year-old children, and what to buy for six-year-olds and older children?

Table of contents

• 1. How to choose the best blocks for your child?
• 2. How to match the blocks to the child's age?
• 3. From what age can you buy a child blocks?
• 4. What blocks to choose for a two and three year old?
• 5. What blocks to buy for older children?
• 6. What are the types of building blocks for children?
• 7. What parameters should good pads have?
• 8. How to choose blocks that your child will like?
• 9. How blocks affect children's development?
• 10. What skills does a child develop while playing with blocks?

How to choose the best blocks for your child?

Each stage of a child's development requires blocks with a different level of difficulty to be adapted to it. Playing with blocks is associated with the achievement of many benefits, but these toys will not serve their purpose if the child is not willing or able to play with them. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to the child's age, development level, as well as interests when choosing blocks for the child. On the other hand, it is important to look at what types of pads there are and what parameters differentiate them. By delving into this topic, the child will get the set of blocks of his dreams.

How to match the blocks to the child's age?

A child at each stage of development has different needs, interests, as well as skills. Therefore, the blocks must be matched to the age of the child so that they are interesting and developing for him or her. A two-year-old will certainly not be thrilled with metal blocks, which will be small in size and require a lot of precision when stacking. An eight-year-old, on the other hand, will be disappointed if he gets wooden blocks of large size. In order not to discourage your child from continuing to play with blocks, you should choose blocks that are age-appropriate.

From what age can you buy a child blocks?

The first set of building blocks can be given to a baby as young as several months old, who is able to grasp various objects with his hand. However, for a toddler, you should choose soft and sturdy blocks that he won't bite through, as well as lightweight ones that he can lift effortlessly. An infant will certainly try to put the blocks in his mouth, so they must be large so that the child cannot swallow them. In this role, rubber and texture blocks that meet the above requirements will be ideal. For a slightly older child it is worth buying blocks from 1 year of age, which have eye-pleasing, powdery shades and large sizes. They will help the child develop basic cognitive and motor functions, and their attractive design is sure to interest the child and encourage him to reach for them.

What blocks to choose for a two and three year old?

Blocks for a two-year-old above all, they should be wooden and magnetic. The large pieces will be easy to stack, and the colors of the blocks will encourage the energetic toddler to play. With the help of such blocks, the child will be able to develop his creativity and build all sorts of constructions. When it comes to blocks for a three-year-old, it is worth choosing sets consisting of more elements. A good idea would be blocks of various shapes, such as a cogwheel, hexagon, or other elements that will help bring the built structures to life. At this age for a child, plastic blocks are recommended, which will open up a great world of unlimited construction.

What blocks to buy for older children?

Blocks for children 4+ provide many more opportunities. Older kids will be able to cope with arranging more complicated construction blocks to build riding cars or a rotating mill. A four-year-old child can also play with educational blocks with numbers and letters to help him learn to count and write. How to choose blocks for 5 and 6 year olds? At such an age, children can easily handle sets that have even more than 1,000 pieces. Such large sets will allow them to construct any building they want and enable them to play with larger groups. It's also worth reaching for themed sets of bricks that allow you to build your favorite cartoon character, animal or musical instrument. Thematic blocks are also ideal for the oldest children. Blocks for children over 7 and 8 r.ż. are primarily sturdy, colorful and large kits with comprehensive instruction manuals. A child of this age can read the instructions on his own and try to put together even more complicated constructions. At such an age, it is useful to arouse curiosity in the child, but also determination and the pursuit of goals. The oldest children should also buy plastic blocks with unusual shapes, as well as small metal models.

What are the types of building blocks for children?

Blocks for children are often distinguished by their use or the type of material they are made of. Using these categories, one can distinguish:

• educational building blocks: in this category you can find very different sets of building blocks, whose common feature is learning through play. They will provide the child with engaging entertainment, as well as a number of educational benefits.
• building blocks: are designed for children who love to build. With their help, the child can create any construction, which will also be helped by numerous instructions. Building block sets consist of up to 1,000 elements, guaranteeing unlimited building possibilities.
• wood blocks: they are intended for children from 1 year.ż. They come in all sorts of shapes, and their stacking consists primarily of stacking the individual pieces of the set on top of each other.
• plastic blocks: these toys can be used by children as young as 6 months old. On the market you can find many sets that are designed for each age group.Plastic blocks are very diverse. It is possible to indicate different sizes of pieces, different numbers of blocks in a set, as well as a different way of connecting the parts together.
• magnetic blocks: they contain magnets that make it possible to connect individual elements. The magnetic blocks can be used by both the youngest and older children. With them, a child can create any structure, even one that defies gravity.

What parameters should good pads have?

Children's blocks come in different sizes to suit the child's developmental level. The different types of blocks are also differentiated by their color and having the appropriate approvals. The colors of the blocks should be pleasing to the eyes, as this will affect the comfort of play. The shades must also be vivid and clear to encourage children to play, by arousing their curiosity. Children's blocks in different colors can be used to teach colors. Moreover, thanks to the variety of colors, children will be able to build a greater number of more realistic structures and buildings. When choosing blocks for children, you should also pay attention to whether they have the appropriate certificates and approvals. Their presence is very important, because they confirm that the blocks are safe for a child of a certain age. It is important to choose only proven blocks for a gift with appropriate quality certificates.

How to choose blocks that will appeal to your child?

Choosing the right set of building blocks for a child is not easy, but we hope that the information collected in this article will be helpful when shopping. Blocks should be matched to the age of the child, as well as to his interests. Most boys would undoubtedly choose blocks for themselves, allowing them to build tractors, racers or guns. Girls, on the other hand, would reach for building blocks, from which they could build, for example, a doll's house. However, it is worth remembering that also girls may prefer to play with cars and there is nothing wrong with that. Therefore, when buying building blocks for a boy or girls, it is worth choosing a thematic set, related to what the child likes. Another option is to choose a large set of blocks with instructions, with the help of which you can build literally anything! If your child already has one set of blocks of a certain type, it's a good idea next time to buy blocks from a completely different category. For example, if the little builder has a set of wooden or magnetic blocks, it will be a good idea to supplement his collection with plastic blocks.

How blocks affect children's development?

Before buying blocks, it is also worth finding out what effect these toys have on a child's development. The list of benefits of playing with building blocks is very long, and among them it is undoubtedly worth pointing out the joy of the child putting together his favorite structures. Blocks also help exercise manual skills, concentration and eye coordination. Thanks to them, children develop their creativity and imagination and can build their own imaginary world. Stacking blocks is also about learning to put your ideas into practice. The child must not only imagine what he will build, but also make his vision a reality.

What skills does a child develop while playing with blocks?

While building with blocks, children develop cognitive as well as manual skills. Playing with blocks is a great opportunity to play together with your child and strengthen mutual relations. What's more, with the help of blocks, you can teach your child some useful things, such as: recognizing colors and shapes, classifying blocks,counting, and learning about spatial relationships. With the blocks, children can also:

• develop their perceptiveness,
• practice concentration,
• train precision and accuracy,
• learn consistency,
• develop their ingenuity,
• learn to think analytically,
• learn about cause-and-effect relationships,
• learn to cooperate with other children.