The Relationship of Block Play to Mathematics Learning in Preschool

• In Event: Young Children's STEM Learning and Development

Abstract

Block play has been included in early childhood classrooms for over a century, yet only a few studies have examined its effects on learning. In the present investigation, the relationship of block play variables to the complexity of block structures and math learning were studied in naturalistic free play settings. Pre- and posttests were administered to 41 preschool children on the Tools for Early Assessment of Math (TEAM). Participants’ play with blocks was videorecorded and six block play variables were coded. Level of social participation and percent of structures built without replica play toys were found to predict the complexity of children’s buildings and, in turn, growth in math ability. Implications for future research and classroom practice are discussed.

Authors

• Jeffrey Trawick-Smith, Eastern Connecticut State University

• Sudha Swaminathan, Eastern Connecticut State University

• Brooke Baton, Eastern Connecticut State University

• Courtney Danieluk, Eastern Connecticut State University

• Samantha Marsh, Eastern Connecticut State University

• Monika Szarwacki, Eastern Connecticut State University