Construction Sets for Toddlers

Toddlers love to build. While they are making their towers out of stacking blocks or castles out of sand, they are also learning.  Constructions sets for toddlers provide added opportunities for learning. They challenge the child to develop new skills and practice old ones.

The best construction sets for toddlers are designed to expose children to the basics of math, engineering and technology. Toddlers learn about gravity when the block tower collapses; they learn about speed and velocity when rolling toy cars down their ramps. They are matching two triangular blocks to make a cube. The toddlers will not have the vocabulary yet to make sense of these concepts but they will have the experience.

Construction sets for toddlers often focus on enhancing particular skills. For instance wooden building blocks are particularly good for learning early math skills. Toddlers match 2 short blocks to a long one. They sort the blocks by color or size. They can make patterns of large, small, large, small blocks or red, blue, green. Counting is practiced and one to one correspondence is learned.

More challenging construction sets for toddlers promote very simple engineering and technology skills. Toddlers use an assortment of materials to invent and build. They are solving problems to make things work.  Interlocking building blocks challenge the toddler to be creative in their building. Sets with wheels add a whole new learning dimension.

Many construction sets for toddlers are open ended. They do not come with instructions and toddlers can play with them as they like. This encourages imagination and creativity. A more unique construction set is the Skoolzy.com Jumbo Create O Flakes Connecting Construction Kit for kids. It challenges toddlers to build multi-dimensional creations using snowflake shaped pieces. This is a toy that grows with the child.  A toddler may make a structure using 2 or 3 pieces; the older child will make more complex and elaborate inventions.

Construction sets for toddlers can be as simple or elaborate as you choose. As always toddler toys need to be safe, sturdy and washable.  They should be challenging enough to encourage problem solving but success oriented so toddlers are not frustrated. Most importantly they must be fun, attractive and enjoyable.