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How Foam Blocks Can Teach Kids Important STEM Skills

There's no doubt that kids love to play, but play-based learning is actually an important way for young children to learn. When children are given the opportunity to explore and experiment with materials, they develop all sorts of important skills, including problem-solving, fine motor, and creative thinking. In fact, Edutopia states that "play-based learning can be more effective than direct instruction at improving outcomes for early learners." Foam blocks for kids are a great way to implement play-based learning in the classroom. Not only are they fun for kids, but they offer endless opportunities for learning. Here's what you need to know.

Critical Thinking

Foam blocks for kids come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, which makes them perfect for construction and design projects. Kids can use them to build houses, towers, bridges, and so much more. As they build, they'll be developing important critical thinking skills. What happens if they stack the blocks too high? What happens if they make a bridge that's too narrow? How many blocks are needed to support this structure? These are the types of questions that kids will naturally start to ask themselves as they play.

Fine Motor Skills

In addition to critical thinking, kids will also be developing their fine motor skills as they stack and arrange the blocks. They'll need to use both hands to manipulate the blocks, which will help them develop bilateral coordination. As they work on balancing the blocks, they'll also be improving their fine motor skills. Foam blocks for kids encourage creativity and collaboration because the students can use the blocks to build anything they can imagine, from towers to houses. And, because foam blocks are lightweight and safe, young learners can use them without fear of injury.

Open-Ended Play

Foam blocks for kids also provide an open-ended opportunity for play. There are no right or wrong answers when it comes to open-ended play, which allows kids the freedom to be creative and figure things out for themselves. Education blog Curious Neuron states that open-ended play avoids "restricting [children] with guidelines or rules. As they experiment with different arrangements and designs, they'll be developing their own unique solutions, which is essential in today's STEM-focused world.

Foam blocks for kids should definitely be on your list of materials to include in your classroom or school space. They're not only fun for kids but also offer endless opportunities for learning. By encouraging critical thinking, fine motor development, and creativity, foam blocks can help set your students up for success in STEM fields.

For more information, contact a local company that sells foam blocks for kids.