Independent learning for children - Lets build!
Do you want open ended play ideas that promote independent learning and allow children to develop self-confidence in their choices? Why not try construction play? Making toys, building with anything and everything and putting things together.
Construction play allows children to be logical thinkers and teaches them cause and effect. When a child is involved in construction play they are using their imagination and developing problem solving skills.
There are so many types of construction toys online and at home. Check out YouTube or Pinterest for some great ideas.
Use whatever you have, old lego, cardboard, blocks, straws etc. 
While playing with construction toys children learn vital numeracy concepts such as counting, weight and height. They will use mathematical language including big, small, large, tall and short. When children are constructing models they will develop physical skills, develop balance and refine gross and fine motor skills. Children’s social skills will also be enhanced as they will have to take turns and co-operate with other children.
You can use lots of home-made materials for construction play, think back to your own childhood. We built "cabbies" with wood and blankets, we built using stones, wood, boxes basically anything we had to hand. Use your imagination with the materials and let children use theirs as they build.
Below is one of the popular construction materials we supply. We asked Kelly Reay, @ Preschool_teacher_Ireland (Instagram) to try out this product to see what she thought of it. It might provide inspiration for you to take out a box of straws and start playing.
"As a teacher I can see the benefits of most resources but to make it more beneficial children need to enjoy the resources they use. Every day as soon as my children finish their formal work set by their teachers they want to use the construction set. They play together and construct all kinds of different structures. Such as the tower bridge and a robots suit. I am amazed every day with the different ideas they come up with. They are actually choosing to play with the construction set instead using their ipads."
I was gifted this set from www.ease.ie and asked to try it out with my own kids! That's not a problem as I am at home and the kids love this type of challenge.
Overall
This construction set supports the development of fine and gross skills. It can be used from ages three years and up. Children of all ages will enjoy using the straws to construct all kinds of models.
The 800 piece set comes in a fantastic storage box and contains a booklet with examples of construction’s to inspire children. The construction set comes with yellow interlocking pieces to connect the straws. Children will need to use fine motor skills to push the connectors in to the straws. This will strengthen the muscles in their fingers and hands and develop hand eye co-ordination.
Ta...daaaaaaa.... What a feat of construction and what fun!
The benefits
Children can use their imagination to construct large and smaller structures. While experimenting with the construction materiel’s children can collaborate and solve problems together while applying logical thinking skills. The 800 piece construction set is a wonderful resource for a preschool, school or home environment and children will have hours of fun playing with the set while enhancing various areas of development and acquiring many new skills and concepts.
Get your children playing with a variety of construction materials, it enhances so many areas of their development and its fun. What more could you want!
With thanks to Kelly Reay Preschool_teacher_Ireland
31/03/2020
Click this link to check out some of the popular construction sets on www.ease.ie
