ABSTRACT
Many educators assume that the early childhood education curriculum is made up of traditional subjects (like mathematics, science, social studies). They have considered block building a pastime activity that can be used in the children’s play for learning. Perhaps it is best to think about block building as an activity that helps meet many of the present goals for the traditional subject areas. In that respect, it can be accepted as being part of the early childhood education curriculum. For example, in mathematics strands, the elements of number and operations and geometry are developed in Principles and Standards for School Mathematics (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), 2000). A joint position statement between the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and NCTM (2010) recommends the following mathematics objectives and activities for children ages three to six:
In play and daily activities, children often explore mathematical ideas and processes; for example, they sort and classify, compare quantities, and notice shapes and patterns (p. 4).
