ABSTRACT
Young children have been playing with blocks, games and puzzles of one sort or another for centuries. In 1560 Pieter Brueghel painted Kinderspiele (Children’s Games). In it children can be seen playing with wooden bricks. They are also mentioned by the Moravian educator Comenius in the seventeenth century. Froebel and Maria Montessori both used blocks which were intended to be used to teach specific aspects of the world and the child’s place within it. Children have been playing games indoors and out, on carpets, and on hard outdoor surfaces for generations, their games shaped by the spaces and resources that are available to them. The Snail Race game, Hopscotch, Snakes and Ladders, Snap and Pelmanism are all commonly known games that rely on a mixture of chance and skill. These and others like them are seen in most early years settings and provide valuable opportunities for children to learn in several developmental areas such as their memory (cognitive and intellectual development), their dexterity (physical and motor development) and their ability to take turns and follow rules (social and language development). One of the major strengths of construction toys, puzzles and games is that they provide a link between the setting and the child’s home life. These resources are readily available in many homes and are therefore familiar to children coming to a new and perhaps unfamiliar environment. They help children to learn about the culture in which they are living, provide genuine reasons for companionship between adults and children and between children and their friends and are also a source of enjoyment tinged with a little competitive edge!
