ABSTRACT
Preschool teachers have long supported children’s high-quality pretend play. Because such support is found to promote children’s development, many teacher education programs emphasize ways to scaffold pretend play in the classroom. Block play receives less attention in research and in many preschool classrooms but may provide many of the same developmental benefits as pretend play. In this chapter, we present research findings that identify and define eight advanced block play behaviors. Strategies to guide pre- and inservice teachers in scaffolding these behaviors in preschool block play centers are presented. We propose that teacher education programs must first provide foundational knowledge about block play and its benefits and help teachers consider ethical implications of teacher interactions in play. Next, teachers should be guided in analysis of video or classroom observations to understand “good-fit” methods of block play interactions—those that do not interfere with children’s self-chosen play. Finally, teacher education programs can provide coaching and supervision in classrooms to support pre- and inservice teachers’ scaffolding of advanced block play behavior.
