ABSTRACT
In Chapter 1, I proposed the term “visuospatial constructive play objects” or VCPOs. At the beginning of Chapter 3, our goal is to expand on the meaning of VCPO so that readers will be comfortable encountering this term head on in this and later chapters. We then embark on a journey that allows us to become acquainted with many different types of VCPOs. To start, we examine the different types of wooden, quartz, and sandstone play blocks that can be used in play settings to enable adults to identify young children’s emergent STEAM concepts. Next, we encounter planks—small, rectangular wooden cuboids that can fit in the palm of one’s hand. We then study the plethora of bricks in the VCPO world. While LEGO is the dominant toy brick company, there are numerous others that we will explore. The last VCPO type that we will study is Meccano and Erector sets. We end the chapter with an important discussion on VCPOs and gender.
