As Tall as Teddy
What you need
- six to eight chunky wooden or foam blocks, each too big to fit through a toilet roll tube
- a teddy or other soft toy that sits up, about four blocks tall
How to do it
- Sit a soft toy on a flat rug with the blocks in a pile beside it.
- Put one block down next to it and say "Let's build a tower as tall as Teddy."
- Hand them a block at a time and see what they do.
- Cheer for the building at any height, then let them choose: build taller or knock it down.
Why it matters
A teddy sitting next to the tower gives the building something to look at, and a teddy about four blocks tall sits easily beside a small tower.
What they're learning
- Stacking
- Lining each block up over the one below and letting go gently.
- Comparing heights
- Looking from the tower to the teddy and back.
- Steady hands
- Slowing down as the tower gets taller.
What to look for
Notice them lining a block up over the one below before they let go.
A tip
Build on a flat floor or a thin rug, not a cushion, so the tower stands. Put away any block that cracks or splinters, and any with a part that comes loose.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: use bigger foam blocks and a smaller teddy, so three blocks reach the top
Harder: sit a second, bigger toy next to the first and build a tower for each
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