construction area

[Guest Greenhouse]

For years and years I have always had the indoor construction area located on the floor.

 

The construction pieces always end up strewn about the floor with children standing and sitting on them, it is one area that attracts the same children no matter how much bribery and enticement takes place.

 

I am thinking that next year I am going to put it in a tray or on a table, in the hope that it will attract a different sort of play, more purposeful and a more varied customer spread.

 

for some reason I feel this is a bit mean, Any thoughts?

 

 

 

[Susan]

My only thoughts are about noise. Ive often had small construction as table top activities and it will probably give you a different sort of play as you have suggested. Do cover your table with something attractive though to help keep noise levels down. Continuous clattering is very annoying!

[blondie]

we use a black builders tray on the floor with construction in - it contains it a lot but means the children can build on the floor at the same time

we also put it in a builders tray which we place on four chairs which are faced inwards and black tray goes on the top of back of chairs - is quite stable.

i do think that sometimes children like to stand and play and not always sit on floor - contrary to what our development worker says lol x

Edited July 9, 2013 by blondie

[Guest LornaW]

My worry would be you may restrict their creativity.

 

Things like this wouldn't happen in a tray or at a table...

 

 

[StrawberyTwirl]

My goodness Lorna, what a lovely lot of blocks you have! (envy!)

[Froglet]

Try it and see! Different children play in different ways. I always used to have construction on a tuff spot on the floor. Last year - always a hot spot, this year not so much. Then I had to move things around for various reasons and construction ended up on a table top. It wasn't intended to be a permanent change but all of a sudden lots more children were using it - both more at the same time and more different children. It was as if they hadn't seen it before.

 

I changed my construction storage later in the year - one of those sets of shelves where you have boxes that are angled on it. I tend to put 2 or 3 different boxes on the table top as a starting point but I don't restrict them to it. I tend to find that a particular group of girls go and play and build directly in front of the shelving on the floor. Another group of children tend to make their constructions and then take them to wherever they want to play and others will sit or stand at the table and construct on there. I do have a table cloth on it. I also sometimes suggest that they get the blocks out and put them on the fishpond (our carpet space) and it results in the most wonderful, epic constructions which cover the whole floor.

 

What really made a difference for me was having smaller amounts of the same variety of construction out and visible. I also added a 'people' box to the construction shelf which has a mixture of duplo and playmobil figures and a box of fabric (mostly face cloths in different colours) which they use as bases to be ponds, rivers, fields, snow, beaches etc. There are those who have always used the construction but a much greater range of children use it in general. I also find that they are using it more creatively and making decisions about what to use for what purpose e.g. wooden blocks get used to make the basic structure and outline a sort of 'map' of different areas, mobilo for vehicles, sticklebricks to enhance the building make boats etc.

[Smiles]

Have you read Alistair Bryce Cleggs blog on construction . Food for thought about children not accessing the obstruction area.

[narnia]

The child with the long line of blocks in Lorna's post is actually a child at my setting.The photo ( one that my lovely daughter took) is featured in a Community Playthings training pack.............went for a visit to Community Playthings yesterday, SO inspiring, saving up now for their new climbing frame, which is fantastic.

[Guest LornaW]

Both pictures are from Community Playthings!! I am no longer in a school or setting I am semi-retired but I wanted to make the point that sometimes for our organisation purposes we stifle children's creativity!

 

When in school I would rather spend lots on blocks and less on other things they are so open ended. One day I walked through YR and they had built them into a bonfire - without the fire!!!

 

Narnia how spooky it was your setting and how wonderful! I LOVE everything about Community Playthings! My son is having a baby next month and I am buying a small set of wooden blocks as a present!!!!!!!

 

LornaW

[narnia]

lucky grandchild

[Guest Greenhouse]

Oh thank you all for your inspirational thoughts and ideas. I no longer feel mean, as floor based construction is available outdoors, so lets try something different inside. Lots of food for thought... And 6 weeks to digest it!!! Cheers all

[catma]

I always had construction in many different ways, small finer motor stuff often indoors sometimes on tables (builders trays are good for containing this!) but also on the floor. Children could get what they wanted anyway so generally used it where they wanted as well!

Larger floor space for blocks inside and outside, plus crates and boxes and pegs and fabrics etc etc outside, recycled materials in the workshop...construction was actually all over the place when I think about it!

Cx