Types of Building Blocks: Guide for Parents

“Like proteins, the building blocks of the human body, building blocks (toys) are the building blocks of a child’s growth and development.”

Go to a house with small children and you will find a variety of toys being played with on the floor or neatly stacked in one corner of the house. This collection of toys, however, is incomplete without building blocks. Any guesses why?

• Well, it is because building blocks are basically the building blocks for children’s growth and development. Hence they are named “building” blocks. They build the foundations of learning. And they are must-buy toys for every parent out there.

While the world of building blocks is extremely diverse — with all different types, shapes, sizes, materials, age ranges, and play purposes, we have listed the types of building blocks to guide you in understanding them one block at a time. After all, parents must understand the kind of toys they are providing their children to play with.

What are the types of building blocks?

• Plastic building blocks. There are a lot of reasons why most toys are made of plastic:
• It is lightweight and flexible.
• It is economical and fast to reproduce.
• It doesn’t rust or rot.
• It can be cleaned easily unlike metal or wood which gathers dust and is tough to clean.
• It is easy to shape into detailed forms. Plastic just melts right into a mould and looks great coming out.
• Plastics can be made durable and recyclable. 

• Wooden building blocks. One reason why the demand for wooden toys is increasing is because of environmental issues. 
• Today’s generation cares more about the environment than the previous generations. 
• Also, sustainable choices are healthy both for ourselves and the planet, which is the top reason why parents should choose environmentally-friendly toys. After all, our children and their children will inherit the planet long after we’re gone. 
• Another reason is wooden blocks’ upward trend is closely correlated with the widespread adoption of internet technology. Parents are now aware of the many risks spending too much time on mobile or computer screens poses to their children. 

• Other less-common building blocks include foam, cardboard and silicone.
• Foams are used to build jumbo-sized structures. They make an ultra-safe environment for babies, toddlers and young children because they are light and soft.
• Cardboards are large but lightweight and safe to play with.
• Silicone is used to make soft building blocks for babies and toddlers because they are semi-soft, toxin-free and water-proof so babies can safely chew on them during the teething period or take them to the bath.

Popular types of building blocks

• Alphabet Building Blocks. The idea behind alphabet blocks is quite ingenious – grasping a physical object while learning a concept where everything else starts. Imagine holding a piece of object that, while doing so, is already imprinting learning at the same time. Marvellous, isn’t it?

• Magnetic Building Blocks. Magnetic building blocks have been around for years, but our technology has advanced well enough to come up with block-making machines thereby enabling toy designers and manufacturers to produce incredible products.

• Rainbow Building Blocks. The reason why they are so popular is their sheer beauty, their unique shapes and their appealing colours. I’ve read somewhere that because of these characteristics, parents play with rainbow building blocks as well, with and without their kids, and we cannot blame them! Even these rainbow-coloured toys look lovely.

• Interlocking Building Blocks. These blocks lock together and stay together. Interlocking simply means fitting pieces together via the pieces’ projections and recesses. Projections are those bumps on the top of Lego blocks while recesses are the ones underneath. Although plastic toys like interlocking building blocks aren’t so friendly to the environment, they win in aesthetics and user-friendliness.

• Castle Building Blocks. Castles and fortresses were built block by block. Houses today are built brick by brick, one block at a time. Have your child begin building castles with this wonderful Casle Set Jr. Building Blocks.

• Giant Building Blocks. These toys are proof that building blocks can be played anywhere – indoors or outdoors. Thinking of taking these blocks to the beach?

• Specialized Building Blocks. Specialized building blocks are built for a specialised play purpose. A wooden baby walker and the Lincoln Logs are examples of specialised building blocks. 

So dear parents, a few more toys have been added to your must-buy toys list. They are essential to the growth and development of your children. They are one of those toys that you must invest in for your kids.

Build strong pillars for your child's learning with these various types of building blocks.