Construction Center Overview
Description
The construction center provides opportunities for students to collaborate, learn from their successes and failures, create structures using geometric shapes, explore spatial relationships, and practice mathematical and scientific thinking through open-ended creative play.
Purpose
- develop eye-hand coordination
- expand and apply new vocabulary
- explore cause and effect relationships
- develop gross and fine motor skills
- explore and describe attributes of building materials
- develop spatial awareness
- cooperate and collaborate with peers while planning and constructing
Suggested Materials
- wooden unit blocks
- foam or cardboard blocks
- Legos or Duplo blocks
- Megablocks
- bristle blocks
- environmental print signs
- play vehicles
- play multiethnic people
- books
- maps
- measuring materials (e.g., tape measure)
- writing materials
Questioning Examples
These guiding questions can be used to assist the teacher, instructional assistant, or parent volunteers in supporting children's development and learning during play.
- How can you sort the blocks? Why did you choose that way to sort them?
- How could you build a (insert structure such as barn, skyscraper)?
- Why did that happen? How could you make a plan to change it?
- How will people use your structure or building?
Considerations
Please note materials should be rotated as themes and student interests change. At the beginning of the school year it is important to start with minimal materials to teach proper use and cleanup. This center should be located in an area of the room that allows for a higher level of noise and allows for adequate building space.