FM.E.95 BUILDS A SIX-BLOCK DUPLO TOWER

As well as being a good manipulation exercise, this activity opens up an exciting new avenue of play to your child.

‘Duplo’ is another name for large-scale Lego. You can, of course, choose another brand; look for interlocking blocks with a minimum size of 3 cm square.

How to Assess

Materials: At least 6 oblong Duplo blocks (about 3 cm by 6 cm).

Method: Demonstrate building a tower, without giving verbal information about how you are doing it. Separate the blocks, give them to your child and ask him to build a tower.

Score plus if your child builds a tower of 6 blocks, with the blocks fitting closely together.

How to Teach

Begin by using square blocks. These are easier to align and require less downward pressure.

Base plates are available which give added stability to towers and other structures.

Direct your child to ‘Press the block DOWN’. If physical help is required, guide your child’s hands – do not touch the blocks yourself. If your child needs help to position the block, guide him gently from his wrist, then his forearm and then his elbow. Aim to phase out all physical help.

When your child can build with square blocks, progress to oblong ones.

You can take turns to add blocks as you teach so that the final structure is higher.

Playtime and Round-the-house Activities

If you have access to a toy library, look for other construction toys which fit together in a straightforward way. Construction toys for 2-year-olds are not easy to find, but more and more are coming onto the market with the increasing awareness of the importance of early childhood learning.

Other activities which require both accurate aim and strength include putting spring clothes pegs onto a line and pressing snap-on lids onto containers.

Remembering and Extending

This skill is extended in FM.E.131 (builds a simple Duplo shape).