When my kids were small we didn't have much money for toys, but we made sure that the toys they did have would be useful and that would encourage the brain's imagination. Their dad made them some wooden toys and they made toys too, but wooden toy blocks were always a favorite toy no matter what they were doing. What child doesn't delight to see how high he can build his tower of building blocks? Wooden building blocks can be used for so many activities.

Melissa Doug

One game that was played was to see how many wooden blocks could be loaded in a wagon or box. This teaches stacking and learning how to stack correctly. It was interesting to watch to see how they would try to get as many wooden blocks in and then try to improve that count the next time by reorganizing their wooden blocks a different way.

Melissa Doug

Wooden building blocks come in a variety of sizes, shapes and colors. The ones that I prefer the best are blocks that are in their natural colors. No paints or stains, but a variety of different types of wood. This is another educational lesson for children to see that different types of wood will make different colors.

A child doesn't always want to play alone and who can make better playmates than parents themselves? This type of interactive bonding is so important to a child. Parents will look as heros to their children as they play with wooden toy blocks in making their tall towers. A child can only make a tower about as tall as they are, but when they see how high mom and dad can build a tower they will shout with glee.

There is a saying "Children will be children" and that is so true. It is amazing that children are so creative and yet they are so much alike. I have visited some Third World countries and the children in those countries are no different than children here in the US. No, they don't have all the toys that so many children have here, and many are made with what materials they have. What I have noticed is that the one toy that they seem to have is wooden blocks. No they aren't high tech beautiful wooden building blocks but they are wood scraps from whatever they can find to stack. It appears that wooden building blocks are a universal toy that all children and even adults can enjoy and have a learning experience.

In closing, if I were raising my children again, there are many things that I would do over. But one thing I am glad that I don't have to regret is that they had a set of unfinished, wooden building blocks that helped them to learn skills that they are actively using today.

A Child and Wooden Building Blocks

Melissa Doug