Carolyn Brown focused her study on the nature of Block Play in her Prek classroom in the Bronx in New York City. Here is an image and a short outline of her project:
My Research Questions included:
a. What kinds of structures are children building in the blocks area?
b. What is the nature of children’s social interactions with each other while they construct in the blocks area?
c. How do children engage with the materials in the blocks area?
Findings: The children in my classroom constructed numerous structures found in their environment, such as houses, bridges, highways, skyscrapers, and ramps.
They supported each other as they built together, exchanging ideas, sharing materials, and comforting one another when their structures fell and they became emotional, and cried profusely.
The children were very focused and engaged as they built foundations of learning block by block. Every domain of learning is supported in the Block Area, from STEM subjects to social-emotional, cognitive, physical, language development, and the arts.
