Social interaction skills
A toddler participates in open-ended block play with a caregiver.
[Invite a toddler to join you on the floor to play with blocks.]
I have blocks that we can play with together!
What would you like to build with the blocks today?
[Pause for toddler to respond. If the toddler appears unsure of what he/she would like to do with the blocks, offer one or several simple possibilities, such as stacking the blocks or lining them up end to end or side to side.]
Let’s build with the blocks together!
[Encourage the toddler to explore and build with the blocks. Use strategies, such as the following, to support the toddler’s play and create awareness of your actions with the blocks:
[Describe the time together, focusing on the interactions. Example: “We had fun playing together with the blocks today! You made a line with your blocks. Then we worked together to build a tower! Thank you for playing with me, Demarion.”]
The word ‘with’ in the activity goal of “open-ended block play with a caregiver” is important because your role is to be an active participant in following the toddler’s actions with blocks. Look for opportunities to comment on and manipulate the blocks in ways that support the toddler’s efforts. Avoid serving as an observer only or as a director of the play. Some toddlers may be fully focused on their explorations with the blocks and not acknowledge anything you say or do. Continue to gently describe your actions as well as the toddler’s actions during the activity.
Extra support
Enrichment
Social interaction skills
Toddlers engage in open-ended play together with Duplo® building blocks.
Invite several toddlers to play together with Duplo® building blocks on a low table. Toddlers who are unfamiliar with Duplo® blocks will benefit from a demonstration of how to connect them. Encourage toddlers to build simple structures with 2–3 blocks. Toddlers may enjoy taking their structures apart and building them again. Toddlers may play independently at the table (parallel play) or work together to build a structure. Both of these approaches are ways to play together. If the toddlers are playing independently at the table, encourage them to notice one another’s actions. Examples: “Brailey is building with the blue blocks. She is putting the blue blocks together to make a tower.” “Micah is lining up his blocks in a row. See how his blocks are in a line?” Describe positive social interactions that you observe. Example: “You gave Brailey your blue blocks, Micah! You saw that she was building with the blue blocks and you helped her. You are being a good friend to Brailey.”
Toddlers will likely play side by side during this activity. Look for opportunities to describe each toddler’s actions and encourage toddlers to notice what others at the table are doing. Some toddlers will enjoy watching and imitating others. Others may work together to build a structure. Recognize interactions that are both verbal (asking for a block) and nonverbal (giving an animal to a peer). Acknowledge all forms of participation and emphasize the opportunity for toddlers to become aware of what their peers are doing with the blocks.
Extra support
Enrichment
Social interaction skills
Toddlers engage in open-ended play together with Duplo® building blocks.
Be Prepared: Create several simple structures with an assortment of blocks and place the animal figures on and around the structures to invite play.
Invite 2–3 toddlers to play together with the animals and blocks. Encourage the toddlers to explore the materials and to decide how they would like to engage with the animals and blocks. You may wish to suggest the toddlers rework the structures you created with the blocks. Examples: “The zoo animals need a home. Maybe you would like to build a house or a zoo for the animals.” Toddlers may play side by side or work together to build a structure for the animals. Encourage the toddlers to notice one another’s actions as they play. Examples: “Quinn is putting the animals on a large block. I wonder what her animals are doing!” “Emmett is stacking the blocks on top of each other. He is making a tall tower.” Invite toddlers to imitate the actions of their peers with the blocks. Example: “Quinn is dancing her lion on a block. Let’s all dance an animal on a block like Quinn!” Encourage toddlers to work together when there is a natural opportunity to do so. Example: “Quinn and Emmett, you both have a lion. Maybe the lions are a family and would like to live together! Would you like to build a house together for the lions?” Describe positive social interactions that you observe. Example: “You are building a house together for your lions!”
This activity offers more materials (play animals plus blocks) for toddlers to manipulate than offered in Option 2. The additional materials may prompt joint work guided by a shared purpose, such as building a house together for two lions to live in. Look for natural opportunities to support shared work with the animals and blocks, as suggested in the activity plan. But also anticipate that some toddlers may prefer to play independently next to their peers. Parallel play is common at this age. Look for opportunities to encourage toddlers to notice the actions of one another as they play. Some toddlers may enjoy imitating the actions of their peers. This is a first step in developing joint play skills with peers. Recognize and acknowledge positive social interactions as the toddlers play.
Extra support
Enrichment
Materials Needed: Duplo® building blocks, Duplo® people figures, blocks, zoo animal figures
Building blocks and other building materials, such as Duplo® blocks, can be placed in different areas to encourage toddlers to interact in small groups. Some toddlers may enjoy small soft blocks on a low table. Block play and dramatic play materials are easily combined to enrich learning. Place animal figures and family figures near the blocks. Encourage toddlers to take notice of the actions of their peers while they play.
Materials Needed: block area, zoo animal figures, people figures, felt pieces in natural colors in a variety of sizes and shapes (such as green for grass, brown for dirt, gray for stone), several books about zoo animals
Children of all ages will enjoy interacting with the new materials in the block area. You may wish to use one of the books about zoo animals and their habitats to read with the group. Place the books and materials in the block area and invite children to explore and play. Encourage older children to interact with the toddlers as they play together. Toddlers will enjoy watching older children and may imitate their actions. Babies may enjoy playing with soft blocks and chunky age-appropriate animals.
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