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Build & Play Blocks

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Naleez

Tier 1
For Schools

Lesson Plan

Build & Play Blocks Lesson Plan

Students will strengthen fine motor skills and spatial reasoning by following prompt cards to build unique block structures, fostering creativity and collaboration.

This lesson supports early childhood development by combining play with skill-building: block play enhances fine motor control, spatial awareness, problem-solving, and communication as children share their designs.

Audience

Pre-K

Time

15 minutes

Approach

Guided prompts with hands-on building

Materials

  • Colorful Unit Blocks, - Individual Building Mats, and - Printable Block-Building Prompt Cards

Prep

Prepare Materials

5 minutes

  • Gather Printable Block-Building Prompt Cards
  • Place Colorful Unit Blocks in center bins or trays
  • Lay out Individual Building Mats at each station
  • Quickly review chosen prompt cards and build examples

Step 1

Welcome & Introduction

2 minutes

  • Invite students to sit on the rug near the block station
  • Show Colorful Unit Blocks and Individual Building Mats
  • Tell students they will build block creations using prompt cards

Step 2

Model Building

3 minutes

  • Hold up a sample prompt card from Printable Block-Building Prompt Cards
  • Read the prompt aloud (e.g., “Build a tall tower with three windows”)
  • Demonstrate building on a mat, thinking aloud about block choices
  • Highlight how each build can look different

Step 3

Student Building Time

7 minutes

  • Distribute Colorful Unit Blocks, Individual Building Mats, and Printable Block-Building Prompt Cards
  • Encourage each child to select a card and start building
  • Circulate to ask questions: “How many blocks did you use?” “What shape is this?”
  • Offer support and celebrate unique designs

Step 4

Share & Clean-Up

3 minutes

  • Invite 2–3 students to show their creations and describe them
  • Praise effort and creative ideas
  • Guide students to return blocks to bins and stack mats for next use
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Slide Deck

Build & Play Blocks

A 15-minute Pre-K lesson to practice fine motor and spatial skills through guided block building.

Welcome everyone! Today we’re diving into our Build & Play Blocks activity. Get ready to explore shapes, stacking, and creativity as we use our colorful blocks.

Objectives & Materials

Objectives:

  • Strengthen fine motor control
  • Practice spatial reasoning
  • Foster creativity & collaboration

Materials:

  • Colorful Unit Blocks
  • Individual Building Mats
  • Printable Block-Building Prompt Cards

Point to each objective and material as you describe them. Encourage curiosity: “Why do we think building shapes is important?”

Model Demonstration

  1. Show a prompt card (e.g., “Build a tall tower with three windows”).
  2. Demonstrate building on a mat, naming each block shape.
  3. Emphasize: “Every tower can look different!”

Hold up a prompt card and read it slowly. Think aloud: “I need a tall tower—what blocks should I choose?”

Student Building Time

  1. Distribute mats, blocks, and prompt cards.
  2. Students choose a card and build on their mats.
  3. Encourage exploration and support unique designs.

Circulate around the room. Ask open-ended questions: “How many blocks tall is your tower?” “Why did you choose that color?”

Share & Clean-Up

  1. Invite students to show and describe their builds.
  2. Praise effort and creativity.
  3. Return blocks to bins and stack mats.

Invite 2–3 volunteers. Celebrate each child’s work and highlight different design choices. Guide students to tidy up.

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Worksheet

Printable Block-Building Prompt Cards

Use these cards to guide block-building creations. Cut along the lines to create individual prompt cards.

Prompt Card 1 🔲
Build a tall tower with three windows.
​

Prompt Card 2 🔲
Build a wide bridge using at least four blocks.
​

Prompt Card 3 🔲
Build a cozy house with one door and one window.
​

Prompt Card 4 🔲
Build a colorful car with four wheels.
​

Prompt Card 5 🔲
Build a long wall that uses at least six blocks.
​

Prompt Card 6 🔲
Build a staircase with five steps.
​

Prompt Card 7 🔲
Build an archway tall enough for a block to fit under.
​

Prompt Card 8 🔲
Build a tower and top it with a flag (choose any block as your flag).

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