Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • Vimeo
  • YouTube

Not Just Cute

Whole Child Development

  • Home
  • Blog
  • Speaking
  • Podcast
  • Books
  • Contact
  • New? Start Here.

Let’s Build! Activities for a Preschool Tools and Construction Theme

March 11, 2011 by notjustcute Filed Under: Learning through Play and Experience, Unit Themes 23 Comments

Young children seem to be almost as intrigued by building and creating as they are by demolishing and dissecting.  That’s just part of why a tools and construction theme is so great for young kids!  And while they’re having a blast, they’re also learning some great concepts.  Here are just a few:

  • Tools and simple machines make work easier (Science)
  • There are shapes in architecture (Geometry)
  • You can measure using objects as units (Math)
  • Tools can be used in a variety of ways (Science, Inquiry, Motor Skills)

Here are just a few of my favorite activities to use within this theme (*’s mark those with details to come in future posts):

Dramatic Play:

 

 

 

Using large blocks (I made mine copying something like these…when I had just one toddler….who took long naps) build a creation against a wall and then outline the blocks using blue painter’s tape.  Ta-da!  You now have a full-scale blueprint!  Encourage children to follow the blueprint or create their own.  Other props in this theme might include hard hats, play tools, tool belts (Home Depot sells a tool apron for only $1), clip boards and pencils, real blueprints, phones/radios, orange cones, and caution tape.  You could also include a large appliance box and let your children use it to design and create their structure.

Working Tables (Small Motor):

Let children explore with nuts and bolts or doorknobs.  They’ll love taking them apart and putting them back together!  Push or pound golf tees into styrofoam.  Sort small nails and screws and count them out into numbered cups of a muffing tin.

Art:

Color on sandpaper for new tactile experience.

Build toothpick structures like these.

Paint with real paint rollers.

Drive toy construction vehicles through paint for cool tire track designs.

Do some “bulldozer painting” by pushing paint across paper with combs and flat edges.

Draw blueprints and create shoebox building models.

Sensory Bin:

Finally come to grips with the fact that you don’t need that old ghetto-blaster or VCR and let the kids Take it Apart!  (Keeping it in the bin helps to keep track of loose parts.)

Hide treasures in sawdust.

Drive small construction vehicles through sand.

Block Area:

Use a variety of building materials in addition to your standard unit blocks.  Kids love using pipes like these, or gutters like this.

Outside:

Set up a woodworking area.  Find ways to let children saw, hammer, and sand!  If you don’t have a wood bench, just hammering nails into a stump will do.  Try using the pipes or gutters from the block area in the sandbox or on the lawn with water.  Set up some simple machines like ramps, pulleys, and levers.  (Of course use rope with supervision…..but do use rope.)

 

Large Group Activities:

Act out the Three Little Pigs (Props Here)

Sing Johnny Pounds with One Hammer

Sort building and fixing tools (screwdrivers, hammers, etc.) from kitchen tools (whisks, spatulas, etc.).  (Emphasize that both groups are tools because they make our work easier.)  Use it as an opportunity to talk about some tools they may not be familiar with.

Measure using objects for units.

Examine shapes in architecture.  (Check out Shapes, Shapes, Shapes and Cubes, Cones, Cylinders, and Spheres by Tana Hoban.)

Explore and experiment with simple machines.

Create a Word-Building Crane

Book Activities:

Alphabet Under Construction by Denise Fleming

The Construction Alphabet Book by Jerry Pallota

Jack’s House by Karen Magnuson Beil

Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel by Virginia Lee Burton

Construction Zone by Tana Hoban, or the same title by Cheryl Willis Hudson

So….Let’s Get Building!

What are some of your favorite building-themed activities for young children?

Top photo by Lars Sundstrom.

*Find more thematic lessons here!

Thematic Unit Ideas!

 
 

 

Add to FaceBookAdd to Google BookmarkAdd to Twitter

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)

Related

Comments

  1. 1

    Kate says

    March 11, 2011 at 5:05 pm

    WOW! What a wealth of ideas. Bookmarking this for sure!
    I want to say thank you for sharing your knowledge and ideas here. This has become one of my favorite blogs.

    Reply
    • 2

      notjustcute says

      March 11, 2011 at 6:45 pm

      Thanks, Kate. You made my day!

      Reply
  2. 3

    Rachele says

    March 11, 2011 at 10:29 pm

    As usual, great ideas! I’ll have to ask my dad for some saw dust for sensory. For others out there, do places like Home Depot give away sawdust if you ask? I’m just wondering for those who may not have easy access to it.

    I love your art ideas! I’m a process art kinda gal and you always have some great ones. I especially love the sandpaper idea and “bulldozer” combs. Thanks for sharing your knowledge!

    Reply
    • 4

      notjustcute says

      March 11, 2011 at 11:17 pm

      Good questino Rachele. I got my sawdust from my mom when she finished a woodworking project. If you don’t personally know a craftsman, you might check with your local high school if they have a woodworking class or find a place that makes custom wood furniture and ask for the donation. You could also always use the sawdust they sell at the petstore as well. Thanks for chiming in, Rachele!

      Reply
  3. 5

    Tiffany says

    March 12, 2011 at 12:13 pm

    Such great ideas! How did you make those large blocks? I have been trying to figure out a way to make foam blocks for a while now and haven’t been able to come up with anything. I will definately be back to your site! TFS

    Reply
    • 6

      K Krueger says

      May 13, 2013 at 12:43 am

      When you have occasion to get cartons of juice boxes, cover them with contact paper, they make excellent lightweight blocks. Tell parents you welcome donations after birthday parties and such.

      Reply
  4. 7

    Jenae {I Can Teach My Child!} says

    March 12, 2011 at 3:34 pm

    Ditto on the foam blocks…I would love to know how to make them!

    Reply
    • 8

      notjustcute says

      March 14, 2011 at 11:35 am

      Hmm, maybe I’ll put a tutorial on the First Friday Q&A post (4/1/11). That will give me some time to put it together. I’m kind of a make-it-up-as-you-do kind of sewer! It’s certainly not a project for the faint of heart, but my boys have gotten a lot of miles out of them!

      Reply
  5. 9

    Holli says

    June 5, 2011 at 7:53 pm

    Thanks for all the great ideas! I work with 5 yr olds and they will definitely love all these ideas! Can’t wait to look through the site more for ideas on future lesson plans.

    I plan to take paper and crayons outside and make textured drawings on the sidewalk.

    Reply
    • 10

      notjustcute says

      June 6, 2011 at 7:25 am

      Thanks, Holli. I hope they do enjoy it!

      Reply
  6. 11

    toys and games and home electronics says

    December 14, 2011 at 11:32 am

    Fantastic information given here on yoursite was needed thanks for having great information we can learn from.

    Reply
  7. 12

    Candice Haury says

    January 18, 2012 at 11:06 pm

    We have a construction theme coming up in February and I will definitely use some of these ideas!

    Reply
  8. 13

    Kellie says

    February 1, 2013 at 10:50 am

    GREAT hands-on ideas, MUCH appreciated!

    Reply
  9. 14

    Creative Kids says

    February 23, 2013 at 8:51 am

    LOVE LOVE LOVE these ideas! You are amazing, and my daycare children love this unit…as an ECE student myself, I would like to commend you for providing an awesome resource to better the lives of our children…THANK YOU!

    Reply
  10. 15

    Lauren says

    October 13, 2014 at 9:30 pm

    I am going to be using a lot of these ideas for my 2 3/4 old son! Heading to Home Depot tomorrow to try to find PVC pipes and we just picked up a bunch of machine/tool books at the library. Thanks for sharing!!!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Playful Picks (March 14, 2011) says:
    March 13, 2011 at 10:48 pm

    […] Preschool Tools and Construction Theme :: Not Just Cute […]

    Reply
  2. More to Build On… | Not Just Cute says:
    March 28, 2011 at 1:21 am

    […] I wrote about activities for a construction theme a while ago, I left you hanging on a few activities I promised to add.  Well, today’s the […]

    Reply
  3. preschool construction theme :: printables, projects and more! » Domestic Serenity says:
    March 20, 2012 at 5:15 am

    […] Art, dramatic play, fine motor ideas and more at Not Just Cute […]

    Reply
  4. Think Outside the Stacks: Early Childhood Blogs for Librarians Part 1 | Beth Reads says:
    January 23, 2013 at 9:14 am

    […] Let’s Build: Activities for a Preschool Tools and Construction Theme The next time you are going to do this topic for storytime check out the activities for enriching the Play part of the five practices. […]

    Reply
  5. Thematic Units for the Preschool Classroom | Not Just CuteNot Just Cute says:
    October 9, 2013 at 11:10 pm

    […] Construction & More to Build On […]

    Reply
  6. Kids love to build | More Good Days - Parenting Blog says:
    December 18, 2014 at 9:39 am

    […] And more great ideas: https://notjustcute.com/2011/03/11/lets-build-activities-for-a-preschool-tools-and-construction-theme… […]

    Reply
  7. Block Play at the Library | Field Notes says:
    July 14, 2015 at 7:01 am

    […] Activities for a Preschool Construction Theme […]

    Reply
  8. Engineering: Towers | Inventors of Tomorrow says:
    February 29, 2016 at 11:56 pm

    […] if you have access to big blocks (wood, foam, or cardboard) I love the idea from Not Just Cute of taping out a pattern of blocks on the wall and having kids match that […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

search this site

Privacy & Cookies: This site may use cookies to customize your experience. Learn more by reading our Privacy Policy.

I’m Amanda Morgan. Here’s what I’m about…

In early education, there is too much distance between what we know and what we do. I bridge the gaps that exist between academia, decision-makers, educators, and parents so that together, we can improve the quality of early education while also respecting and protecting the childhood experience.

Content Copyrighted (2008-2022), Amanda Morgan, All Rights Reserved

Get Our Newsletter & Developmental Guide

  • Home
  • Contact
  • Disclaimer
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2023 · Swank WordPress Theme By, PDCD

 

Loading Comments...