Invite a small group of children to choose an item to paint. Engage children in conversation as they design their blocks. Encourage them to identify colors and learn the names of the shapes that they are painting. When they are finished, place the recycled blocks in the block area. Invite small groups of children to the block area to build with the recycled blocks.
Young children enjoy carrying, filling, and pushing blocks around.
Photograph the processes children are engaging in as they make, then build with, their recycled blocks, as well as their completed work. If indoor space is limited, it is best to have no more than two to three children building at one time. Our Big Block Book. Using the photos you have taken, create a class book documenting the different ways children use the recycled blocks. Glue children's photographs onto sheets of paper and invite children to dictate information about their photographs.