EEF blog: Stumbling blocks

To someone unfamiliar with early years education, it is often surprising to see the kinds of resources that are used for teaching.

Why use a collection of wooden blocks of different shapes and sizes, with some carpet tubes and an empty cardboard box to teach in the early years? Wouldn’t a more structured activity be much easier?

Stumbling Blocks or Building Blocks

Open-ended and versatile, we can use block play to teach across the breadth of the pedagogical continuum, and across all seven programmes of learning. Children at different developmental stages can access the activity at the same time and we can observe their progress by how they interact and play.

In the past, early educators were required to collect ​‘evidence’ to justify that learning had taken place. 

It was time consuming, retrospective and often distracting. Now, there needs to be a shift in our thinking, we are considering ​‘evidence’ to inform what we do, and why we do it. When you view research evidence as a ​‘call to action’ it changes the way you engage with it.

I get inspiration from research to implement new approaches in my classroom. Understanding the research gives me the confidence and evidence base so I can explain it to others.

Rebecca Watkins, EYFS Teacher.

We know (Education recovery in schools in England (nao.org.uk)) that despite funding and early education recovery programmes, the disadvantage gap is widening.

We have limited resources, so it is important we use what we have efficiently and effectively to target the children who need it most.

We also know that the interaction children have with adults in the early years substantially affects their development.

So, if we are pro-active in finding out what interactions are the ​‘best bets’ for children who are socio-economically disadvantaged, based on the latest research, this will either inform, change or challenge our practice and prompt us to take some action.

Consider the interactions that might be possible during versatile, open-ended block play to support a child’s personal, social and emotional development. Creating a space for construction is an opportunity for collaborative play, problem solving and negotiation. The educator will be participating alongside – modelling and teaching children how to build, maintain and sustain relationships. Introduce a picture book; like Iggy Peck Architect or Rosie Revere Engineer by Andrea Beaty and you will engage children in a conversation with you and others about emotions and feelings.

The EEF’s Early Years Evidence Store offers evidence-informed approaches you may wish to consider. You can download a summary poster of the approaches below.