Construction Activities for Preschoolers

If you’ve ever watched your toddler building a tower out of bricks, you’ll know that construction is an activity that can really engage preschoolers. But there’s no need to shell out for expensive Lego sets or other construction toys: instead, you can support your child to build and create using whatever objects you already have at home.

Construction Activities for Preschoolers

Here at All About Children, we empower our children to take control and let them follow their own imagination and interests in their play. We have a whole range of objects in our collection, from cardboard rolls to offcuts of wood, which children can use to construct absolutely anything, from castles to cars. 

Skills developed during constructive activities and play

When they are busy building something new, children are also developing important skills:

  • Manual dexterity. Picking up bricks and other small parts helps children practice their fine motor skills
  • Problem solving. Why does that big block fall off the circular shape? What happens if you swap them round? Construction is a natural way for children to test out their ideas
  • Collaboration. A big building project can be an ideal way for toddlers and preschoolers to work together
  • Maths skills. Children begin to understand spatial relationships such as under, behind, next to, above
  • Imaginative play. That pile of recycling can be turned into another world, through the power of a child’s imagination.

Ideas for construction activities at home

Constructive play is something that the whole family can get involved in at home. 

Here are some ideas to get you started:

  • Save items from your recycling bin to build up a collection of construction materials. Cereal boxes, plastic bottles and cardboard rolls are all versatile objects that can be reused
  • See what else you have lying around that could be repurposed for a construction project. Milk crates and flower pots have lots of potential.
  • Do you have a big cardboard box? Turn it into a house, a car, a boat or even a time machine!
  • Take photos of what your child builds and use them to create a story book based on their creations. You can sit together and tell the story.

Contact us

At All About Children we take a Curiosity Approach to constructive play. For more information about our nursery, contact us today.

What Our Parents Say

Very talented and caring staff. My son really loved this nursery. He learnt a lot in all aspects from communication, relationship building, being independent, to learning maths, shapes, letters, word, sentences etc. Really pleased with the development. Thanks to all the lovely staff, you are all the best.

Vaibhav H (Father of Child)

My daughter has been in the nursery since the Baby Room. It has been an incredible journey. Now she is in the pre-school and every day she is excited to go to the nursery. She loves the staff, her key worker, the other kids, the setting (especially the garden). She really enjoys all the activities organised through the week/day. She enjoys and has fun while learning. The staff encourage and support multilingual families making the kids feel proud they can speak more than one language. Now the staff are also getting her ready to go to school this September. The staff have always been amazing, very approachable, flexible and caring.

B C (Father of Child)

The staff are so kind and caring, they all know my daughter even those in different rooms. She skips in to see them every day and they are as excited as me when she does new things. It's a home away from home.

H G (Mother of Child)

I can't thank the staff enough for giving me peace of mind when my child is with them. The number and variety of activities each day is amazing and the fact they manage to get in the garden or go on trips - even in winter is fantastic. My child's development is streets ahead of his peers who don't attend nursery.

S H (Mother of Child)

The nursery has a lovely nurturing and vibrant atmosphere which my son loves. There is plenty of space for him to explore and learn via the vast range of toys and equipment they have. I know he is well cared for. I am always well informed and I work together with the nursery staff to give my son the best possible experience.

Claire F (Mother of Child) 

The care, consideration and attention my son receives is exemplary. Staff pay attention to his strengths and weaknesses and verbalise them to us and ideas for developing them are implemented. All staff demonstrate an excellent attitude and have excellent relationships with their designated children.

A D (Father of Child)

The staff were warm, caring and professional and the facilities are great. We felt like our daughter was part of a big family. We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all working there.

E S (Mother of Child)

I have been impressed by the level of care given to my son since he started. The daily warm welcome of the staff makes both children and parents alike feel at ease. Seeing the smile on my boy's face as we drive into the car park is proof enough for me that the team are doing something right.

Alexander M (Father of Child)

My little girl has recently started and is absolutely loving her time at nursery. The settling in sessions were brilliant and really helped put my mind at ease, especially with me starting back at work. The ladies in the Baby Room are super friendly and enthusiastic and I can't thank them enough for their support in what could have been quite an emotional rollercoaster.

G W (Mother of Child)

Once I drop my son off into the Baby Room, I feel he's as safe and as well looked after as I do at home.

Laura R (Mother of Child)