Elmo’s World: Building Things

After you watch Elmo and Dorothy learn more about building with blocks, build something together!

• Together with kids, build one block tower that is tall and thin, and one that is short and wide. Ask, “Which one do you think is stronger, or more sturdy? How can you tell?”
• Invite children to sort blocks by color or shape, then build structures with that shape or color.
• Explain that a bridge is a structure that helps you cross from one place to another. Try building a bridge together out of blocks. For an extra challenge, build a bridge that connects two tall block towers.
• Look around the neighborhood and encourage kids to choose a structure they’d like to build with you, then create it with blocks later! Ask, “How is our structure similar to, or different from, the one we saw?”
• When a block structure falls, let kids know it’s okay—they can always build it again. Ask how they might build it so it’s even sturdier and stronger. This will help them practice problem-solving skills and persistence.