The set comes with twelve square blocks and five triangle blocks in a zippered bag that is reusable for storage later. They're material blocks that are stuffed with flaps that have a sensory material in them. Each side of the blocks has a different function which allows you to do a number of things activities. The set is aimed at children 12 months and older but when I contacted K's Kids about it they explained that the set is not limited to that age and up, only the activities that are suggested were created for those that were that age.
On the back of the pack, there are a number of activity suggestions based on age range and what the activity helps to develop. This is fantastic for new parents who are new to learning about the ways in which children develop. It's also great for nanny's and child carers as it gives us suggestions for other ways to use the blocks that we may not have thought about. It's also a good reminder that one toy can be used in a number of different ways.
These blocks can be used for stacking and building things, but what makes them so great is that because of how soft they are they can be gripped and squished to help build fine motor skills. They can also be used to develop gross motor skills like throwing as well because they're so soft.
The blocks can also be used to help with matching and problem-solving. All twelve of the square blocks connect together in sets of two to make a vehicle or an animal. The matching of these blocks to create a full image is a great first puzzle for little minds and also opens up the possibility for some crazy creations with older kids who would find it funny to mix the head of an Alligator with the bottom of a Zebra.
The blocks have mathematical sides as well which allows for the introduction of identification of numbers and learning to count up to twelve. The only downside to this part of them is that the same number of objects is on the same written number block which means you can't have both the number and the image of that number being shown at the same time to help children connect the two together, but that is a small grievance that I have with the design.
On the top side of the blocks, you'll find flaps that have sensory material in them. The crinkling sound is an added feature that is fun for a kid to play with but it also draws their attention to the objects that are on the top. Showing before and after pictures of pots and jumpers, this side of the block are great to help to begin object identification and show how things change.
The final feature that I personally love about these blocks is that when all the squares come together, the final side of the block come together to create a puzzle. Once they have masters matching the vehicles and animals, this larger puzzle is a great next step to help develop those problem-solving skills.
These blocks are a great addition to any toybox. What I also like about K's Kids is that when you go on their website, each page that talks about their products goes into more detail about the developmental guidelines that they have developed to help assist your child's learning. If you would like to find out more about the development guidelines that K's Kids have for Block N Learn you read all about them here.
If you're interested in buying a set of Block N Learn block there are two different versions you can get. The first is the version that you can see in this post which retail for $44USD. You can find them here. The second is a newer version that came out in 2017 after the original version became popular. They retail for $44USD and you can find them here.
What were your favourite kind of blocks?
Or what kind of block do your kids like to use?
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