Attribute Blocks in Preschool

This month, the manipulatives provided in the Mother Goose Time Bees & Butterflies kit are attribute blocks. Ours are yellow and black to go with the theme. Attribute blocks allow children to get hands on early math experience and think logically. They are a versatile manipulative that can be used for sorting, patterning, comparing and counting. They can be analyzed and compared for similarities and differences. See how you can use Attribute Blocks in Preschool.

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What are attribute blocks?

Looking at attribute blocks, we can see that they are a variety of shapes. They are also different sizes, colors, and thickness. They have four different features: shape, color, size and thickness.

How to Use Them

The best way to learn about shapes and their different attributes, of course, is through play!

With Play Dough

Pressing and making shapes.

I like how this little guy used his shape to cut the dough.

In The Water Table

Then we put them in the water table. Sometimes our water tables are quite a mixture of odds and ends. There needs to be interesting items with various textures so I put in sponges, pokey balls and the attribute shapes. Containers are also needed to fill, scoop and pour. It’s always good to put in some kind of tool to use besides just their hands so there are tweezers in there too.

Tracing

Tracing the attribute blocks is a great way to explore the various shapes. It requires the child to use both hands, concentrate and try, try again. My 3 & 4-year-olds did a great job with this.

We talked about the different thicknesses of the shapes – which was easier to trace?

Here, a 4-year-old used shapes to draw a house! Excellent! It’s amazing to see what results from simple materials.

Look at both hands at work, doing two different tasks – she’s demonstrating bilateral coordination.

Shape Mats

Simple matching and design making with shape mats.

Sorting

Sorting by shape.

Sorting by color.

Sorting by thickness.

Patterning

So many ways to pattern!

Weighing

Experimenting with different sizes, shapes and combinations to see which weighs more or less.

While playing, using descriptive words like thick, thin, same and different, helps children develop their vocabulary as well as use logic and critical thinking.

So many ways to play and learn with attribute blocks!
 
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