The connection between block play and academic achievement is one of the most well-documented findings in developmental psychology. Decades of research have consistently shown that children who engage in frequent building play develop stronger skills in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. What may look like simple stacking and knocking down is actually a child's first encounter with some of the most fundamental concepts in STEM education.
Engineering Thinking Starts Early
When a child tries to build a tower that does not fall down, they are engaging in engineering. They are identifying a design goal, selecting materials, building a structure, testing it against real-world forces (gravity, wind from a running sibling, the weight of additional blocks), and iterating on their design when it fails. This design-build-test-iterate cycle is identical to the engineering design process taught in university programs. The child does not know the formal terminology, but they are developing the cognitive patterns that will make formal engineering concepts intuitive later.
A study published in the Journal of Engineering Education found that spatial reasoning ability — developed strongly through block play — was a better predictor of engineering school success than high school math grades. Children who build with blocks regularly develop the ability to mentally visualize three-dimensional structures, rotate objects in their minds, and understand how parts relate to wholes. These spatial skills are the foundation of engineering thinking.
Physics in Action
Every block tower is a physics experiment. Children learn about gravity when their tower falls. They learn about balance and center of mass when they try to place a block on an uneven surface. They discover principles of structural stability when they figure out that wider bases support taller structures. They experience friction when blocks grip or slide against each other. None of this requires a textbook or a lesson plan — the physics emerges naturally from the play itself.
Mathematical Concepts Through Building
Block play is rich with mathematical learning opportunities. Children practice counting as they gather blocks. They explore geometry as they work with different shapes and discover which ones fit together. They encounter measurement as they compare the heights of their structures. They develop an intuitive understanding of fractions and proportions as they use different sized blocks. They explore symmetry when they try to make their buildings balanced and aesthetically pleasing.
Longitudinal research from the University of Delaware tracked children from preschool through high school and found that the complexity of block play at age four was a significant predictor of mathematics achievement in seventh grade. The children who built the most complex structures in preschool — those with multiple levels, enclosed spaces, and symmetrical designs — went on to score higher on standardized math assessments years later, even after controlling for socioeconomic factors.
Spatial Reasoning: The Hidden STEM Skill
Spatial reasoning is often called the hidden STEM skill because it is rarely taught explicitly in schools yet is critical for success in STEM fields. It encompasses the ability to understand and manipulate shapes, visualize objects from different perspectives, and navigate physical space. Block building is one of the most effective ways to develop spatial reasoning in young children because it requires them to constantly translate between their mental image of what they want to build and the physical reality of the blocks in front of them.
Encouraging STEM Through Play
The beauty of block play as a STEM learning tool is that it requires no curriculum, no worksheets, and no formal instruction. Children develop these skills naturally through the act of building. Parents and educators can enhance the learning by asking open-ended questions (What do you think will happen if you put another block on top? How could you make your wall stronger?), but the primary driver of learning is the play itself.
Foam blocks are particularly effective for STEM skill development because their size encourages large-scale building that engages the whole body, their lightweight nature allows children to build higher and more ambitiously than they could with wooden blocks, and their soft construction eliminates the fear of failure — when a structure collapses, no one gets hurt and rebuilding begins immediately. This freedom to fail and iterate is the essence of engineering thinking, and it begins with a child and a pile of blocks.