Show of hands: Are blocks the first area your preschoolers go to when they enter the room? 

My hand is raised! 

The Blocks interest area can be one of the most exciting areas in your Mission Friends room because preschoolers enjoy building and playing with blocks. 

Interacting with blocks is an engaging and enriching part of the development of preschoolers. The blocks area is a space where creativity, interaction, and problem-solving skills grow. It is here that your preschoolers can be who they were created to be. 

As Mission Friends leaders, we have the privilege of setting up a blocks interest area that is more than just a place to play. It is also an opportunity for us to connect with preschoolers while having conversations about the missionaries and missions areas. 

Setting up a blocks interest area can be tricky but rewarding. Consider the following ideas: 

• Consider the size of your room, storage, and budget. Plan what works for your Mission Friends room. 
• The Blocks interest area is more than just a basket of blocks. Prepare to enhance the blocks area to capture the attention and imagination of preschoolers. Consider including carpet pieces, toy vehicles and different modes of transportation, traffic signs, people figures, animal figures, ramps, foam pieces, dollhouse furniture, felt and fabric squares, painter’s tape, and road tape. 
• Use a variety of blocks made from different materials such as wood, cardboard, and plastic interlocking blocks. Tissue boxes make great apartment buildings and small boxes make buildings when we create a town. Cardboard boxes can be transformed into exciting elements in your blocks area. 
• Intentionally organize the blocks area by using open containers for quick and easy clean up. 
• My favorite thing to use with blocks is road play tape. Purchase this tape online or create your own by adding road lines to white tape or paper. Add boxes to create buildings and traffic signs. 
• Don’t confine yourself to one space for the block area. If you need to spread out to make a town, lake area, or playground, consider using the hallway or gently rearrange your room for that session. 

Let’s say you have all these things. Should you put all of them in the block area? No. That could be overstimulating to a preschooler. Use items each week that will pertain to the monthly missions area or work of the missionaries. And then watch the creativity happen! 

Consider sitting on the floor with your Mission Friends. Let’s be honest. It may not be easy to sit on the floor. Or if you are like me, getting down is easy but getting up is hard. If you are embarrassed about getting up from the floor because it’s not pretty (or easy) ask someone to help you. You can even ask one of your Mission Friends. This will encourage them to help you and help others.  

As we lead preschoolers in the interest area activities that are suggested in Mission Friends Leader, be assured that God loves each preschooler. He will guide us as we help them use their bodies and minds to learn about Him and others who share about Him. 

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by Beth Campbell