Favorite Blocks Center Tools and Toys for Preschool and Kindergarten
Share This Post:
In addition to the post on How to Set Up the Blocks Center for little learners, I’ve created a list of my favorite blocks center tools and toys for preschool and kindergarten. Building for little learners creates the opportunity for exploration and creativity. With the right tools and toys, they will be able to build countless creations.
You will find all of these plus MORE blocks items on my Amazon list!
This post contains affiliate links which means I earn a tiny commission when you use my links at no cost to you.
Favorite Blocks Center Tools and Toys for Preschool and Kindergarten
Types of Blocks
Melissa & Doug Jumbo Extra-Thick Cardboard Building Blocks
With 40 blocks that come in 3 different sizes, students will have a blast building with these oversized blocks. They are extra sturdy which is great because we all know how hard these little learners play.
Foam blocks are great for little learners because they are light and easy to pick up. I also like them because when the creations fall, they don’t hurt anyone on their way down.
Melissa & Doug Standard Unit Solid-Wood Building Blocks
A good old set of wooden blocks is a necessity for every blocks center. I like this set because you can buy one at a time to slowly build your block collection! These are expensive but totally worth every penny. These blocks are used every day in my classroom!
Give your students another tool to explore the blocks center and build more creations. These wooden arches are great for the growing imaginations of little learners.
Hollow blocks are a great option in the classroom because they allow children to build and create and also place things inside the blocks. Small manipulatives like people, cars, or animals are great options.
Encourage students to explore building and creating with these big blocks. They are great for students to build fine motor strength and sharing.
Grab these lego base plates to give your students a chance to build and design something that will be a little more sturdy. It also can encourage students to make more than one building; they can make a town or homestead on the base plate.
Disposable cups make a great tool for little learners to build with. They can create tall stacks or buildings that can be high. Plus, no worries about injuries since they are light and won’t hurt anyone when they fall down.
Straws Builders Construction Set
These flexible building pieces are similar to straws and are great for giving students another option to build with. They are designed for open-ended creation and STEM activities.
Favorite Blocks Center Tools and Toys for Preschool and Kindergarten
Vehicles & Animals
Melissa & Doug Wooden Town Vehicles
Turn your blocks center into a bustling town with these cute wooden town vehicles. These are great for a study on community helpers or future jobs.
Give students these wooden cars and see what amazing things they will build! It may be a town, road, or racetrack; either way, they are learning so many important skills.
Melissa & Doug Wooden Construction Vehicles
I love these wooden construction vehicles to encourage students to explore the construction site and all the cool vehicles that are used to build.
These little signs are made for little learners to build the town or roadway of their dreams. They can learn about these common road signs while building and exploring in the blocks center.
This train set comes with everything your preschool, pre-k, or kindergarten students need to create a train track that is awesome! There are accessories, trains, and the tracks to make a track that goes all around the room.
This set comes with 16 planes that are made for little hands. The airplanes move on their own when they are pulled back and released. They have moveable parts for more realistic play for little learners.
Grab this set of 60 bugs to get your little learners exploring and building at the same time. There are all kinds of creatures in the set, and they will like to touch and learn about each kind of bug. Put them in the blocks center so students can build cages or other creations with the bugs.
Use these pets during a pet or animal study. I love adding animals to the blocks center to encourage even more imagination and creativity.
This set of 10 polar animals is the perfect addition to a polar animal or winter study. Students can build their habitat with blocks or other fun building materials. Add snow for a sensory benefit!
The perfect set for little learners to explore sea creatures and expand their imagination.
Farm animals lend themselves easily to the blocks center because there are so many buildings on the farm. Students can build fences, barns, fields, and so much more!
This cute forest animals set comes with several animals that are perfect for students to explore the forest and build habitats in blocks center.
Students love dinosaurs! So I like to put these in the blocks center to see what creations they come up with.
Favorite Blocks Center Tools and Toys for Preschool and Kindergarten
Natural Materials
Put felt pieces in your blocks center to encourage imaginative play! Students can use them for grass, dirt, concrete, etc.
Pick up these logs to give your students even more materials to explore and build with. Each one is 5 cm long and just right for little learners’ hands.
Grab this set of wood pieces that are 2-3 inches in diameter. Students will love to build and explore with these natural pieces.
Clipboards encourage writing and drawing in the blocks center. Little learners have small hands, so they need small tools!
Favorite Blocks Center Tools and Toys for Preschool and Kindergarten
Pretend/ Imaginative Play
I love adding dress-up items to the classroom so that students can really grow their imaginations! This set has a few tools and a hat, vest, and belt.
A tool set is perfect for the blocks center since students are building! I like to see what they build and how they play when I introduce tools and toys to the students.
This tape measure is perfect for preschool, pre-k, or kindergarten students because it is safe for little hands, and encourages imaginative play, counting, and number recognition!
Grab these 2 paint cans for your blocks center. There is a gallon size one and one-quart can.
Favorite Blocks Center Tools and Toys for Preschool and Kindergarten
Dollhouse
Melissa & Doug Wooden Dollhouse
I love this wooden dollhouse that has multiple levels for all kinds of play. It has a garage and a working elevator too! It comes with 15 pieces of furniture, so all you have to add are the dolls.
Grab this set of wooden pet houses for a cat, dog, and rabbit house. They also come with the animals, a food bowl, and food.
Get 52 pieces of dollhouse furniture to complete your classroom dollhouse set. It has things for the living room, kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, and child’s room.
This set of doll people is something you need to add to your dollhouse area! They are adorable and perfect to add another race to your room.
Add even more diversity to your room with this set of people. They are great to open conversations with little learners about different abilities and acceptance.
This set has 32 people of different ethnicities. Each family has multiple family members and will work great in your dollhouse area.
Favorite Blocks Center Tools and Toys for Preschool and Kindergarten
Other Props & Books
Make “me blocks” with this Jenga set. Take pictures of your students and attach them to the blocks. Now you have the class in the blocks center. Read all about that here!
Join a child as you see the classroom through their eyes as they create and build an imaginative world. This book is wonderful to read when introducing the blocks center to little learners.
Rhyming, imagination, and architecture are just a few pros to having this book in your room. Explore building and architecture around the world through the eyes of a child.
Read this book to explore all the different kinds of homes around the world. I love the real images and information that is made available to little learners.
Setting up your blocks center with a variety of tools and toys gives little learners the opportunity to spark creativity. Encourage students to work together to build a city, zoo, park, and more.
Check out these posts to make your blocks center even more amazing! Just click on the photo!
Grab the Letter Build It Bundle to develop fine motor skills and letters!
What are your favorite blocks center tools and toys for preschool and kindergarten? Were you able to find any new favorites on my list? Please share with us all in the comments.
Check out this video for ideas on how to set up the block center.
Love these Favorite Blocks Center Tools and Toys for Preschool and Kindergarten? Pin this image!
Want to check out more of my favorite things for little learners? Check out my Favorite Things Blog Series with over 15 different favorite things lists (and growing)! If there are any favorite things for a theme you need, just let us know so we can create it for you.
hey, i’m jackie!
I’m Jackie, your go-to girl for early childhood inspiration and research-based curriculum.
