Preschool Lesson Plan: Building Bridges with Blocks for Creative Minds

Unleash the magic of learning through play with our interactive preschool lesson plan, ‘Building Bridges with Blocks. This is a creative, team-oriented problem-solving activity that invites young minds into the fascinating world of bridges. Perfect for little architects aged 3-5, this hour-long session encourages curiosity and fine motor development while fostering a love for engineering and design. Dive in to see how simple blocks can turn into extraordinary learning experiences.

Age Group: Preschool (3-5 years)

Duration: 1 hour

Topic: Building Bridges with Blocks

Learning Objectives:

1. Introduce the concept of bridges and their purpose.
2. Encourage teamwork and problem-solving skills.
3. Develop fine motor skills and spatial awareness.
4. Promote creativity through building and designing structures.

Materials Needed:

1. Wooden or plastic building blocks.
2. Toy cars or small figurines.
3. Pictures of different types of bridges, such as arches, beams, and suspension.
4. A flat building surface, like a table or mat.
5. Paper and crayons for drawing.

Preparation:

• Place the blocks in a central area, where children can have access to them easily.
• Place picture inspirations of several bridges around the room.
• Get a small story or video of bridges to initialize it.

Lesson Procedure:

1. Introduction (10 minutes):

• Welcome the children and make them sit in a circle.
• Show pictures of different bridges, asking questions like:
  • “What is in this picture?”
  • “What do you think bridges are used for?”
• Give a very simple explanation about bridges: “Bridges help people and vehicles cross water, roads, or other spaces.”
• For a few seconds, demonstrate using a toy car that cannot cross the gap without a bridge and briefly explain why it needs a bridge.

2. Activity 1: Demonstration (10 minutes)

• Using the blocks, construct a simple bridge, explaining your actions.
• Mention how one should have balance and stability.
• Allow children to take turns putting one block on the demonstration bridge.

3. Activity 2: Group Work (25 minutes)

• Divide the children into small groups, with 3-4 children in each group.
• Give each group a set of blocks and a flat surface.
• Challenge them to build a bridge that will hold a toy car.
• Walk around the room, guiding and encouraging.
• When finished, have each group test their bridge with the toy car.

4. Discussion and Reflection (10 minutes):

• Gather the children to share their bridges.
• Ask questions like:
  • “What was easy about building the bridge?”
  • “What was hard?”
  • “How did you work together as a team?”
• Celebrate their efforts and creativity.

5. Extension Activity (Optional):

• Encourage the children to draw a picture of their bridge and tell about their favourite part of building it.

Assessment:

• Observe students working together during the group project.
• Note problem-solving skills to overcome and adjust their design.
• Note the creativity involved and interest taken in their design of a bridge.
• Have them describe the purpose of the bridge to understand the concept behind this bridge.

Download the Preschool Lesson Plan