Gender in Block Play

In her article "Block Play: It's Not Just for Boys Anymore," which forms the basis for the Exchange Out of the Box Training Kit by the same name, Barb Tokarz, makes this observation:

"Based upon research and observations of girls in block play, girls use blocks as a way to represent and extend their role in the world.... As girls play with blocks, they engage in many of the behaviors that they have been socialized into: supporting; affirming; giving assistance; and, as a result, they develop strong interpersonal skills. Many of the structures that girls build — such as houses, stores, offices, and churches — are associated with the familiar world that they are a part of and whose structure they support.

"Boys, on the other hand, are seen...as being creative accommodators who create new schemes and who are curious and ready to explore. When boys play with blocks, they are focused on the task of building and tend to be unaffected by the communication of another peer.... Much of boys’ block play is focused on creating more elaborate structures and finding innovative uses for materials."

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