Block Shopping for Toddlers: When in Doubt, Go with Your Heart
At least one flustered customer felt a little overwhelmed by all the block choices your Uncle Goose offers! Classic ABC Blocks. Constellation Blocks. Nursery Rhyme Blocks. And dozens more!
So she asked us a question.
Which Uncle Goose block set should I choose for a two-year-old boy’s birthday party, when I don't even know where his interests lie?
She’s not alone. Others have asked something similar!
The shocking truth is that it doesn’t matter! Because at age 2, children really aren’t all that concerned about the content printed on the sides of the blocks. Instead, they’re more interested in exploring textures, weights, and sounds.
As a child ages and goes through different stages of mental and physical development, they’ll start to care more about the information printed and embossed on the sides of the blocks. But at age 2 or 3? They really don’t care too much!
The way people play with blocks changes as they age. Here’s a breakdown of how people play with blocks at different stages of their lives:
Stacking Wisdom: How We Grow Into Uncle Goose Blocks
| Age | Function | Description |
| 2-3 years | Sensory Exploration |
Babies might touch, bang, and stack blocks. At this stage, they don’t really care too much about what’s printed on the sides of the blocks. Instead, they’re exploring texture, weight, and sound.
|
| 3-4 years | Cause and Effect, Stacking |
Toddlers just love smacking things down! They may notice colors or shapes, but aren’t decoding symbols or content just yet.
|
| 3-6 years | Pretend Play, Basic Building |
Smaller children use blocks to represent other things. In a child’s hands, a block becomes a rabbit, a rock, or a radio. They might notice the content if it fits their play theme, but building pretend worlds is their primary focus.
|
| 4-6 years | Symbol Recognition, Storytelling |
At this age, the content printed on the sides of the blocks starts to matter. But only if it supports a child’s imaginative play.
|
| 6-13 years | Creative Construction, Learning |
Older kids might use printed content intentionally. They’ll start spelling words, identifying constellations, or organizing by theme. But even then, building is often the main event!
|
| Teens | Aesthetic Appreciation, Nostalgia |
Teens may not play with their blocks anymore, but they might display them, collect them, or use them as creative prompts. The content becomes linked to their identity, memory, or mood.
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| Adults | Reflection, Gifting, Philosophical Play | Adults engage with blocks as design objects, teaching tools, and meditative aids. They’ll also use blocks as physical objects to represent abstract concepts. They may choose sets based on personal values, aesthetics, or interests. |
So, when you’re looking to gift a set of blocks to a two-year-old, you can go in three basic directions:
1) Buy something timeless that they’ll grow into. You really can’t go wrong with the Classic ABC Blocks. They’re called classic for a reason: they’ll never go out of style. All children will want to learn the alphabet and numbers as they grow. The Classic ABC Block is a longtime best seller for a reason! They’re often used as props in child and infant photography. As a child develops, they’ll use the content on the sides of the blocks. And when they’re an adult, they can pass them down to their own children!
2) Go with the interests of the child’s caregivers. A two-year-old child of two chemists will play just as happily with the Elemental Blocks as they will with the Classic ABC Blocks. At age three, they’ll stack them up and smack them down! At ages 4 and 5, they’ll build things. And when they’re not playing with the blocks, their parents will enjoy displaying something that looks fabulous and reflects their character and personality.
3) Gift with your heart. If you genuinely believe the two-year-old in question is going to be a paleontologist, why not give them a set of Dinosaur Blocks or Fossil Blocks? Or if you want to pass on your cultural heritage, get them a set of language blocks. If you love history and storytelling, go with Greek Mythology Blocks, the Women Who Dared Blocks, or the First Pets Blocks. Pick the blocks you love, so that you can share the wisdom you hold dear!
A two-year-old really doesn’t care about the block theme. A toddler’s interests are still loading. So buy the blocks you love: a toddler will love that you love them!
