Literacy Begins with Play: How Blocks, Loose Parts & Storytelling Grow Young Readers and Thinkers

Loose parts play encourages children to think symbolically, use language creatively, and develop early literacy skills through storytelling, problem-solving, and collaboration.

When most people think of “literacy,” their minds jump straight to letters, books, or early reading practice. But literacy begins long before a child sounds out their first word. It starts in the block corner, under the play silks, and within the imaginative stories children tell during play.

When a group of preschoolers builds a castle out of blocks, drapes a scarf across the top as a dragon’s cave, and begins acting out a rescue mission, they’re not just playing. They’re developing the same foundational skills that will one day help them read, write, and think critically.

How Play Builds Literacy

Play invites children to use language with purpose. When they plan, negotiate, and narrate their stories, they naturally practice communication and storytelling - key parts of literacy.

Here’s what’s happening when children engage in rich, imaginative play:

• Symbolic thinking: A block becomes a boat, a shell becomes treasure. Understanding that one thing can represent another is the same mental skill used in reading: where letters and words represent sounds and meaning.

• Narrative skills: Children create stories with a beginning, middle, and end. They explore plot, character, problem, and resolution which are the foundations of story comprehension.

• Vocabulary growth: New materials spark new words! “Bridge,” “Castle,” “Cave,” “Protect,” “Rescue.” Children learn and use descriptive and emotional language through play.

• Social communication: Conversations during play (“Let’s build a fence,” “The dragon is sleeping now!”) strengthen turn-taking, listening, and expressive skills.

• Executive function: Building, organizing, and retelling stories build memory, attention, and sequencing - all crucial for later reading and writing.

The Power of Materials

Open-ended materials like blocks, fabrics, loose parts, or natural objects are at the heart of literacy-rich play. These materials don’t tell children how to play; they invite them to create meaning.

When a child drapes fabric to make a river, or stacks blocks to make a home for animals, they are doing more than constructing; they are composing. They are translating ideas into a visible story. This blend of imagination, structure, and language mirrors the creative process of storytelling and writing.

What Research Tells Us

Modern research continues to confirm what early childhood educators have seen for decades - that play is literacy in action.

Here are a few highlights from peer-reviewed studies and large-scale reviews:

• A study published in JAMA Pediatrics found that toddlers who had access to blocks at home showed stronger language development after just six months of play.

• A review in the Journal of Intelligence concluded that open-ended “loose parts” play - using materials like blocks, fabric, and natural items - is linked to better problem-solving, creativity, and early academic skills like reading and math.

• A longitudinal study in Early Child Development and Care found that preschoolers who engaged in more complex block play demonstrated stronger reading skills years later.

• Educators in an AIMS Public Health study reported that loose parts play encouraged imagination, storytelling, and richer social interaction; the kinds of experiences that naturally support literacy growth.

In short: when children play with open-ended materials, they’re building the thinking, language, and cognitive frameworks that make literacy possible.

Bringing Literacy to Life in Your Classroom or Home

You don’t need special literacy kits or structured lessons to support early reading and writing. Try these simple strategies:

1. Offer open-ended materials – Blocks, scarves, cardboard boxes, sticks, stones, and figurines can all become story props.

2. Model storytelling – Narrate your play or invite children to tell you what’s happening: “Who lives in that tower?” “What happens next?”

3. Capture and revisit stories – Take photos of children’s block worlds and invite them to retell what happened the next day. This builds memory, sequence, and comprehension.

4. Enrich vocabulary naturally – Introduce new descriptive words as you play: “That bridge is enormous!” “The dragon looks determined.”

5. Value their words – When a child tells a story, write down a sentence or two and read it back. This shows that their words have meaning - a core literacy concept.

The Takeaway

Literacy doesn’t start with worksheets! It starts with story.Through play, children learn to imagine, to plan, to speak, to listen, and to make meaning. These are the roots of reading and writing.

By offering rich materials and space for imagination, you’re not “just” playing - you’re nurturing lifelong readers, writers, and thinkers.

References & Further Reading

If you’d like to explore the research behind this post, here are a few accessible articles and studies:

• Christakis, D. A., et al. (2007). Effect of block play on language acquisition and attention in toddlers. JAMA Pediatrics. Read summary →

• Trawick-Smith, J. (2012). Block play and early literacy: Exploring symbolic representation and reading readiness.Early Child Development and Care. Read summary →

• Hodgins, H., et al. (2023). Loose parts play and cognitive development in early childhood: A systematic review.Journal of Intelligence. Read summary →

• Bundy, A., et al. (2019). Educator perceptions of loose parts play and its benefits for children’s development. AIMS Public Health. Read summary →