Fifty-one preschoolers’ play preferences, skills at assembling block
structures, and spatial abilities were recorded in this study. There were no sex
differences in children’s visual-spatial skills, and play with art
materials and children’s free and structured play with blocks were related
to spatial visualisation. Two patterns emerged from the findings: (1) activity and
performance representing skills in spatial visualisation and visual-motor
coordination; and (2) creativity, or the ability to break set and to produce varied
solutions using visual materials. Future research might examine the extent to which
children’s play activities and experiences predict these types of skills.
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