Why Construction Site works

Manage a toy construction site where jobs are assigned, a model is built and the site is checked before handover. Choose the project such as wall, road or small building.

Set up — Choose the project such as wall, road or small building

Prepare household items before the child is asked to choose the project such as wall, road or small building. The setup is ready when the child can choose the project such as wall, road or small building and then move on to the instruction to assign simple jobs such as builder, material manager and inspector without a new explanation. Keep props ordinary and safe, and do not copy real hazardous, medical, or emergency procedures while those two steps are connected.

Step 2 — Assign simple jobs such as builder, material manager and inspector

After completing the instruction to assign simple jobs such as builder, material manager and inspector, pause and ask what changed from the earlier step where they had to choose the project such as wall, road or small building. Use that answer to decide whether they are ready to build the first functional section.

Step 3 — Build the first functional section

Keep the adult prompt brief while the child tries to build the first functional section. If needed, return to the earlier step to assign simple jobs such as builder, material manager and inspector before asking them to inspect it for stability or route access.

Step 4 — Inspect it for stability or route access

Keep the pace slow while the child tries to inspect it for stability or route access. If the effect is hard to see, simplify that action before continuing with the instruction to complete the project and give a pretend handover report.

Step 5 — Complete the project and give a pretend handover report

Treat the attempt to complete the project and give a pretend handover report as a checkpoint between the earlier step to inspect it for stability or route access and the coming step to complete the project and give a pretend handover report. A perfect answer is not required.

What to notice before Complete the project and give a pretend handover…

After the child has tried to inspect it for stability or route access, ask what changed. An answer connected to the earlier attempt to build the first functional section is good evidence of whether the next pretend action follows from what the characters just did before the final step.

Make Build the first functional section easier or harder

If asking the child to build the first functional section is too demanding, use one role, one place, and one short problem. Once that step is comfortable, add a second responsibility, clue, customer, or consequence that must be handled in order before returning to the final request to complete the project and give a pretend handover report.

Finish after Complete the project and give a pretend handover…

Complete the project and give a pretend handover report. That final check is enough to close Construction Site without adding another task. For another activity, use the activity search or create one with the activity generator.