A BUILDING COMPETITION FOR GIRLS & BOYS
GRADES 1-6
GRADES 1-6
BLOCK KIDS was created in 1990 with the objective of engaging elementary school children in creative thinking and reasoning skills used by people in the design and construction professions in addition to introducing design and construction as possible career paths.
Students in grades 1-6 are given a toolkit of 90 interlocking blocks, one piece of string, one piece of aluminum foil, and one piece of construction paper. They are given 45 minutes to create a “mini-model” of a “commercial” structure of their own imagination – schools, recycling centers, and space stations have all been created by past participants. The creative process is then followed by a brief consultation with a local industry volunteer (aka “Building Inspector”), who talks to the student about his/her project and the process of thinking and making. In these conversations, students are judged on their oral presentation, clarity of purpose, etc.
Awards are given for each age division and an overall winner is selected to advance to regional competition. A national winner is then selected from regional competitions. It’s not about winning because every “contractor” is a winner just by participating and will receive a “goodie bag” and a certificate of participation.
Before the building competition the children are invited to participate in a hands-on trades fair where they will be able to "work" alongside carpenters, bricklayers, painters and other industry trades.
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Ways to support this activity:
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Judge - As a judge, you will talk to the children about their project and complete a scoring form. We anticipate 100 kids participating in the event, so we will need several Building Inspectors. No experience necessary. Judges will need to be at the event location by 9:30 am, the day of Block Kids. Please also plan to be at Block Kids until noon.
Sponsor (Company) - As a sponsor, your company will be recognized on the day of the event as well as in our Chapter’s social media activity leading up to the event. We hope to have news crews broadcasting live to inform the public of NAWIC’s interest in promoting education to children as well as enhancing the success of women in construction.