Fox in Socks Block Stacking Invitation for Toddlers

This week’s Virtual Book Club for Kids is featuring Fox in Socks by Dr. Seuss. Inspired by the book, we’re sharing a block stacking invitation for toddlers. Be sure to check out all of the Dr. Seuss themed activities at the end. I get commissions for purchases made through the affiliate links in this post.

Fox in Socks Block Stacking Invitation for Toddlers

Fox in Socks is a fun read. Like a typical Dr. Seuss book, it’s full of rhymes and made up things. It is also packed with purposeful tongue twisters and they get harder as the book goes on. I was drawn to the beginning of the book when the chicks with bricks and blocks and clocks come. The fox and knox start stacking the blocks and clocks and bricks and chicks. This is the perfect toddler science activity to go along with the book.

I set out a pile of square blocks of different sizes for Elon (22 months). The small colorful blocks are from this block set from Melissa and Doug. The painted green blocks are left over from Aiden’s Minecraft birthday party. The black blocks are chalkboard painted blocks from Target. I also added some DUPLO bricks, a DUPLO clock, and a few chickens. I added our talking fox toy for even more fun.

Block stacking and tower building work on many science and engineering skills. Learn about balance, gravity, and cause and effect. You can even add in measuring and math skills. For today’s block stacking invitation, I simply set out lots of blocks and showed them to Elon. He immediately stacked a few blocks and then he saw the fox. The fox helped him build for a while.

I asked Elon if he could make a tall tower. He started stacking more blocks. Then, he had to play with the fox again.

Lily (almost 4) wanted to join in and build a tall tower too. Building blocks is a great activity for siblings to play together.

Elon was excited to try to build his own tall tower. Every once in a while the tower would fall. Either the tower wasn’t balanced or Elon would knock it over on accident. He started over and tried again. Block stacking is great lesson in perseverance, too.

Look at that tower!

Try these building prompts and questions to ask in your block stacking invitation for toddlers:

How tall can you build your tower before it falls over?
Can you change your design to make the tower taller?
Will a tower with a wider base be taller than a tower with a narrow base?
Measure the height of your tower or count the number of blocks.
Create a pattern in your tower. Alternate the color of your blocks.

Don’t be afraid to get down and play with your toddler. Help model what you want him to do. Talk about what’s happening. Let him in on your thinking process.

Here’s a video of Elon and Lily stacking blocks.

More Dr. Seuss Inspired Activities for Kids

Counting with Yertle the Turtle – How high can you stack these adorable little turtles?
30 Dr. Seuss Inspired Science Activities
20 Math Activities Inspired by Dr. Seuss

More Activities from the Virtual Book Club for Kids

See more Dr. Seuss themed activities inspired by Fox in Socks:

Number Bond Matching Socks Game – Rainy Day Mum
Sock Matching Rhyming Game – Mama Smiles
Fox in Sox Rhyming Word Puzzles – Teach Beside Me

Also stop by the Virtual Book Club for Kids Facebook group to see what others are sharing!

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