Blocks: questions to ask and activities to try
Ruby has red blocks, Benji has blue. Blocks is a simple, stylish book about the tricky business of sharing, and the fun that comes when you build together.
What age is it for? Blocks is best for ages 2–4. Good for: Sharing toys at playtime.
Read it with a box of blocks nearby. Pause at the crash and ask how Ruby and Benji feel. Then try building together and see what happens when you share.
What it helps with
- Sharing toys with friends or siblings
- Grabbing, and what happens next
- Playing together instead of side by side
- Welcoming someone new into a game
Comprehension and discussion questions
Pick two or three, not all of them. “I don’t know” is a fine answer, and you can always come back to it another day.
- “What colour blocks did Ruby have? And Benji?”
- “What happened when Benji took a red block?”
- “How did they feel when the blocks crashed?”
- “What did they do next?”
- “What happened when Guy arrived?”
- “How do you share your toys?”
5-minute activities to try together
Build together
Each take a different colour of blocks or bricks. Build one tower together using both colours.
Sharing words
Practise asking “Can I have a turn?” and answering “Yes, when I've finished” with toys.
Free printables: Blocks worksheet and activity pack
This book’s one-page worksheet with the questions and activities above, plus our activity pack: printable scenario cards, three 5-minute activities and a “What could I try?” page for practising everyday skills together. Enter your email and download them straight away.
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If your child liked this, try
The Highway Rat (Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler)
- Best for
- Taking what isn't yours, greed and learning to share
- Age
- 3-6
Fair Shares (Pippa Goodhart and Anna Doherty)
- Best for
- What's fair, and why fair isn't always the same
- Age
- 3-6
Big Box Little Box (Caryl Hart and Edward Underwood)
- Best for
- Opposites, rhyme and an unexpected friend
- Age
- 2-5
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By the Growing Wise team · Last reviewed: 10 October 2026
Growing Wise offers educational ideas for parents and carers. It is not a substitute for professional medical, developmental or mental-health advice. As an Amazon Associate, Growing Wise earns from qualifying purchases.