Why do we use block crayons in Waldorf education?

Why do we use block crayons in Waldorf education? In this video you will see a simple drawing performed with Block Crayons. Once the child has a few months of practice and familiarity with block crayons, this drawing can be performed by children as young as 7 years old. That does not mean all 7 year-olds would be capable of reproducing the drawing perfectly, but most should be able to manage a good semblance. The block crayon offers lots of beneficial opportunities. It works with the three-finger grip which is very important. It has multiple sides for putting down color in three different widths. It lays down colors in bands rather than in lines; thus, the colors are easily blended, very much like using paint. Because the block crayon can put down so much color, it encourages the child to fill the page with color. This is a good step to take from the line drawing a stick-figure tendencies of early childhood. We’d love to hear from you.