Last Updated on September 5, 2025 by Sheryl Cooper
Inside: This Itsy Bitsy Spider block center idea has a real drain spout and, of course, lots of spiders for some fall hands-on play!
Do your toddlers and preschoolers love the fingerplay The Itsy Bitsy Spider?
If so, they will love acting it out at the block center with a real drain spout and lots of pretend spiders!
Add blocks and other building materials and it will become a popular area during your centers time.
Our block center is a busy part of our free-choice centers time.
When I moved up to this classroom eight years ago, I acquired a train table that someone was going to give away.
What I didn’t realize at the time was how much we’d use this table, and not just for trains!
In fact, we use it more with other materials than we do trains and I cannot imagine our block area without it.
The Itsy Bitsy Spider Block Center
Watch the video:
It All Started With the Drain Spout
Before I get started, I first must share how this all came to be.
Many years ago, as I was wandering the aisles at The Home Depot, I saw the rain gutters and drain spouts and – like a true early childhood education teacher – thought about how we could use them in our classroom.
We’d already had years of experience with rain gutters, as we used them for cars outside.
But a drain spout?
Somehow The Itsy Bitsy Spider came to mind and, of course, I had to give it a try.
I first used it in our sensory bin, which you can read about here:
The Itsy Bitsy Spider Sensory Bin
And then a few years ago I moved it to the block area where it was even more popular.
That’s what this post is about, and I have photos from a couple of different years, so the placement of things might be a bit different depending on the photo.
But basically we used:
Supplies
- Shortened drain spout, taped to a large see-through block for durability
- Spider web placemats
- Assorted spiders
- Orange blocks
- Bug tongs
- Containers
For our two year olds, I used large spiders. For the three year olds that share our classroom (they meet on alternate days), we had small spider rings.
Fine Motor
Using the bug tongs to pick up the spiders and drop them into the spout is a nice way to strengthen fine motor skills.
Plus, it’s just fun!
How many spiders could go down the spout at once?
This seemed to be the challenge that many of the children loved.
And yes, we had a couple of blockages because of that, but we figure it out!
Sharing Space
This area is also a great lesson in sharing space and sharing materials.
We don’t limit how many children can be at most of our centers and it’s amazing how they can figure out how to make room for another friend, or decide it’s too crowded and come back later.
During your spider theme, try this:
Itsy Bitsy Spider Circle Time Activity
- Toddlers
- Preschool
Spiders Everywhere!
We get spider heavy the week of Halloween, so we also had spiders hanging on webs in the window, displayed on shelves, and in many of the books we read and the songs we sang.
Other spider activities:
Make sure to Sing the Song!
This block center activity is much more meaningful if the children know the song. We sing it during centers time using props.
If you just want the spider props that the children can hold, I have them here on the blog.
If you would like the entire set (spiders, spout, rain, sun), it’s in this packet: Song and Rhyme Props Vol. 1.
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