In the past, children didn’t have computer games     1    （play）, TVs to watch, or books to read, so they often made     2    （they）own games. They spent a lot of time     3     their studies or did housework at home. A lot of them thought outdoor games were the most important things to do.

One of the most popular outdoor     4    （game）was rolling the hoop（滚铁环）. Children took a big hoop and raced each other with their hoops from one place to another in a park. The one who could get to the finishing point     5    （quick）was the winner. It sounded like     6     easy game, but in fact the hoop was quite difficult to roll.

Another fun game was nine pins（瓶柱）. Nine pins were placed three in a row.     7     one person knocked down all nine pins with a ball, he would be the winner.

Children also flew kites and went fishing and swimming. Even some simple games     8     taking a photo were popular if they had friends to play     9    . If the weather was bad, such as     10    （rain）or snowy, children often read or drew indoors.

Building blocks (积木) are still one of the most p    1     toys today. It is always the best choice as a game. Their interesting design and easy use attract children of all ages. Most t    2     toys, like building blocks, were first made of wood. Today, wooden building blocks are still used, but now there are several other types of building blocks to c    3     from, like plastic building blocks.

Children build all kinds of things that they see in everyday life with building blocks. This gives them the chance to learn the latest things and life skills.

Building blocks can help children p    4     their language skills. Most children talk to each other as they build things with these traditional toys. This type of toy also h    5     to develop the skills that children need in life. As they begin to join groups playing with building blocks, they learn to take turns, share, and s    6    problems with others. However, these are not the only advantage of playing with building blocks.

Building blocks can also help develop children’s s    7     talent in math and science. They allow children to work according to the steps of scientific discovery, which are first to watch and think, and then to test. Building blocks also come in different s    8    , colors and sizes. These types of building blocks e    9     children to develop skills in dividing things.

Playing with building blocks can i    10    children’s IQ. Maybe that is the reason why building blocks are still popular today.