LEGO…Beyond Just Play
As parents, how many of you have had the pleasurable experience of stepping on a LEGO? Pretty sure we have all cursed them when they were left lying about the floor. LEGO bricks are a standard toy in many households. They are easily found in stores and often can be found in garage sales, as well as secondhand stores. Another great thing about them is that they can be cleaned easily, which with today’s challenges, can be important when selecting toys. Fun fact, did you know that the plural of LEGO is LEGO? Or LEGO bricks and LEGO sets?
Did you know that, in addition to being a great toy to keep kids entertained, LEGO bricks are also an excellent learning tool? Firstly, we all know that kids learn best through play. Children have short attention spans and patience. Play is a natural way to introduce many skills, and they engage kids’ natural curiosity, teaching them without them even realizing it. They introduce kids to S.T.E.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) in a way they can easily relate to and enjoy, which is what makes LEGO such a good learning tool. You can also check out our fun Stained Glass S.T.E.M.
Benefits of LEGO
LEGO are very versatile and can be used at so many learning stages, making them great for developing a wide variety of skills for all ages. For young children, LEGO are a great way to learn about colors, shapes, and size. The bright colors are attractive to kids, drawing their attention. For the little ones, go with the primary colors of red, blue, green, and yellow. As they grow, add the more complex colors.
LEGO are perfect for developing fine motor skills and building strength. Children need to learn how to hold the pieces, as well as twist, turn, and manipulate them to fit together. This helps develop fine motor skills by making the muscles in the fingers, hands, and arms stronger and more flexible. This is important, as it helps build dexterity and coordination, which are important for coloring, handwriting, and dressing skills.
Social Skills
Whether it is at home with siblings or friends, in daycare, or in school, playing with LEGO helps develop play and social skills. Early play, or parallel play, is when children engage in the same activity but do not necessarily interact with one another. Kids will often observe what the others are doing and will imitate. As play skills develop LEGO are a simple way to introduce sharing, trading pieces, and turn taking. With this comes language development and learning about social skills in a very natural play environment. As kids get older, LEGO can be an excellent group activity, teaching how working and problem solving together can lead to some wonderful creations.
As children grow, LEGO are a great way to encourage creativity, showing how a child learns, reasons, and imagines. Giving kids a bunch of bricks entices them to figure out how to use them. Through trial and error, they will figure out how to fit them together and make the things they see in their mind come to life. Most sets come with simple step by step directions of how to build specific things. Therefore, this helps kids learn how to follow directions and the importance of sequencing to complete the project.
Patience, Persistence, and Perseverance
As I was looking into the benefits of playing with LEGO, I came across one that I had not considered. It referred to teaching children the 3 P’s: patience, persistence, and perseverance. LEGO play can develop patience, as many kids may become frustrated when pieces don’t fit or go the way a child thinks they should. They must also learn to sort and find pieces, which can test patience and concentration.
Through trial and error, children begin to learn to be more patient and realize being mad and giving up won’t get them the results they want. In a world of instant gratification, the building process shows them that it takes time to get good results. In other words, being persistent and sticking with something will get results!
This is just a small sampling of the amazing benefits of LEGO. This, matched with the fun they provide to a wide age range of kids make LEGO a great toy. So next time you step on one of them, just think about the wonderful learning experience you are providing for your child and try to smile! For more Lego learning activities go to Brainpower Family.