Hi Boox Popular Magazine 2024
Getting involved in any game which allows mental stimulation is great for kids. Even as adults, we enjoy playing with building blocks because it allows us to think out of the box and keep involved with the world of imagination. It is the same case with kids too. LEGOs are great and they follow a set pattern if you want to create big structures.
As adults, we care for the guidelines, but kids go out of the box and create something entirely new and wonderful. In this article, we will talk about how kids benefit from playing with LEGOs and why they should be given more opportunities to create a world of their imagination.
1. Better Spatial Awareness and Improved Problem Solving
The process of building something, even if the most basic blocks are being used, creates a sense of awareness about the environment. A child would become more aware of the world where he has to place his creation and how the environment would support it. At the very least, consider a child playing with LEGOs on the floor.
They are more likely to adjust their process if they see a bump beneath the carpet, making the base uneven. They can add a gate, a window, or a passageway to keep the structural integrity intact. If they do not initially, they would learn to do so after they see the unevenness of their building.
The change in approach relates to the problem-solving aspect with spatial awareness. It helps in making a very aware child who knows how to observe the things around them. If you would like some more insight into how to help children by just playing, make sure to check out metrohobbies.com.au.
2. Increase in Self-Confidence
When was the last time you created something or accomplished something with no one’s help? Did it make you feel happy? Did it make you feel invincible, albeit for a moment? Now, imagine your child playing with LEGOs and creating something which looks and feels great without anyone else’s help. As a guardian, it might feel almost compulsory to help the kid out. But it is not always necessary.
They are confident enough to take initiative and see something through. It is easy for them to feel autonomous when they do things on their own with as little help as possible. It might do them good if you look over them and keep encouraging them but try to let them be lands-on and you sit back. It will boost self-confidence and they will take initiative in other activities soon enough.
3. Builds Focus and Concentration
If one is building something from scratch, one of the first requisites ois focus and concentration. In order to bring the vision to life, one has to be dedicated towards continuing until the idea is reached. If LEGO is seen as a group acidity, it might be even more helpful to build a child’s concentration
For instance, consider a room full of children who are engaged in different activities during playtime. A teacher guides them through different activities. When it comes to the children playing with LEGOs, the teacher gives them an idea and asks them to build on it. They can either go together or alone.
Whatever the case may be, they will be focused to listen to the teacher and create something which corresponds to the idea. This is how one would increase concentration. Writing lines on a sheet of paper is good for learning reading and writing but true skills are based on how one can apply the learning to the real world.
4. Helps in Communication and Language
When we talk about non-verbal kids or children who have speech impediments, the first approach of therapists is to let them communicate in the way they know. One of the best ways to do this is by toys.
LEGOs are more descriptive than other toys because they allow a child to crave something rather than just move an inanimate object from one place to another. They might build a house they saw on TV or create something completely new. It will help them connect with the environment and probably help them assimilate better.
We can also take the example mentioned in the previous point to expand on better communication. Imagine the playroom and the group playing with LEGOs is the same. However, when the teacher comes, they tell the children to create something together. They cannot work alone.
While playing alone builds independence and self-confidence, working together helps in appreciating teamwork. A child who would have taken 20 minutes to create something, does the same thing in 10 minutes with some external help. They also bounce off ideas to approach the construction in the best way possible.
It will help them engage with their peers and communicate their ideas effectively. Communicating helps them get a grasp of the language. In a safe space where they are with people the same age, children can communicate better. They can also articulate their thoughts better which would come in handy when they talk to adults.
5. Makes them Develop Physically
For kids just learning the ropes of handling the world and themselves, playing with LEGOs has its own set of benefits. It is directly related to physical development. Fine motor skills of the children and enhanced which helps them coordinate better. Their fingers will also have the habit of holding onto things with the right pressure and firmness. This dexterity will help in later activities like holding notebooks and pencils in an academic setting.
The Takeaway
As a parent or a guardian, it is your responsibility to give the child every means to let their creativity out. Try to give them options to play with. Have LEGOs in abundance so that their son is not hampered. Let them play after taking intervals and do not hide everything away just because the child went someplace else. Let them take their time and enjoy themselves.
