Today’s Games event is Olympic Lego activities and play. Medals aren’t given out for toys but if they were, Lego would win the gold.
Lego may look like a simple, humble toy but it gets the top score for both technical merit and artistic impression. Lego scores high for artistic expression as well. It is amazingly versatile and appeals to kids—and adults. Kids have to use some basic science, like having links up a tower for stability, along with imagination.
Lego can be anything: animals, dinosaurs, vehicles, buildings, trees, flowers, machines, monsters, games, people, sculptures, and food, although we can’t eat it. Kids can play with it over and over and never make the same thing twice. There is no time limit on creativity.
As children build with Lego, they are also building their knowledge and skills. In order to develop the immense brain connections and pathways, children need to experiences, especially of the hands-on kind. One of the ways the brain gathers information is via the senses. With Lego, the senses of taste and smell do not come into play, but touch, sight, and hearing certainly do. Lego is a tactile experience as fingers, hands, and other parts of the body, all manipulate the bricks. Touch sensations on the feet can be painful, though. Ask anyone who has ever stepped on Lego. All of the sizes, shapes, and colors of Lego and various creations challenge eyes. The sound of hands hunting thru Lego for a particular piece or dumping Lego on the floor is surprisingly loud.
A few of the skills involved in Lego play activities include problem-solving, observing, predicting, making choices, planning, and others. There’s plenty of science and math to use and discover.
The local library in our area has a display of items kids made from Olympic Lego activities. These are photos of diving boards. There are stadiums, stairs, boats, and beaches. One child has made parts of a hotel for the people who go to watch. Another filled a grandstand with Duplo people. There’s a tremendous amount of brain and body coordination during play. Play is the gold medal activity for kids. Does your child play with Lego?