Top 5 benefits of creative play
Note: Edmund Tay is a father of three and the editor of a parenting blog, “ED Unloaded.” LEGO Singapore provided the toys he discusses in this story.
Growing up in my family, toys are often passed down from generation to generation. Most of my peers, had toys in their cupboards, which belonged to older siblings or cousins. And our mums would always say, “It is the quality toys that last!” Surprisingly, it is also these “quality toys”, that seem to be able to capture our interests and imagination, and we keep coming back to them again and again. One of these famed toys is none other than LEGO.
The great thing about LEGO is even their designers show great creativity and imagination! They are constantly updating and re-inventing themselves, LEGO has a theme that can cater to all the varied interests of the modern child. From Star Wars, The Simpsons to the X-Men, Lego has something out there, which can capture a child’s imagination.
If you are wondering how LEGO toys can help the kids, here is a quick list of five benefits:
1. Colour, shape and size recognition: Kids are never too young, to develop the ability to recognize colours, shapes and sizes. As the kids learn through play, they began to recognize how the blocks fit together, and how they differentiate as well.
2. Spatial awareness: LEGO brick is more than a two-dimensional activity! With their three-dimensional blocks, kids learn how to manoeuvre the bricks, so as build interesting buildings and structures.
3. Logic and problem solving: My kids have a habit of losing some of the LEGO pieces. With LEGO toys, I teach them how to fill in the gaps using other loose and non-essential pieces from other LEGO sets. Inevitably, they learn how to adapt, so as to make things happen.
4. Patience, persistence and perseverance: Nothing happens “all at once” with LEGO toys. One needs to see the project to completion, before you enjoy the fruits of hard labour. Kids learn the importance of not giving up.
5. Self worth and achievement: There is nothing that pumps a child up more than seeing all their hard work pay off as they complete the project.
With such great benefits, I am so glad that girls adore the “LEGO Friends” series. Together with the latest outdoor Adventure theme set, the girls just love the movable parts and other creative details integrated into the collection.
Check out the Flying Fox, which enables the LEGO characters to “fly” from structure to structure. Together with the Adventure slide that goes from the top of the tree house to the bottom, the kids love the attention to detail and easy assembly of the buildings.
It is no wonder that LEGO is so well loved by my family, and that it can continue to have the ability to outlive and outlast our childhood.
