I was struck this week when watching the widely popular “Beckham” documentary on Netflix that he stated his main hobbies as bee keeping and LEGO.
Gone are the days of LEGO being reserved for young children with a large box in the corner of the house. Today LEGO is a serious pursuit for all age groups, from the casual builder to the avid collector or competitive builder. I would certainly count myself as a LEGO enthusiast, starting as a small child collecting pirate and space sets to today where I have a number of collectables in my office.
So what is it about LEGO that captures generation after generation? Far from it being the character-based LEGO and the endless collectables, I think we can break it down into 8 core areas for children and adults alike!
1 - Creativity and Imagination: LEGO sets provide a blank canvas for us to create anything we can imagine. This freeform play encourages creativity and innovation as we design and construct.
2 - Problem-Solving Skills: Building with LEGO challenges us to think critically and solve problems. Using LEGO we must figure out how to assemble complex structures and this can be very cathartic.
3 - Persistence and Patience: Building with LEGO can be a test of patience for all. We may need to disassemble and rebuild our creations to achieve the desired outcome. This teaches perseverance and the value of learning from mistakes. I know the 1500-piece F1 car I built this summer certainly tested my resolve at times!
4 - Reduces Stress: Playing with LEGO can be a soothing and meditative experience. It helps us relax, focus, and switch off from the outside world.
For our younger students:
5 - Fine Motor Skills: Manipulating LEGO bricks demands precise hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. This can be especially beneficial for younger children who are developing these essential abilities.
6 - Math and Science Concepts: LEGO introduces basic math and science concepts as children count and group pieces, create patterns, and experiment with principles like balance and stability.
7 - Teamwork and Social Skills: LEGO can be a collaborative activity. When children work together to build, they develop teamwork, communication, and negotiation skills as they share ideas and resources.
8 - Self-Esteem and Confidence: Completing a challenging LEGO project can boost a child's self-esteem and confidence. It shows them that with effort and determination, they can achieve their goals.
Ultimately, many skills acquired through LEGO play, such as creativity, problem-solving, and spatial reasoning, are valuable throughout life and can even support careers in engineering, architecture, and design.
So what are you waiting for! Play with some LEGO, build, spend some time with your children or some time alone. If you have not touched any LEGO for a long time I would encourage you to jump back in and enjoy building!