How Lego Is Teaching Children Through Play
In April 2019 Olivia, Alexandra, and I attended the first ever Live Justice Summit. It was a full weekend of empowerment and inspiration for the members of their Girls With Heart Ambassador program.
While the girls were learning what makes them unstoppable, the parents had a few workshops as well. One of the parent workshops was presented by Lego and focused on why learning through play is so effective.
The Research and Statistics
We learned that studies show the brain’s favorite way to learn is through play. Using just six simple different colored blocks, 24 different skills can be engaged in the process of learning through play.
There are 5 necessary skills that need to be engaged for Holistic Developmental through play. They are: Physical, Social, Emotional, Cognitive, and Creative. In order for learning to take place in a play activity it must be physical (require movement of some sort), social (be done in a group setting, even if it’s an individual effort), emotional (engage the mind better and the five senses), cognitive (require active thinking), and creative (call upon imagination and vision beyond what’s in for the of you).
Change the Approach to Learning
With those five skills in mind, Lego has partnered with educators across the world to develop games and activities using six simple different colored blocks that engage those five skills for holistic developmental learning in kids of all ages. We participated in several activities and even as adults were engaged in all five holistic learning skills.
Memory Build
The leader of the exercise creates a build. The leader then reveals the build for a limited amount of time. Once the time expires, participants have to recreate the build within a certain amount of time.
Back To Back
Two participants stand back to back. One participant creates a build and then describes to the other person how to build it. The second participant builds what they hear and then they compare their builds.
Music Maker
Using the six blocks participants created sounds and movements that represents each block configuration. The blocks are them placed into a pattern to create a song performed by the participants.
How do you engage your children in learning through play? Will your focus change knowing the five skills for holistic development?