Why you should encourage construction play in your family

12/2021

Adults aren’t the only ones who build and decorate houses. Kids do it too. By the time they’re 18 months old, most of them have discovered how to stack two blocks. And while this doesn’t look like a major architectural achievement, it is an engineering feat for a toddler.

After a few years, kids become expert builders and many develop a real passion for construction play. However, not all parents are excited about having to buy pricey building blocks and then stepping on them at night.

Nevertheless, playing with building blocks has great benefits that outweigh the dangers to adults’ bare feet.

Construction play builds social skills

A group of kids gathered around a pile of building blocks is actually a construction team. Usually, there’s an engineer who oversees the entire project, suppliers who find the right pieces (and aren’t afraid to search under the couch if necessary), builders who put the blocks together, and so on. This is a valuable way to learn teamwork skills. 

Sometimes the building project doesn’t go as planned and discussions can get heated - just like in a team of adults building a house. This is a great way to practice conflict resolution skills.

Kids learn how to tell stories

Lego bricks (or any similar blocks, for that matter) are more than just bits of colorful plastic. They’re a tool for visualizing and telling stories! 

If you’re skeptical about this, just eavesdrop on a child playing with building blocks. They’ll probably be making up a story about the place they’re building and the characters who live or work there. You’ll be surprised at all the drama going on between the little yellow figurines!

But why is telling stories about toys so important? Well, storytelling is how humans connect ideas, remember information, and process emotions. And it’s also how kids grow their vocabularies and develop their creativity.

Building is a workout for tiny fingers

Any adult who’s tried to pull apart a pair of stuck Lego pieces can testify that construction play does require quite a bit of strength and dexterity. For kids, playing with building blocks is a valuable workout that improves finger strength and coordination - something they need every day when eating, getting dressed, drawing, writing, and more.

These days, developing fine motor skills with construction play is more important than ever because many children spend too much time swiping on screens instead of interacting with real-world objects. So if you can get them hooked on any fun activity that doesn’t require a screen, by all means go for it.

Construction play can help discover hidden talents

What if your child is as talented as Zaha Hadid or Frank Lloyd Wright? 

Well, you probably won’t know it if you don’t give them blocks and bricks to play with when they’re little! After all, any kind of imitation play is a great way for kids to discover and develop their talents and passions.

So, by all means, invest in that big box of bricks and let your kids have fun. Oh, and if they choose to become architects or designers, consider inviting them to Teamwise!