Legos and Puzzles are more than just toys, they have tons of benefits for children.
Social Skills
When children play with Legos or puzzles together, they are building teamwork skills. They learn how to take turns and work together for a purpose. This teamwork encourages joint focus, sharing, and positive social interactions.
Communication and Language
Children must communicate with each other or an adult to complete a Lego set or puzzle. They learn to express their wants and needs, by requesting the pieces they need to complete the task. These are great activities to practice requesting outside of speech and language therapy.
Math, Problem Solving, and Spatial Awareness.
In order to complete a puzzle or Lego set, children must follow directions, understand order, look for patterns, and identify location, and quantity. These skills help children develop mathematical skills and spatial awareness.
Physical Skills
Playing with Legos and puzzles is great for developing fine motor skills by developing dexterity and strength in the fingers. When children build, they use different amounts of pressure which is a great exercise for small fingers, which helps them hold pencils and control pressure when writing. Perfect for practicing OT outside of therapy time!
Emotional Control and Patience
Naturally, when playing with Legos or puzzles, a child will come across a situation that can be frustrating for them, like missing a puzzle piece or working on a Lego set and having it fall down. This can be frustrating, but once a child continues playing with these toys, they learn to overcome frustration. They can be taught that they can rebuild their work and come up with new ideas. They learn that mistakes are fixable. It is important to model how to deal with frustration, these skills will transfer into other situations they encounter.
Improves Focus and Concentration
When children have to follow instructions, plan, wait their turn, listen, and work with others, they build focus and concentration skills. This can be extremely helpful for children who need help with this. If they are doing a puzzle or Lego set that they enjoy, they will want to work longer. This will in turn benefit them academically, as these skills will transfer.
Puzzles and Legos are so much fun! The holidays are approaching fast! These are perfect gift ideas that will benefit your child so much!
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Love & Co. Therapeutic Interventions
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