Benefits of LEGO
Lego bricks are an excellent way to encourage creativity in our kids. You can purchase Lego bricks and pieces by themselves. Or you can purchase complete sets with specific instructions that have a main build in mind. What are the benefits of LEGO? What are some of the best LEGO sets to encourage creativity? Where can I find free LEGO instructions or LEGO without instructions? We’re going to answer all of that and more!
What I love about LEGO is that they haven’t changed in years. Of course I don’t remember any LEGO sets coming with instructions when I was a kid. We always built LEGO without instructions. And, if never occurred to me to question what to do with completed LEGO sets. Of course we took them apart and made something new.
But, I just purchased the new Sesame Street LEGO set and now I am wondering…what to do with this LEGO set after it is built? It’s huge and a lot of work (we’re huge Sesame Street fans!) and I want to keep it.
History of LEGO
Lego has sold building sets for decades. They were invented in 1932 but the LEGO brick we know today was invented in 1958. The word LEGO comes from Danish roots and means “play well.” Love that!
The first sets were very simple and encouraged children to build other things with the bricks once they were done. Sets continued to give kids other ideas they could build with sets for many years.
Recently, LEGO sets with instructions – especially licensed sets – seem to have forgotten the importance of encouraging children to do more than just build the one set.
Creative LEGO Ideas
An exception, of course, is the LEGO 3 in 1 Creator sets in which the set can be built in three different ways to create three different builds. Click the button below for more information on those.
Building LEGO without Instructions
While Lego doesn’t seem to encourage children to build their own creations with sets, there is still the drive for children to be creative with Lego bricks. Lego even has the Lego Ideas program where people can submit the plans for their creations and for the chance to have them turned into sets that Lego sells under the Lego Ideas brand.
As a parent, you can also encourage your child to build new things. Once your child gets tired of looking at a set he built, encourage him to take it apart and build something new.
If your child struggles with creative thinking, you can always “one-off” a project and build creative thinking skills slowly. For example:
- What if the roof was sloped instead of flat? How could you build it that way?
- Do you think the mini-figures would like a blue door instead of a brown one? Can you show me?
- How many people can fit in that vehicle? Do you think we could make it bigger/smaller to fit more/fewer people?
- Build and learn how to use LEGO building bricks in new and creative ways. From a haunted house to a robot with a cupboard tummy, young builders will enjoy creating these fun LEGO toys!
- This LEGO Classic building kit delivers a world of creativity with a colorful selection of LEGO bricks and pieces, including eyes, wheels, hinges and a wide assortment of LEGO windows and doors
- 450 pieces – For boys and girls aged 4+ and for fans and kids of all ages
- This LEGO Classic 11004 Windows of Creativity set can be built together with all other original LEGO sets and LEGO bricks for creative building
- TODDLER AND BOY'S LEGO ALINE SLIPPERS - Your little one can get ready for adventure lounging in his new Yankee Toy Box exclusive Lego slippers! These awesome lego brick slippers are available in toddler boy's sizes 5-6 M US Toddler, 7-8 M US Toddler, and 9-10 M US Toddler. They are also available in As boy's sizes 11-12 M US Little Kid, 13-1 M US Little Kid, and 2-3 M US Little Kid.
- FEATURING HIS FAVORITE LEGO GRAPHICS- These cool house shoes are sure to bring a smile to any boy's face. These plush slippers feature his favorite Lego Man! It's the perfect footwear choice to relax or play in!
- COMFORTABLE & STYLISH - These slippers are made from high-quality materials. They are lightweight and soft. They include soft plush uppers, sublimated graphics, a cushioned foot-bed, and a textured rubber sole to prevent slips.
- THE PERFECT GIFT! - Is someone's birthday coming up? Lego slippers for boy's make the perfect birthday or Christmas gift. Why? They are comfortable, fun, and very affordable. Get your little one his own pair, or buy one for a friend! Lego house shoes add some fun to bedtime! These slippers are a Yankee Toy Box exclusive, you can't find them anywhere else! It's the perfect footwear choice for any Lego or Lego Movie fan!
- PRODUCT CARE - Caring for these slippers is easy. Wipe clean with a damp cloth.
- With this exciting mix of green LEGO Classic bricks, kids will have endless fun building and rebuilding 3 cool models, then develop their free-building skills as they imagine their own creations
- The set is bursting with creative fun as simple instructions make it easy for preschoolers to build the models and start to play right away, and when kids start adapting models and creating their own, anything is possible
- This 60-piece set becomes a green dog, a mini helicopter and an apple tree with fun features to spark imaginative play and encourage kids to build their own customized creations, which develops valuable skills that last a lifetime
- This LEGO starter set for boys and girls ages 4+ makes a great gift for beginners and more advanced builders wishing to expand their LEGO collection
- This 60-piece LEGO Classic brick set combines with other LEGO Classic brick sets to expand kids' creative play and learning possibilities
- LEGO Creator 3in1’s Caravan Family Holiday 31108 set encourages kids’ creative play, featuring 3 models in 1: A family caravan with retro car, camper van or lighthouse
- Kids can stretch their creativity and building skills with the detailed caravan and car toy, hop in the camper van for a holiday, visit the lighthouse or build something new
- This set gives kids 3 options for play: A LEGO Creator 3in1 Caravan Family Holiday 31108, camper van or lighthouse; The set also has 3 minifigures and 3 different brick-built animals for extra play fun
- Any fan of creative play and building will love this awesome set; The detailed caravan and retro car, camper van and lighthouse models work as a great gift for boys and girls aged 9+
- The caravan and retro car model measures over 5” (13cm) high, 13” (34cm) long and 4” (12cm) wide, meaning this exciting action toy is full of awesome details and big enough for serious fun
Building Bigger Thinking LEGO
Don’t limit yourself to buying your child sets. Buy the buckets of bricks. The buckets usually come with ideas of things children can build. You can also buy books that have building ideas. You can even go onto Pinterest and find hundreds of free sets of instructions.
There’s a very popular book called Building Bigger Thinking. However, the book and set are not longer in production. Look toward ebay and yard sales for that item.
Sit down with your child and show him how he can take bricks and build whatever he dreams up. Encourage him to draw out his idea and then look through his bricks to see what pieces would work best.
LEGO sets, with or without instructions, are one of the most popular toys in this country. Regardless of how your child uses them, it can be a great conversation starter.
So many kids play with LEGO, this can be a way for them to have an “in” socially if they struggle. Also, many libraries and other groups hold LEGO clubs. I’ve been to some, and yeah, some of them are a lot of parallel play. But everyone has start somewhere.
8 Benefits of LEGO
Lego remains an excellent toy for children. Some kids cannot take a bucket of LEGO and think of something to build. That doesn’t mean that there are no benefits to these colorful bricks. They just mean an extra nudge to get started.
- Encourage creativity in a safe environment (ok, to make mistakes here, easily fixed!)
- Practice fine motor skills
- Great for hand-eye coordination
- Gives children a sense of accomplishment
- Builds problem-solving skills
- Can even help calm anxious children
- Work on Math (counting and sorting)
- Language Development-colors, the story around your build, etc.
Even the main build style sets almost always incorporate play features that spur the imagination. Pick up a box of Lego bricks and see how your child responds to it. You’ll be amazed at how much this simple toy can do for your child.
What to do with LEGOs after they are built.
Hey, I’m a mom. I know LEGOs are expensive. But, you have some great options for your investment. One is to keep favorite sets packed away in dry bins after the child has lost interest. LEGO is timeless and all generations enjoy them.
However, if you’re like me and sometimes find your household overwhelmed with too many LEGO bricks, they really have great resale value. Package them up for a consignment sale or use a Facebook group. Either way, you won’t have to sell them for pennies on the dollar like we do sometimes with clothes or other toys.
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