Toys that must be constructed offer children many developmental benefits.
When we were kids, there was nothing more exciting than using our imaginations and toys to build up our own extravagant, magical worlds. Building blocks were used to make entire cities or towns for our action figures and Barbies to explore. Tinker toys were used to build dream cars, homes, rocket ships, animals, you name it! And, all the while, it kept us entertained for hours without ever getting bored and breaking to watch TV or play video games.
Luckily, these building and construction toys have remained popular throughout the years despite all of the high technology, internet-driven toys that have sprung up on the market to appeal to the younger, hi-tech generation. The hours of fun and entertainment that these building toys, such as Laser Pegs, provide is due in large part to the many developmental benefits that these toys offer kids.
Many developmental psychologists, parents and teachers have started to encourage children to play with construction toys where they can design their own environments, as these types of toys help to develop and enhance problem solving skills from a young age. In addition, building toys are ideal from refining motor skills and hand-eye coordination in children, and promote a capacity for creative, divergent thinking.
Here are a few more developmental benefits that children excel at when they play with building and construction toys such as Laser Pegs:
Studies have shown that kids become friendlier and more socially-savvy when they work on cooperative construction projects. For example, in one study, autistic children who attended play group sessions with toy blocks made a greater social improvement than kids who were coached in the social use of language. However, it’s not just children with special developmental needs that earn these benefits. Other research on average-developing children suggested that kids who work on cooperative projects also form a higher quality of friendship.
Any type of activity that involves blocks or building is linked with better math skills in children. One study which observed elementary school children and their play habits found that children who played with block toys in more complex ways were more likely to achieve higher math schools during their high school years.
Problem Solving Skills
Construction and building toys offer children a way to grow in their divergent play―any activity or play that involves problem solving and creative thinking to determine an outcome. Because kids can put together construction toys in a variety of different ways, it helps them to think through their motions and better solve divergent problems. Kids who played with building toys are also found to be more creative in their attempts to solve problems.
There are many benefits that come along with playing with these types of toys. If you are interested in learning more about the many educational benefits that Laser Pegs can have on children with developmental disabilities, be sure to check out our Education Page today.