A Bricks 4 Kidz class is not only fun (because who doesn’t love playing with LEGO Bricks?), it prepares young minds to achieve academically. Playing with building materials is one way to give kids a hands-on feel for important subjects they’ll learn in school.
Construction play has links to success in STEM concepts, which include science, technology, engineering and math. When your child plans, builds then evaluates the results of their LEGO Brick project, they have gone through a simple version of the engineering process.
We all want to set our children up for success. To help them get the most out of their Bricks 4 Kidz class, here are some things that you as a parent can do to build on the things they have learned.
Talk to the teacher: Curious about your child’s class experience? Your Bricks 4 Kidz instructor is probably your best resource, and they’ll be more than happy to chat after the session. Ask them what made your child’s face light up with excitement. It may also be helpful to get insights into what made your child struggle, and how they handled it.
Listen to your child: After the class, get a sense for what resonated with your child by asking open-ended questions. Ask them to tell you the names of their fellow classmates, what activity they did first, the best or most interesting thing they got to work on during class, what they thought of their project and if there was something they could do better next time.
At home, see if you can get them to “teach” you something they learned to build in class (Be sure to remember to praise them for their effort!). When your child gets a chance to play “the expert” and show off what they know, it helps them put into practice the things they learned while it’s still fresh in their minds.
Fun as a family: Look for a related fun free-time activity you can do as a family. A trip to a hands-on science or engineering museum, reading books from the library, watching a kid-friendly documentary or trying new crafts can all make engaging follow-ups to a Bricks 4 Kidz class (while enhancing what they learned).
For more ideas, check out the Bricks 4 Kidz blog or head to the parenting section of your local library. Either can be a valuable resource for finding fun things to do at home – whether it’s a new building challenge that teaches a physics concept or a crowd-pleasing kitchen sink experiment.
Let’s be friends: Find Bricks 4 Kidz on Facebook for tips and insights to help you make your child’s free-time fun and enriching. You’ll also want to give your local Bricks 4 Kidz organization a Facebook follow and make sure you sign up for mailing lists to get notifications of new opportunities. Then you’ll always be the first to know about special events, promotions and new classes that your child will love! It also makes it easy to share these classes with your friends and spread the word.
Soft focus: Don’t overlook how out-of-school-time activities help kids build “soft” skills like communication, problem solving, perseverance and teamwork. When they finish a challenging project, it builds willpower. Conversations with other Bricks 4 Kidz participants expand social skills, and even if they struggle with the project, they have the choice of asking for help (communicating) or using their own resources and “know how” to solve it.
When kids take part in enriching out-of-school-time activities, they become more confident in new situations. While technical and academic skills are key to building a bright future, well-developed “people skills” are just as important!
Bricks 4 Kidz gives kids a fun way to keep learning even when they’re not in school. Find out what’s available near you and sign up today!