PCSD helping little builders explore

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Published on Thursday, November 24, 2016

By Miranda Leybourne

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Few children’s toys have as much of a reputation for aiding in childhood development like LEGO, the stackable, interlocking, coloured blocks created in Denmark in 1940. 

According to Educational Technology and Mobile Learning, a website of resources for teachers, there are nine specific skills the colourful toys can foster in children. These include lateral thinking, three dimensional thinking, literacy, problem solving, organization, creativity, communication, critical thinking and motor development.

Gladstone mom Erika Pugh is such a fan of LEGO for little ones that she approached the Pine Creek School Division, which regularly runs educational workshops for toddlers and preschoolers, to see if she could facilitate some LEGO play opportunities for local area children.

The first of the events was held at the nursery room in the Gladstone Elementary School and saw 11 children attend. 

“I think it was pretty good,” Pugh enthuses. She says she is looking forward to the next two sessions, which will be happening on Nov. 22 and 29 from 10 to 11 a.m.

She says the reason she really wanted to run a program featuring LEGO was to appeal to the diverse nature of children’s interests. 

“There are so many programs that are either physical based or craft based, but there’s not a whole lot of hands-on building,” she explains. “I just thought that expands on a whole different part of the brain for kids...and it gives another option for kids who aren’t into crafts.”

Pugh says all children ages one to Kindergarten age are welcome to attend the LEGO play days.