Thinking Outside the Box
Play provides a safe environment which embraces trial and error, eliminating fear of failure and encouraging experimentation, which leads to greater understanding of how things work and greater confidence in one's ability to confront challenges."
Jasen Wang
Creator of MakeBlock
Often times children with special needs have difficulty with their ability to focus, engage in pretend play, or appropriately play with toys. Rather than purchase yet another gift that will sit in the closet and collect dust, why not think outside the box and give an "experience" for your child? Here are just a few examples:
Bricks 4 Kidz
We Learn, We Build, We Play with Lego® Bricks
According to Robin Frazier, M. Ed, CEO of Konneckt Science Mobile and Bricks 4 Kidz South Hampton Roads, VA, Bricks 4 Kidz is a wonderful program that works well for children of all abilities, and for their parents, who are looking for new ways to individualize instruction for creative, fun play for their children. It does not matter what skill or abilities each child may have; with Lego®, 3-D Learning (or spatial reasoning) just 'naturally' happens.
The Bricks 4 Kidz program is not just another “Lego® Club,” but rather a building block in the early (formative) years to train the brain to
become more aware of spatial reasoning, proportions, and patterns. As a child builds, his mind is reasoning about what pieces will work best, how they should be arranged, and how big or small the creation should be. As a child builds a model of a tornado or amusement park ride, she is learning to think in three dimensions, balance mass, and design architecture supports for these structures.
For the special needs child, the most obvious physical benefit of building with Lego® bricks is the development of fine motor skills. As a child manipulates the blocks, he is developing the small muscles in her fingers and hands, and her coordination. Other benefits include fostering creativity and building upon the child's ability to follow directions.
You can find a Bricks 4 Kidz location near you at www.bricks4kidz.com by entering your zip code.
*Lego® 2013 does not authorize, endorse, or sponsor our classes or events.
Jessica White
stylist&fashion manage