Hello -
My two sons and I are huge fans of Legos - all colors and sizes, and our household is full of them. We have thousands.
Typically, my boys spend about 1-2 hours a day building. From after school to waking up to get dressed for the day or spending a few minutes before going to bed… they aim to create, etc.
While the environment is somewhat “free play” or “free design,” I wanted to help them imagine something and build it while understanding there will be delays, mishaps, tearing down, rebuilding, and reevaluating. Additionally, we can still have fun while aiming to accomplish a goal that could be a lengthy project.
I asked my Pre-K and K boys what they wanted to build, and they stated a bridge. High up, connecting from one Lego table to another, expanding across an entire room wall. Simple on the surface, but coordination, understanding of weight, usage, length, and more were needed… something my boys got a “rude-awakening” about.
How did you get the idea?
I asked my boys what they wanted to build, and a bridge came to mind. Autonomy is essential, and at times, with guidance, a roadmap, and an understanding of the possible outcomes.
What was a challenge you encountered?
My boys can be impatient. They can be competitive with one another. Teamwork begins on a positive note, then one elects to choose another path, abandoning the other. Sometimes their idea, albeit the same, can still be different. So, just bringing them together can be challenging at times, and like a book, having a beginning, middle, and end to a project, requires a lot (i.e., focus) despite the inherited fun.
What would you do if you had more time?
Time is not an issue. Persistence, not giving up, etc., and related perspectives/attitudes could help the progress of a project. All that said, they are kids. Learning is over time and requires grace.
How did the suggested constraints influence how you approached the activity?
I exuded more grace, a cheerful attitude, coaching approach and attempted to temper expectations while not deluding the possibilities. Lead with love but push for greatness! It’s incredible how something so fun taught us a lot about ourselves and life. Legos were simply the unit of analysis.