The Importance of Play

I remember sitting in anintroductory psychology class in university. The professor was explaining to the class how important it is to understand childhood development. As he explained it, the experiences we have as children form who we are as adults. From the type of play we engage in to the interactions we have with peers and elders to the way language is modeled for us, the things we experience in childhood are reflected in our adult selves. 

I didn’t go on to be a child psychologist, but I did become a mother. And as a mother, that lecture is forever in my mind. I try to be conscious of how the things I do and the choices I make affect my child, including the toys I buy for him to play with. When I think about how I want my adult son to be described, I think that I want him to be seen as creative, a critical thinker, and a problem solver—all important qualities to have that facilitate success in many areas of life. So I have always sought out toys that foster these characteristics, my favorite being Creator LEGO sets. 

Creator toys are perfect for developing these vital characteristics. LEGO quite naturally inspires creativity. You start with a heap of blocks and from them you create incredible things. Even if you follow the instructions rather than making something of your own choosing, the process helps you see the possibilities, encouraging your child to look at other things in life and see what they have the potential to be. Part of assembling these Creator LEGO sets is being a critical thinker. You must stop and think it over before you begin and formulate a plan for how to proceed. To assemble something, you must consider how each part will fit together and what they are meant to do. In addition to planning, it promotes reflection: what went well, what went wrong, and why.

These Creator toys also help children learn to be problem solvers. As they build, they will encounter problems. While they might be exasperated at first, they will push to work through it, eventually learning that finding solutions is easier and more effective than getting frustrated and defeated. Out of all the skills these LEGO toys help development, this might be the most important. 

Because I believe so strongly in the value of LEGO play, I was very happy to learn about Pley.com. This LEGO sharing service allows me to give my son the chance to experience play with many different sets without my home becoming overrun with LEGOs. With their basic plan, we get to rent one set each month; this lets my son take on a new challenge and to exercise those important skills. It is the perfect way to play. 

To know more about Creator LEGO sets and Creator toys please visit the website.