Toys Box in Kindergartens
Synopsis
“Caixa de Brinquedos” is a toy workshop space owned and managed by the Municipality of Paredes de Coura in Portugal. It contains a very large library of LEGO® pieces which were provided through a collaboration with the LEGO foundation. This particular activity consists of monthly visits to all kindergartens in the council where various activities are performed with LEGO pieces with the children.
For toddlers from 2 to 3, the LEGO DUPLO pieces are used to work on simple contents such as animals, trains and other easily recognizable figures for this age group. For toddlers from 4 to 5, traditional/normal LEGO pieces are used to develop various skills by working on traditional stories and other didactic themes.
Target Audience
Preschool children
Goals
- Accelerate the acquisition of various skills in children through moments of meaningful play
- Allow children to develop their sensory abilities, independence, mobility and creativity
- Raise awareness to the fact that “playing is not only fun, but also useful”
Skills developed
Taking advantage of the great versatility of LEGO pieces, the activities work on skills such as creative thinking, group work, communication, fine motor skills, conflict resolution, spatial notion, problem solving, laterality and maths.
Why is it a good practice in the creative area?
Several of the skills worked on in the sessions are fundamental to understanding the world and how it works through a creative approach. The versatility of LEGO pieces makes sessions possible in a variety of subjects.
Through activities such as free creation, toy building guided by an instruction book, and team challenges of LEGO building (e.g: building the tallest tower or the biggest house), the activity is aiming at the development of the children’s sense of creativity, independence and mobility. LEGO pieces can be used in a learning context, creating pedagogical activities to address certain themes like numbers, shapes and colors, for example by challenging children to divide pieces by shape, to make constructions with pieces of a certain color, or to use LEGO pieces as numbers in mathematical calculations.
Children end up showing more willingness to these kinds of activities, allowing learning to be both didactic and fun. Thus, the act of playing is seen as a path to a more balanced and comprehensive development. In the Toy Box, imagining, creating, and learning are serious fun!
Training Team
One trainer to deliver and guide the activity/workshop
Duration proposed
30 to 45 minutes (per workshop)
Promoting Organization
Municipality of Paredes de Coura – Caixa de Brinquedos (Toy Box)
Starting Year
2019
