How to Use Legos to Teach Kids

As a mom of two children, I love to find ways to teach my kids while having fun! From creativity to storytelling to math skills, there are many ways to teach kids using Lego and Duplo blocks. Here are four activities for kids of all ages that involve learning and fun.

Challenge your child to build a creation of any type - a building, a vehicle, a creature, whatever they want to build. Then, after building it, ask them to tell you a story about the creation.

For example, if he builds a train, ask him to tell a story about the train. Who is riding on it? Where is it going? Is it in a hurry? What might it encounter along the way? Something dangerous, or maybe something funny? What is the craziest thing that could happen today to the train?

This activity not only inspires creativity, but it also teaches the art of writing stories. The imagination grows as the art takes shape. And don't be surprised if you both end up laughing by the end of the story!

Teaching how to write and follow directions can be fun for older kids with this fun activity!

First, ask your child to build a monster out of Legos. The monster can be any shape or design - be creative!

Next, have him explain to you how to build the monster yourself. For younger children, let them tell you verbally how to build it. For older kids, try having them write instructions (Monster Building 101!). Follow the instructions exactly, and see how close your monster is to his. This can bring a lot of laughs, and also some lessons about attention to detail and following and writing instructions.

Once your monster is built, feel free to destroy them both and start over!

Lego and Duplo blocks some in an assortment of colors, shapes, and sizes. They can be used to teach children to identify these attributes through a sorting game.

First, gather a large group of Lego or Duplo blocks. Make sure you have a variety of sizes, shapes, and colors. I like to just dump our tub of blocks out onto the floor - the mess is part of the fun!

Next, get something that they can put the sorted blocks into. This can be anything from an empty egg carton, to a group of empty shoe boxes or plastic cups.

Determine the criteria for what goes into each container based on what you want to teach. If you are working on identifying colors, then have him place blocks of the same color into each container (orange blocks here, red blocks there, etc.). If you are working on shapes, sort by squares, rectangles or circles. If counting is the objective, sort by the number of pegs on the top of the blocks. It's fun to see how many different shaped blocks have the same number of pegs!

Encourage problem solving with a scavenger hunt! First, build 5-10 small structures out of Lego blocks. Make sure they are easy to hide - no more than ten blocks each.

Next, hide the structures around your house. For younger children, hide them in plain sight (on a shelf, on the floor, etc.). For older kids, try hiding them in closets and under beds - make it a challenge!

Make a list of the structures so that you can check them off when you find them. You can even take pictures of them after they are built, and print the pictures. Have him check off each structure as he finds it. Build problem solving skills by making them harder each time you play.

Remember to let the kids hide the structures and challenge you to find them also. They'll be thrilled when they stump you with a difficult hiding place!

Legos are a great tool to teach kids important skills while having fun. Leave a comment below, and share your fun Lego stories!