Friday 22 May 2009

The Way Kids Play



When I was a child loved Lego. We had a huge box of it with everything from pirates, police, space and lame girly ones with animal heads. I didn't like them. Even the one with the alligator head man looked sissy. I would spend hours making stuff, building up an imaginary world void of proper gravity and serious injury. It was fun and I'd do it without anyone telling me to. In fact, if I was in trouble one of the first things I wasn't allowed to do was play. It was pretty pointless sending me to my room. 

Probably didn't know it at the time (in fact, I didn't at all) I was learning some of the most important lessons of my life. Dexterity skills, co-ordination, colour basics, organisational skills, lay-out skills and what to do with those annoying thin flat pieces. Lego is the Master Yoda of childhood education. Why? Because playing is the best way to learning. Most people know this, but for some reason it's only acceptable for children to lear this way. I mean, I don't remember learning how to speak English. Some would argue I still don't, but I'm not bad and I learnt it somehow. So if there ever was a time in my life to thank a bunch of plastic blocks sitting in a cupboard somewhere, now would be the time. Thanks for the memories Lego, except for you alligator head man.

No comments:

Post a Comment