Ode to Legos

The first Lego set (actually a Duplo set) we ever got was a little three piece set consisting of a red boat, a little blue man and a yellow rounded square.  That set was given to my firstborn child when she was about 6 months old.  Since then I don't think I can accurately count the 1,000's of Legos/Duplos we have accumulated over the years.  If I could only keep one kind of toy for my children, it would definitely be Legos.

There aren't many toys that can match the creative and educational benefits of Legos.  For the youngest, they can help develop fine motor skills, sorting and pattern skills, and foster creative and imaginative play.  For older kids, they can encourage group play and teamwork, help with math skills and problem
solving skills and help children think in 3-D which is a skill necessary for future studies in physics, architecture, design and building.  It's hard to believe that one little invention developed in the 1940's can still have such amazing power to teach and inspire.

Of course, you might have other thoughts about them when you accidentally step on one in the middle of the night or you are faced with cleaning up a roomful of bricks scattered all over a room or when your collection grows so big you don't know how to contain it all.  A small price to pay, I'd say  :)

It doesn't matter how old you are, when a box of Legos is out, you are a kid again, building wondrous and grand creations.  Good job, little brick!