The Role of Play in Children's Education

Parents only want the best for their children – especially when it comes to education! Many parents nowadays are racing their kids to school at very young ages: thinking that, the earlier children are brought to school, the better they get to succeed when they grow up.

However, studies tell us that, up until the age of 8, children learn the best by playing. The LEGO group is one of the staunch advocates of this finding. So they formed the LEGO Foundation as their social responsibility arm that aims to build a future in which learning through play empowers children to become creative, engaged, and lifelong learners. Its mission is to inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow – a shared heritage of the LEGO group, which serves as their guiding star in everything they do. By providing support to scientific research, the foundation hopes to influence society on how it treats learning through play.

Over the years, LEGO has spearheaded the advocacy of using play as a way to enhance children’s learning and development. They have partnered with Cambridge University to found the Centre for Research on Play in Education, Development, and Learning (or PEDAL). The centre houses academic researchers whose priority is to discover how play can equip children with 21st century skills of problem solving, team work, and self-control. It also provides scholarships that will help shape the next generation of scientists and engineers.

LEGO in Scientific Research

Although LEGO has directly dipped their hands in helping the scientific and academic communities, we cannot deny the influence LEGO has on generations upon generations of children who have grown up to be technocrats in various fields. You will see LEGO being used in scientific projects and experiments to help find new ways of making life better for everyone.

Take a look at this video showing how LEGO was used for scientific research.

What’s Best for Your Child

We understand that you only want the best education for your child. If you want to enrol them in school at an early age, it is within your rights as a parent to do so. Yet, experts on learning and child development advice that parents should loosen up their rules when it comes to play. Playing is not a hindrance to schooling; it is an integral part of your child’s education that increases the chance of your child having a productive and successful life in the future.

LEGO and Mr Toys recognise this and we encourage you to make sure playtime exists in your children’s daily schedule.