My five-year- old is in this pretty awesome stage where he just wants to play and build with Legos all day. I love seeing him so creative and excited!
I discovered this awesome Lego Quest website a few weeks ago filled with Lego challenges.
Using the site as my inspiration, we created some simple Lego challenges for my kids last week and set up a little Lego challenge area in our kitchen.
First I cut up a bunch of cardstock into rectangles and then I added black circles to try and make them look like paper Legos.
Next I wrote a top secret challenge on each Lego card.
Then I stuffed all of the challenges (face down) into an envelope and hung the envelope up on a wall where my son can get to it easily.
The first challenge he picked was to create a bird house.
His response was, "That's lame. I want a new challenge."
My response was, "What do you picture when you think of a bird house?" He described a basic bird house and I said, "you're right, that is lame. If you were a bird, what sort of house would you want to live in that was cooler than that? I'd want to live in one with a bird water slide and maybe a hot tub."
Right away the wheels in his brain got turning... and his imagination started working! He excitedly told me a few ideas and then ran off to his room. When his dad got home my son showed him his challenge and he wanted to join in too.
They ended up going with a simple, colorful design, but there was a whole long list of what the bird was going to be able to do inside the house. Our next step is to create a Lego challenge journal where my son can write and draw about his creations.
This activity can easily be adapted for younger kids using Duplo.
For younger kids I would pick more open ended challenges instead of specific ones (ie. make something just using red Legos, or make something tall or something that can move).
Very Great! I've adapted a version of your activity for our weekly Lego Club! Thanks!
Fantastic idea – I think J would love to create specific things and will give this a try later this week.
I like this. My grandson is always so busy just trying to follow the lego directions, it should be nice to help him get creative with the leg (which is what it is supposed to do anyway)
I love this idea! I will use this summer in my clinic! You definitely brought out the creativity inherent in building things:) Thanks! Will pin and share!
That is so fun! His bird house rocks!