by Bobby Coles

Created on: November 14, 2007

The motor skills of our children need constant attention and assistance from adults. The development of these skills is vital for the proper growth and maturation of our children. The fine motor and gross motor skills that our children have can easily be nurtured and honed through the use and manipulation of building blocks, such as Lego.

Building blocks come in different shapes and various sizes and a multitude of colors. These are the factors that draw our children towards them come play time. The gross motor skills, which are the larger movements and actions of our muscles, come into play right away with the simple grasping, attempting to grasp, picking up, dropping, pushing and tasting of the blocks themselves. The fine motor skills will develop afterward. By modeling how our children should pick up the blocks to place them, or just to look at them will enable them to figure out how to use their opposable thumbs and forefingers to pinch and squeeze the blocks. Snapping the blocks into place with the other blocks will help to develop strength and coordination, as well as shape and color recognition.

Parents or guardians must use the blocks wisely, incorporating play time with learning. The blocks can also be used as manipulatives when teaching basic mathematical skills such as counting, and color recognition. So far before any great architectural wonders are created, the building blocks of life need to have a foundation laid, and Lego, and similar products, can aid in the accomplishment of these goals.

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