When a child turns one, suddenly there is a world of possibilities opened up for them to explore in the realm of children’s toys.
Most kids below one only know how to put toys in their mouth as a sensory activity rather than focusing on its shape and colours.
At one, they are a little more mature to know the different textures and shapes and colours. This means it’s time to introduce them to a new set of toys.
Mega Bloks First Builders is appropriate for kids above one and the entire range of First Builder toys can be very stimulating for a child.
I recently let my son, Jedi, try out the First Builders range of toys and here is what I found.
Mega Bloks First Builders Let’s Get Learning toy review
1. The toys are brightly coloured, allowing him to differentiate between the colours
At one year, a baby’s eyesight has developed to a point where they can perceive colours more clearly and are able to distinguish between the different colours. So it is very important to let them have toys that clearly differentiate colours in separate pieces.
When I let Jedi choose the Mega Bloks, he gravitated towards picking up the bright coloured blocks, like yellow, green and orange, rather than the white ones. This is also a great teaching opportunity so parents can teach the kids the colours and help them verbalise it.
He also had such a wonderful time playing with all the blocks and being surrounded by the colours.
2. Building blocks build creativity
Though the toys are listed for above one, Mega Bloks is a toy that can grow with a child. At one, they might only be attracted to picking up the colours and grouping them together. But at later ages, up to 3-4 years old, they will train your child’s creativity in building up the structures and taking them apart.
Though Jedi is still at an age that is too young to build, when I let him do some free play, he ended up picking up the toys and putting it into the Mega Bloks bag one by one.
(Great early training to teach your kids to pick up after themselves!)
3. Learning to count
It’s never too early to start introducing your child to numbers and counting. Playing with Mega Bloks can also encourage counting. As Jedi picks up the toys, I count out loud with him and show him the numbers on my fingers so he can associate the words with the number of fingers I am holding up.
4. Hand-eye coordination
At Jedi’s age, he is still unable to put the blocks together to make structures, but it does take a certain dexterity to pick the blocks up. He also likes to “clap” them together to make sounds, which hones his hand-eye coordination and motor skills.
Why I think it’s important for every child to have a set of Mega Bloks
Jedi had fun watching the penguin from the Mega Bloks Peek A Blocks Arctic set get launched from the top of the slide.
1. It sets the right foundation for science and art
If you really think about it, beyond just creativity, building structure requires a basic level of engineering. Children who are exposed to this at a young age will be shown the science of the real world.
From the laws of physics to beauty of architecture, your child will have plenty to learn. The Mega Bloks Peek A Blocks Arctic set demonstrated a lot of physics principles, from the penguin being launched upwards and then rolling down the slide.
2. They learn math skills better growing up
As I already mentioned in my play time with Jedi, we count the blocks out loud. This is a very basic first step into the world of mathematics. Studies have shown that playing with blocks is associated with mathematical ability. So why not give it a try?
3. It builds social skills too
I really enjoyed playing the Mega Bloks with my son and he enjoyed having me around to play with him too. Having this engaged play time with him really showed me a depth into his social skills at his age.
A survey was recently done by Toys“R”Us Malaysia and it showed that 33.4% of parents only spend an average of 1-4 hours per week of unstructured playtime with their children.
When they were able to join in play, 36.4% of parents said the biggest challenge was a lack of information on age-appropriate toys and games that strike a balance between fun and learning development.
Mega Bloks proved to be an effective toy that was age-appropriate (and will continue to be age-appropriate for a few years to come) that is both fun and educational.
Mega Bloks First Builder sets are available for purchase at Toys”R”Us Malaysia outlets now.