A Guide To The Benefits Of Construction Toys For Kids

Sometimes, the best toys for children are the most simple.

In the years before electronic devices, and even in the years before we had electricity, children still enjoyed playing with toys like blocks, puzzles and, later on, Lincoln Logs.

Don't think that these toys are outdated: they still come with many benefits for children.

They're Suitable For All Ages And Genders

Construction toys aren't specific to any age group or gender. Infants may enjoy grabbing or pushing the oddly shaped pieces, while older children can enjoy building replicas of cities or objects.

Boys can build garages for their cars, airplanes, and army bases, while girls can use the same materials to build a farm for their animals, a castle for Barbie or a house for other small toys and dolls.

Since most blocks and Legos can be purchased in neutral or gender appropriate colors, it makes it easier for children to play together and simple enough for adults to be able to join in on the fun.

They Help Develop Social And Verbal Skills

Kids love showing off their work. While constructing objects, parents can ask their children how they make it, what they used or ask for their child to give them instructions on how to make another one.

Not only does this encourage social skills, but it also helps children give and understand directions, practice verbalization and feel like they are the teacher for once, instead of always being the student.

When children build together, they obviously have to make a group effort to accomplish their project. By doing so, they learn how to work as a team, share and communicate without ever knowing it.

They Improve Motor And Problem Solving Skills

The act of grasping, snapping, clicking, stacking and moving blocks, logs, magnets or any other type of building toy promotes hand-eye coordination. Children will normally compare pieces before trying to connect or stack them, which will teach kids about depth perception, and help them practice recognizing the same and different.

Older children must use math to count the pieces they will need, and reading skills when instructions are included to build a more elaborate toy. Children with a learning disability especially benefit from the development of these skills.

Whatever your reason may be for purchasing construction toys, you can be assured that building your child's skills for the future is as simple as child's play.

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Ninjago Destiny's Bounty by LEGO Review

Another product in Lego's Ninjago range, Destiny's Bounty is one of the larger kits available.

This sailing/ flying ship looks exciting and includes quite a large number of special pieces. Fans of Lego Ninjago won't need persuading about this one, but for others it's useful to have a bit more information before deciding whether to buy or not.

Is The Ninjago Destiny's Bounty Worth Buying?

The first thing to mention about the Ninjago Destiny's Bounty Lego kit is that it'll entertain both fans of ninjas and pirates.

The ship is far-Eastern in style, but includes cannons and has several sails. The Ninjago range is popular with many kids, but even if your child isn't a particular fan, they'll probably find lots to enjoy here.

As well as having a great ninja/ pirate theme, this ship is sturdy when built. That's important, as a fragile Lego model isn't as fun to play with.

If it falls apart too quickly or easily once built then play sessions won't last as long and kids will get bored more quickly.

By withstanding most light knocks your kids can keep on playing with this toy without too much interruption.

It'll only come apart when they actually want it to!

Tiny Love Gymini Super Deluxe Lights and Music Play Mat Review

Activity mats have long been a favorite among parents of small babies.

They provide an excellent environment for exploring new shapes, colors, textures and sounds, and are suitable for both sitting and lying on.

The Tiny Love Gymini Activity Mat is a toy that promises to keep your baby occupied for hours on end, thanks to its large range of different features.

Features Of The Tiny Love Gymini Activity Gym

• Music, lights and bright colors to stimulate baby,
• Mirror for tummy time play,
• Washable mat,
• Folds up for travel or storage,
• Cause and effect learning with a range of different elements

Is The Tiny Love Gymini Activity Gym Worth Buying?

One of the most important elements of any activity mat is that it can keep baby interested, and thankfully the Tiny Love Gymini Activity Gym is successful in this respect.

There are a number of elements to keep your baby busy, whether they're very young or a few months old (the manufacturer recommended age range is 0 - 1 year).

There's plenty here for baby to explore with the included toys: they can pull the elephant down, rattle the giraffe and so on. There are also a number of different textures, such as the parrot's wings, the giraffe's tail and more.

The mirror is also an excellent element that keeps children captivated, especially as they learn to use it to look further around them (though it is slightly warped in design, distorting the reflection).

One of the benefits of the way the Gymini Super Deluxe Lights and Music Play Mat is designed is the fact that the toys can be removed. This is useful if your baby becomes attached and you want to travel with them, or you can simply rearrange them to help him explore a little more.

Young babies may become overwhelmed with all the options at first, so detaching the toys can also help with this. It also makes them easier to clean! Of course, you can also attach extra toys if you want to, including some of your baby's current favorites.

As well as the movements of the toys, colorful patterns, mirror and textures, your baby will also enjoy the two different music settings of the Tiny Love Gymini Activity Gym.

Although the music isn't too bad, it's worth noting that any toy that plays the same music for hours on end can get a little tiresome for parents! Thankfully its two modes are quite different: one plays Mozart for 10 minutes, the other plays short snippets of popular nursery tunes.

The fact that the mat is machine washable is helpful, but some parents have reported the colors fading after a few washes. This is a little disappointing given the fact that the Gymini is a little on the expensive side.

That said, it will get hours of use and is well worth the money in that respect.

Melissa & Doug Wooden Folding Princess Castle Review

Every girl loves to play princess, and what better setting than a huge, beautifully-designed folding castle?

Melissa & Doug products are always held in high regard by parents, but does the Deluxe Wooden Folding Castle live up to expectations?

Is The Melissa & Doug Deluxe Wooden Folding Princess Castle Worth Buying? 

One of the main reasons why parents opt for the Melissa & Doug Deluxe Wooden Princess Castle over others on the market is the fact that it's made using high quality wood, rather than plastic.

Not only is the material durable and built to last, but the castle also looks beautiful in any home. One immediate drawback of this castle is the fact that it doesn't come branded like others on the market, such as Disney Princesses.

However, this is also a benefit thanks to the fact that it can be used with just about any characters your daughter already has. Although there isn't too much space inside, there are plenty of smaller characters available (and that your daughter probably already owns) to fit a castle like this.

Puzzling At Play: How Puzzle Games Help Your Kids To Learn

From the wooden puzzles of yesteryear to the digital puzzles of today, one thing remains: puzzle games are as popular as ever. One reason for this enduring popularity could be the way that puzzle games combine fun with a challenge.

Puzzle games are something for children to become engrossed in, taking concentration and perseverance to complete.

Entertainment isn't the only thing that matters, however. 

Most parents are searching for fun ways to make learning fun for their kids, and puzzle toys are the perfect tool for this.

There are all sorts of educational benefits to puzzle toys. Firstly, puzzles of all kinds help children to develop their ability to think through problems.

This involves learning how to plan ahead, and also requires them to practice their ability to remember sequences and patters of all sorts.

The logical thinking required in order to solve problems...

...also means learning to discriminate and think critically. These skills give children the ability to decide whether a possible solution is going to work, and getting it right helps to build a child's confidence in their own ideas.

Puzzles aren't just about dry logic, though. Many puzzles can be solved in several ways, and the process of solving a puzzle is as much about creativity as about logic.

When a child gets stuck with a puzzle game they have to figure out new ways to approach it. This requires them to come up with their own ideas, encouraging them to think creatively.

Often, puzzle games require children to combine the skills of logical thinking and creativity with spatial awareness.

A Rubik's cube, chess, or Sudoku all require that children are able to understand spatial arrangements as well as remember patterns and plan ahead.

Chess and Rubik's cube puzzles also have no single solution, which further emphasizes creative thinking.



Very young children gain an additional benefit from puzzle games. By having to hold small objects and position them with accuracy, they develop their fine-motor skills. These skills are what underpin a child's ability to write.

Finally, puzzle games teach a child how to be patient and how to persevere. Puzzles can take a while to complete, often continuing through many play sessions.

They can also become infuriating, and it's when things just don't seem to work out that a child learns most about how to persevere and the benefits of being patient.

Problem solving and creative thinking skills are important for any child, whether they end up becoming math whizzes or football stars.

Even team sports require that players use these skills, so there's no reason not to encourage your child to play puzzle games. And, with so many kinds of puzzle games available, there are bound to be some that your child will enjoy.

Photo by Olav Ahrens Røtne on Unsplash