Whether you are a homeschooler or a parent of a preschool child, you can use themed architecture to build toys and games to help with history, motor skills, principals, and geography. Lego is one of the leaders in building large-scale architectural systems; One of the biggest perks to investing in them is that they can be used incorporated with other Lego sets and bulk packs to create new or modified scenes. There are many companies that specialize in building systems and kits, some of them are better than others in terms of price and replay value. Come on, just a recommendation, a suggestion. If your child has built up the experience, they might be able to tackle some of the higher issues.
ArchiQuest Building System: Priced at about seventy dollars, these kits are made from wooden blocks that have images printed on them. There are endless ways to combine them to create different types of structures in different sizes. The beauty of it is that you can add to it so that you can make bigger scenes and structures. This was something my kids loved and spent hours using. From there, their love of Lego blossomed, but the ArchiQuest system is not interlocking so it requires more planning when doing something with five or six steps. This is something that kids of all ages can use, and it’s something that can grow with them. In addition to the medieval theme, there are also Egyptian and fantasy theme sets that are allowed. While they are expensive, they are something that will last a long time.
3-D Puzzles: If you have an older child who loves a challenge, then try 3-D puzzles to figure out. They can be a bit difficult to use when you’re not building a traditional plane puzzle, but something that has sides. We’ve had 3-D puzzles from a couple of different companies like Ravensburger and Puzzle Plex over the years. Those with an architectural or historical slant are based on real world structures. Some popular 3-D puzzles are Big Ben, Eiffel-tower, Notre Dame, Taj Mahal and Empire State Building. Building. These kinds of puzzles help kids think differently to a working piece; it can help to develop their thinking skills and thinking in 3-D format.
Nanoblock Building System: Nanoblock uses the same building system as Lego; pegged or spiked pieces interlock to form or design. Prices for the most unique Nanoblock sets are roughly half the price you’d pay for a Lego, but the difference is noticeable in the type of plastic used as well as the overall feel. They are constructed from an educational concept and are wonderful; Set on Easter Island it was one of the first suns he bought and it was something the boys loved building. They finally took the design and enlarged it using graph paper to enlarge the size of the statues. Other excellent Nanoblock architectural or historical readings include: Himeji Castle, Kinkakuji Temple and Neuschwanstein.
GeoMag: Imagine if you could extend the basic concepts of structure and architecture to symmetry, the use of magnets and the ability to build 3-D shapes. If that sounds interesting then the GeoMag system will make your jaw drop. One of the most amazing things that sets children apart from their elders was the DNA double helix. While not the grandest of those you’d see in college labs, it had over 1,800 pieces. GeoMag is made in Switzerland and imported, the systems and supplies are not expensive but can be hard to find in retail stores. There are magnets in the store that are not recommended for use by small children or computer equipment.
Lego Architecture: One of the highlights of Lego Architecture is Fallingwater, but not everyone is impressed with the building, especially with its hundred dollar price tag. Small and medium-sized neighborhoods include the White House, Sydney Opera House, Seattle’s Needle Space and the Guggenheim Museum. Although a huge fan of Lego there are some architectural sets that are not worth the effort. It remains to be seen if more themes will be added in 2012 and 2013, although additions were added to the new models page in September.
How can these types of toys and building programs benefit children? You can use them for history, geography, building concepts, architectural history and art appreciation. For as GeoMag provides basic building sets in hands-on science you can work on visual learning. Reading about building can be excellently educational, but if you give the child the opportunity to do it in a smaller building capacity, they will retain more of what they learn and what can lead to them in other areas. My children had a deep love for all things Egyptian and were fascinated by how the pyramids were constructed. Then they lead them to see from their origami cubes which would be the strongest design.
If you are considering investing in a building, you should quickly look for something that can be expanded; this increases the replay value and what can be done with it. Some systems aren’t cheap, but can you put a price on education?
