We recently started a Lego Club for our budding Lego enthusiasts with a group of home schoolers that we all know well.
It was kind of unknown territory for most of us, but something we had discussed several times in the past, so we were very excited when the resident home school dad among us put his hand up to organise the club and run it out of his home.
That’s a huge thing to offer up your home on a regular basis to a group of eight families. We all really appreciate him offering to do this for us.
So far we’ve only met twice, but there are grand plans for the club. Eventually we see those that are serious Lego builders to move on to the realms of Lego Robotics and possibly even competing in First Lego League. But it’s baby steps for us at the moment.
During the first meet the children, girls and boys, ranging in ages from about five to eleven (pre-schoolers have Duplo off to the side) spent their time in free form creating. This allowed those that had never been into the home to feel more comfortable and to gain a general vibe for the club overall.
Week two, our most recent meet up, saw things pushed up a notch. What a fabulous couple of hours. Yes there was noise! It’s to be expected when you have a group of eager creators in one space. But it was all kept to a dull roar, just a bunch of delightful children, conversing about the tasks that were before them.
First challenge was to get the children interacting, talking, discussing and most of all using their powers of communication. Children separated into pairs. One person chose ten bricks. Then the second person had to sift through the Lego tubs and find an identical ten bricks to their partner.
From there, they sat back to back, whilst one of them began to build, slowly piece by piece. As they chose and added a new piece they called out the details to the partner. What the piece looked like. Where and in what position the piece was being placed.
The aim was for both people in a pair to end up with pieces that looked as much like the other as they could get. This was a real challenge and definitely heightened their communication and listening skills.
Second challenge for the afternoon was to move a Lego Mini Figure at least 5 floor tiles (approx 1 metre) without touching the Mini Figure.
Cars, sling shots, ramps, balloon cars, and catapults were all some of the designs the children came up with.
Whilst this club is definitely taking the children out of their comfort zone, they are loving it. We are all very excited about where our little Lego Club is headed.
Do you participate in a Lego Club with your home school friends? I’d love to hear about it if you do.
P.S I am still alive, even though you might have thought otherwise for the last few months.
