In our busy, technology-filled world, there is something special about playing with blocks. Building Block therapy, LEGO therapy, or even LEPIN therapy can bring out a way to relax, be creative, and even learn new things for our kids. But it is not just limited to kids. You can even get in on this mindful activity to focus on the present moment and forget about your worries in your adult life. 

So, whether you are a parent looking for a fun way to help your child or an adult who wants to feel like a kid again, you should definitely try building block therapy. In this article, we explore this rewarding experience and guide you or your children in relaxing, getting creative, and even growing as a person using these magical toys.

Building A Brighter Future For Your Kids With Building Block Therapy

Building block therapy is like a workout for your brain. But it is way more fun. You and your kids can abandon the world of screens and go on to explore and create using your hands.

Building Blocks Are The Perfect Gift For Kids For Ages.

For kids, building blocks are like magic. They can build anything they imagine from these little plastic blocks. While your kids have playtime with building blocks, they start to focus, solve problems, and even understand space better. And their brains slowly start to develop without even them knowing. They learn to use their little hands more precisely, to think creatively, and most importantly, to never give up when things get difficult. They can build with their friends too. In doing so, they learn some important skills they will need throughout their lives, like teamwork and sharing.

Building Blocks For Grown-Ups, Too? The Power Of Play For All Ages

Absolutely. In our busy world, we easily forget how to relax and have fun. So, these little blocks can help us de-stress and relax. Thanks to them, you can build your way to relaxation. 

How?

When you focus on putting these blocks together, it takes your mind off your worries. That is a surprisingly calming feeling. But that is not all. Building block therapy can even connect you back with your playful side and help you rediscover the joy of creating something new.

So, What Exactly Is LEGO Based Therapy?

LEGO-based therapy is a fun way for your kids to learn social skills by playing with LEGO in a group. While building cool LEGO projects, your kids learn skills like communication, teamwork, and how to make friends. But as we said before, it isn’t limited to your kids.

How Does LEGO Or LEPIN Therapy Work?

Imagine your kid sitting with a group of kids and building something cool with LEGO bricks. They might be working together on a spaceship, a giant robot, or even a whole city. This is LEGO therapy in action. While the kids are busy building, they also improve their social skills.

• Talking and Listening – They have to talk to each other about what they’re building and how to put the pieces together.
• Share and Take turns – There are only so many LEGO bricks to go around, so they have to learn to share and take turns using them.
• Work together – Your kids have to figure out how to work together to give life to their creation.

Even shy kids who might not want to join other groups might like a LEGO group because building is fun.

Origins Of LEGO Therapy

LEGO therapy is not a new concept. US pediatric neuropsychologist Daniel LEGOff created it in the 1990s. He noticed kids with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) having good conversations and interactions when they were building with LEGO in his waiting room. He was surprised how LEGO could be more than just a simple toy for kids. LEGO therapy first started for autistic children, but today, many kids who are working on their social skills benefit from it.

 

What Goes On In A Building Block Therapy?

In building block therapy, kids meet in groups with a trained facilitator. They are usually held once a week for one to two hours at school or a similar place.

Building Together

In each session, groups of three or four kids work together and build something with building blocks. And each kid has a special job.

• The Engineer reads and explains the instructions.
• The Supplier finds and gives out the right LEGO pieces.
• The Builder actually builds the model.
• The Foreman helps everyone and solves any social problems that come up.

They switch roles so everyone gets a turn, and then they have free time to build whatever they want. This way, every child gets a chance to practice different skills. They learn to talk to each other clearly, share the building block bricks, and work as a team to build something awesome. They also learn to think about how they act and how to give good feedback to others.

The Benefits Of Mindful Building

Building block sets can boost your children’s physical, mental, and social development. For children with ASD, there are more benefits as building block therapy significantly helps develop their social behaviors compared to other non-play therapies. Let us look at some of the most notable therapeutic benefits of LEPIN, LEGO, and other building blocks.

See Things In 3d

While playing at building block therapy sessions, your kids learn to see how objects can change when they look at them from different sides or turn them around. They have to think about how the blocks fit together in all directions, not just flat. This helps your kids understand space and shapes better.

Think Flexibly. 

Sometimes, your kids have to change their plans when they build with building blocks during these sessions. First, they may get frustrated, but then they learn to adapt and solve problems in new ways.

Builds Better Talkers

When kids play with blocks, they talk more about what they are doing. They describe what they are building, give instructions, and tell stories. This is a great way to develop their language skills.

Problem Solver

Building blocks are like little brain teasers. So, your kids have to experiment and try different things to get their creations to work. This helps them develop their problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.

Brings Families Together

Building with blocks is not just for kids; the whole family can join in. You can use this fantastic time to connect, communicate, and work as a team with your family and friends. 

Isn’t it wonderful how a simple toy can strengthen family bonds and create lasting memories?

Conclusion

Building block therapy is a great experience for your kids to have fun and learn important life lessons at the same time. You can use these sessions to build their social skills brick by brick. It was initially created to help kids with Autism Spectrum Disorder; today, it benefits all children and even adults to improve their skills. The best part about building block therapy is that your kids can have so much fun building in these sessions without even realizing they are learning new things.

As a parent, you want your child to grow and learn in the best way possible, right? Did you know building blocks can just do that? These small and big plastic blocks are not just toys. They are like a blank canvas for your kids to explore and create anything they can dream up. But did you know there are two different types of building blocks? They are the traditional blocks from your childhood and new building blocks called “MOC” blocks. In this article, we will do a comparison of MOC Building Blocks vs. Traditional Building Blocks so you can pick the perfect one for your little builder.

MOC Building Blocks vs Traditional Building Blocks | What is the ideal type for awakening creativity?

We know your kids love building awesome things. Nowadays there are two ways to go about it with LEGO bricks. They can either follow instructions for a specific set or create their own design with MOC. How so? Let’s find out.

Let your kids build their own worlds with MOCs

What is MOC Building Blocks? Kids like to dream big. What if your kids can build anything they imagine with LEGO bricks? How awesome would that be? That is the magic of MOC building blocks. What does MOC stand for? MOC stands for My Own Creations. So, can your kids create anything they want with this? That is right; your kids can use a collection of MOC bricks and create anything they want this way. No instructions, just pure creativity. Spaceships? Sure! Giant dragons? Why not! You can buy the bricks in bulk from stores or online, or they can use pieces from other LEGO sets to begin this fun ride.

Another advantage of using MOC is that the affordability. Typically LEGO is pretty expensive. There, MOC bricks play a massive role as a cheap alternative for LEGO. MOC bricks are compatible blocks that offer the same quality of LEGO blocks.

On the other hand, LEGO designs are limited. As the name implies, MOC bricks allow people to explore and unveil their inner creativity. While offering the same touch and feel of the LEGO blocks,  MOC bricks let your kids to bring their imagination to life via building their own designs.

Today there are even online communities for MOC building blocks for people to share their MOC creations. These platforms open doors for your kids to get inspired by others. They can also show off their own builds on these platforms. Your kids will take some time to work out MOCs and build their own designs at first, but that is the challenging and exciting part of these blocks.

You can help your child be original.

Follow the fun with Traditional Building Sets

What is Traditional Building Blocks? Have your kids ever wanted to build Hogwarts or the Millennium Falcon? These are the classic LEGO sets you might remember from your own childhood. Each of these sets comes with instructions to build a specific model, like a spaceship, a house, or a character from their favorite movie. Your kids can follow the directions given in the box and build something awesome piece by piece. Finally, they end up building something they recognize. There are tons of licensed LEGO set themes like Star Wars, Harry Potter, or Marvel. Kids love these sets because they can recreate their favorite scenes and characters from the movies or shows they love.

What is the difference between Lego and MOC blocks?

These are the classic LEGO sets you might remember from your own childhood. They are made by The LEGO Group. LEGO sets come with ready-made models and step-by-step instructions to build specific creations. You can find these sets in stores. And they have different themes and designs for building things. LEGO blocks have certain standards for size, shape, and compatibility across different LEGO sets.

As we mentioned, MOC blocks are all about “My Own Creations” in the LEGO world. LEGO fans use these blocks to design and build their very own LEGO models. MOC blocks are loose bricks. So, they are not part of official LEGO sets. But you can still use them with LEGO blocks because they are compatible.

More about MOCs

Now you know about what is a MOC LEGO and how they can give your child a unique and exciting experience. But what is the meaning of MOC design? And how do you build MOCs? 

Let us find out.

MOC design is very simple and creative. It is all about figuring things out yourself. Your kids can pick out all the different LEGO pieces they need, like bricks, plates, and even those cool angled pieces. Then, they use their imagination to put them all together to build something totally unique. You can help your child learn problem-solving and critical thinking skills by helping them build MOCs. If something does not quite fit the way they imagined, they can get creative and find a new solution.

How to build MOCs?

 

Follow this step-by-step guide to help your kids bring out their imagination to the real world.

Help your kid understand bricks.

Before starting, help your child to be familiar with the different shapes and sizes of Lego bricks. There are so many types of bricks like bricks, plates, wedges, modified plates, modified bricks, rods, technic linkers, technic bricks, technic beams/lift arms, curved slopes, slopes, and round bricks. When they know more about how to fit the pieces together, they will easily bring out their ideas to life.

Get inspiration

There is a whole world of MOCs out there. Your kids can check out websites like Rebrikable to get inspired. They have so many awesome MOC creations.

Choose a Theme.

Now help your kid with deciding on a theme for the MOC project. It could be spaceships, castles, robots, or anything. The sky is the limit. When they have a theme in mind it can help them guide their design process.

Use a building software.

Once your child has an idea, it is time to start planning. Maybe they can sketch out their design on paper, or even use special virtual Lego building software like Studio to see their creation come to life virtually before they start building with real bricks.

Building time

Here is where the real fun begins. Your children can focus on the main structure first. They can create the frame or chassis of the model. Then they can add details like doors, windows, and other cool features. The best part is there are no wrong answers. Something doesn’t work the way they planned? 

They can just adjust it and keep building.

Are MOC blocks compatible with Lego?

Well, not all MOCs are compatible with Lego. But, there is no need to worry. If you are interested in buying MOCs or MOC bricks that are compatible with Lego you can go with Letbricks. They have a wide range of themed MOC sets, DIY accessories, and bricks. Everything they have works seamlessly with Lego.

Choosing the perfect Lego bricks for your little builder

Now you know everything about MOCs and traditional block sets. But how to choose the right one for your little builder? Let us find out.

MOCs are perfect for creative kids who love coming up with their own ideas. Do your children enjoy a challenge and want to figure things out on their own? Then these work on them, too. MOCs are also good for more experienced builders. Are your kids bored with traditional Lego sets? Let them try something new. MOCs help them decide what to build and how to build it. When they play with these blocks, they learn new things and solve problems.

On the other hand, traditional building sets are great for kids who are still learning how to build with LEGO bricks. Do your kids enjoy following instructions and seeing a clear outcome? Then these are perfect for them. When they follow instructions, they understand how the bricks fit together. If your kids love popular themes and want to build their favorite characters and scenes, you must buy them a traditional set. They can’t wait to see the finished product. They get so much satisfaction from it.

A study on the LEGO training on pupils’ performances in schools found that LEGO training improved pupils’ performance in mathematics, problem-solving, and cooperative learning. So, whether you choose MOC or traditional building blocks for your children they can benefit in more ways.

Conclusion

When we compare MOC Building Blocks vs. Traditional Building Blocks we can see that both of them have their unique advantages. Traditional LEGO sets can give your kids a fantastic time by following instructions and building cool models, while MOC building blocks take things to a whole new level. Actually, they make kids powerful designers. So, next time you are looking for a gift for a curious kid, think about getting a bin of MOC building blocks or a traditional LEGO set. They are not just toys; they build future inventors and dreamers.