For junior and LEGO Club president Lily Mar, LEGO has been a tool used for her to destress.
“It’s just a time that I can take to relax and not be so stressed out about school. It’s kind of nice to have a set instruction to follow and just put pieces together, relax and take your time doing things.” Mar said.
Mar isn’t alone. According to The Washington Post, more people each year are turning to LEGO as a way to relax, including a population outside of the toy’s target demographic: teens and adults. However, The New York Times adds that LEGO isn’t just a mindless activity, but it can lead to creativity gains, through the building of multi-use blocks into complex structures.
Along those lines, IB Psychology teacher Sandy Gardner similarly said tactile activities such as building with LEGO can increase brain stimulation.
“When you do things that are cognitively challenging, there’s lots of research on how neurons change the release of neurotransmitters in the brain and create neurogenesis so that your brain pathways get more efficient,” Gardner said. “Using your hands would also do the same thing.”
Gardener said the use of tactile activities can further evolve the brain by improving neuroplasticity, otherwise known as the brain’s ability to change and adapt its structure and function.
“Challenging activities like problem solving is one of the things that do grow and create more synaptic connections in the brain,” Gardener said. “Challenging activities like LEGO building could grow or even counteract opposing brain behavior such as stress or low challenging activities.”
Additionally, LEGO enthusiast and media specialist John Love agreed with Gardener and said he also uses LEGO as a creative outlet.
“I just think that it gives you a lot of hand-eye coordination. That perspective and that artistic creativity forces you to kind of think a little differently,” Love said. “I use the kits, so I don’t have a lot of that freedom, but I still think at the same time, it gives you a sense of creating and finishing a product that just goes from beginning to end.”
Love said he has been building with LEGO ever since he was kid, and he has created many sets over the years, many of which have challenged him.
“I remember once I had an R2-D2 set that I dropped and it just went everywhere. I just had to figure out how to put it back together, ” Love said. “It certainly challenged me to do things differently, but it was kind of cool to see that accomplishment. In cases like that, it kind of forces you to model what you see. Trial and error, trying pieces that work, trying pieces that don’t, just trying it again. The ability to build and rebuild is kind of cool because it certainly challenges you to look at things a little bit differently.”
Mar agreed with this sentiment and said that LEGO use is ultimately designed for creativity.
“LEGOs are such a good opportunity to be creative. You don’t even have to follow the instructions,” Mar said. “They’re really just blocks; they’re toys that you can put together and shape however you want. It’s definitely a creative tool because LEGOs aren’t designed to just be used in one way.”
Counselor Casey Danubio shared her views on the importance of creative breaks, such as LEGO building, as a mental health stimulator.
“I think creative play is so important. I mean, especially for younger kids, playing is the way they learn by touching things, putting things together, taking things apart and seeing how it works,” Danubio said. “Then, as you get older, I just think that you need to be able to have a creative outlet to really feel like you’re expressing yourself, especially if you’re the kind of person who enjoys creative things because you’re forced to do all the other things that we make you do at school.”
However, Danubio said it’s important to enjoy these breaks to reach full creative potential.
“You have to stop and take breaks to think about what you’re doing,” Danubio said. “Talk about what you’re doing, ignore what you’re doing and find things that really fill your soul with joy.”
In agreement with Danubio’s claim, Gardener said she also supports the idea that people’s enjoyment over an activity such as LEGO building is what boosts creativity.
“The joy of it and the compulsion to finish the project is what gives you that reward and motivation to finish,” Gardener said.
Love said his favorite part of LEGO building is seeing the end result finally come together.
“Watching it come together, and to watch the piece by piece come together, and to just see all those elements work together… It just fascinates me. To me, that’s the most rewarding part… and seeing the finished products,” Love said.
On the other hand, Mar said her favorite part is the connection it brings back to her childhood.
“It’s a thing that’s very linked to your childhood,” Mar said. “Especially since we’re like 16, 17, 18 or however old, it’s kind of nice to have a little bit of time to relax and kind of just remind yourself of being a kid again and having fun.”
Overall, although it can have many benefits, Mar said there’s a simple reason why students of all ages should take up LEGO building.
“It’s fun,” Mar said. “Don’t stop having fun just because you’re too old.”