Playing with building blocks helps activate the brain and improve intelligence

1. A 3D Laboratory for Spatial Thinking

Blocks force the brain to develop spatial mapping through three-dimensional combinations. A Cambridge University study showed that children who spent two hours a week building with blocks saw a 23% improvement in their spatial rotation test scores after six months. Modular assembly requires predicting structural stability, essentially simulating load distribution in engineering mechanics. For example, when reinforcing a bridge model with triangles, children are unconsciously applying the principles of trusses.

2. A Hidden Training Ground for Executive Function

The American Academy of Pediatrics journal Pediatrics notes that block play can significantly improve working memory and task switching. When children follow step-by-step instructions to build, they continuously engage the prefrontal cortex—the neural basis for planning and impulse control. The "Mechanical Transmission" theme in the LEGO Education series uses gear combinations to help children understand the logical causal relationship of "input-output."

3. Quantum Excitation of Creativity

A study from the MIT Media Lab found that free building increases activity in the brain's default mode network by 37%. This unconstrained construction fosters divergent thinking, such as using building blocks to represent abstract concepts (using wave structures to represent sound waves) or solve real-world problems (designing a ramp for a pet). At the 2024 Tokyo Toy Fair, a nine-year-old child constructed an automatic watering device using building blocks, a prime example of interdisciplinary innovation.

Conclusion: From Plastic Blocks to Cognitive Transformation

Building blocks offer value far beyond entertainment. Their modular nature aligns with the binary logic of computer science, while their combinatorial possibilities mirror the permutation and combination theorem in mathematics. Parents are advised to adopt a three-step approach: "Guide-Observe-Review": Provide building blocks rather than finished product images, record children's problem-solving strategies, and finally, reinforce metacognition by asking questions like "Why is this structure stable?"