LEGO activities can help development of pupils says study

A SIMPLE classroom activity involving a classic childhood staple, LEGO, could improve children's maths and spatial ability, according to a new study led by the University of Surrey.

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It has led to leading researchers calling for a shake-up in the school curriculum and teachers' professional development.

The university study tested incorporating LEGO building into the daily teaching curriculum, leading to tangible improvements and boosting abilities for students aged six to seven.

The study, which involved 409 children from schools in Surrey and Portsmouth, demonstrated that the six-week spatial cognition to enhance mathematical learning (Space) programme - where teachers led LEGO-based activities - resulted in marked improvements in children’s mental rotation skills (the ability to visualise and manipulate objects in their minds) and mathematics performance.