Building blocks of future generations

“At least five minutes of immersive play is needed between guardians and children daily, and Six Bricks makes this easier to manage."

April 2, 2019

Rivelle Govindsamy 3 minutes read

EduLUG, play agents and children alike were excited to incorporate play into learning. Back row, from left are Anisha Garib, Dr Conrad Beyers of the actuarial department at the University of Pretoria and Absa chair in actuarial science and Joanne Harrison. Middle row, are play agents and University of Pretoria students, Derick Ncube and Tetelo Letsoalo. In the front row are, from left, Kaidyn Garib (8), Aarya Garib (6), Stacey Harrison (7) and Ayamaah Makgatho (7).

The Northmead Square and Lego Pop Toys Lego Expo hosted an event at the shopping complex from March 30 to March 31.

With over 100 world-class Lego sets on display, some of the country’s top Lego MOC (my own creation) designers and Lego robotics enthusiasts made their mark at the event.

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While children of all ages had the opportunity to build Lego sets, and to admire the already built ones on display, homeschooling educator Anisha Garib said play in education, with a specific focus on Lego brick building, was imperative to childhood development and has an impact on children growing into adulthood.

Garib, the founder of Bricks Without Borders (BWB), and co-founder of EduLUG (Lego user group) after being inducted as a play ambassador for Lego recently is making her mark on the community. She has introduced play education to local schools, starting with her project at Ashbury College in 2017.

According to the Crystal Park resident, Lego is introducing further play education therapy to children on an international level, with a specific focus on rural areas.

The new collaboration with Lego sees BWB and EduLUG, among other LUG groups, incorporate Lego brick building as a core learning component into everyday learning.

This, she explained, enables children to develop STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) skills that will assist in the workplace in what is now deemed the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

“We do not know what skills will be required in the workplace in the future, and how different it will be in the modern day workplace,” explained Garib.

“STEM skills development enhances the ability to adapt to environments and challenges and acts as a benefit to the future generations in the Fourth Revolution.

ACE scores and Six Bricks

Garib says using Lego bricks for play education assists children in addressing and overcoming social issues.

“An ACE score (adverse childhood experiences score) is used to evaluate how negative social outcomes impact on a child’s brain development.

“Studies have shown that children with a higher ACE score are more likely to be exposed to diabetes, cancer, aggression and other associated risky behaviours as adults.

“With play therapy, the risks associated with ACE scores can be reduced.

“South African Brent Hutcheson, director of Care for Education and Lego Foundation partner for Africa, developed a programme called Six Bricks which has become revolutionary worldwide.

“Six Bricks is an idea that suggests six physical bricks is all that’s needed to help stimulate and change neural pathways for the better, even in children with higher ACE scores.

“It was developed as a portable method of giving kids something to play with and manipulate which is to their benefit.

“The length of the six bricks is also just outside of the field of vision which enables lateral thinking and thousands of games which Six Bricks have since developed.

“Access to play education under Care for Education is free to the public online and is available at https://www.carefored.co.za/six-bricks.html.”

EduLUG, play agents and the future of learning

Garib also indicated fellow EduLUG co-founder Joanne Harrison has educated children with autism for close to a decade and uses play in education as a means of therapy, allowing them to develop their STEM skills.

Joining EduLUG on their endeavours is the University of Pretoria.

“The university is collaborating with us and allowing students who are in fields of STEM skill development to get involved with the play education.

“The students become known as play agents.

“Play agent training is also taught to others in the community.

“Those who perhaps lack an education but take care of children, such as grannies, are equipped with knowledge on play education and in this way skills transference occurs.

“At a recent Africa play conference in Pretoria with Lego and other African countries we were told 40 per cent of births in the next 20 years will happen in Africa.

“Therefore we want to be able to equip children with 21 st century skills.

“Teachers who undergo skills training are taught how to better manage school stress and to be more engaging with learners.”

She added schools in Daveyton and Etwatwa will soon enjoy the benefits of play education.