Generation Alpha young people are growing up in a rapidly changing world. Most young people will end up doing jobs that don’t yet exist. So, it’s increasingly important that they develop the creativity and life skills they need for the future. There is growing evidence to suggest that learning through play can build essential 21st century skills. Playful exploration is how children naturally learn so when we give them opportunities to pursue their own curiosity and use these innate skills, they continue to foster a love of learning.
But how do you unlock playful learning at home? Research shows that people learn best from experiences which are:
- Joyful
- Socially interactive
- Actively engaging
- Meaningful
- Iterative
Anchoring learning experiences with these qualities helps children thrive. Since 2022 The Day and the LEGO Group’s Build the Change social impact programme have been harnessing the power of play and creativity to inspire 7 to 14-year-olds to take on real-world challenges, develop life skills through play and have the opportunity to share their creative ideas. Build the Change offers free resources for home learning, including news worksheets, podcasts, online workshops and competitions, offering creative and engaging challenges that can be delivered flexibly to support your learner.
Here are five ways that Build the Change can be used to support your home education journey:
- Spark Engagement and Make Learning Joyful: Build the Change resources feature unique design challenges, developed around the principle of Learning through Play. Research shows this can make learning more effective and enjoyable by increasing feel-good chemicals in the brain, boosting memory, creativity, and motivation. Whether it’s building with LEGO bricks, drawing, or using bits of recycling, the hands-on activities transform learning into an adventure, making complex topics like sustainability and inclusion accessible and fun.
- Cater to different ages and learning styles: Each Build the Change challenge is designed to be flexible and adaptable, with activities that can be tailored to different developmental stages and abilities. The play-based learning approach also allows children to participate in each challenge in ways that suit their individual strengths and needs.
- Develop Essential Life Skills: Build the Change challenges encourage creativity, communication, collaboration, and problem-solving. When children work together on a challenge, whether siblings or in a home education network, they learn to share ideas, listen to each other and work towards a common goal!
- Open Doors to Important Conversations in a Safe Space: Tackling sensitive topics like climate change and inclusion can sometimes feel daunting. However, Build the Change provides a positive and safe framework for these discussions. By engaging with real-world issues through child-friendly news and creative challenges, children can explore their thoughts and feelings in a safe and meaningful way.
- Practical and Free Resources at Your Fingertips: Downloadable news worksheets, podcasts, online workshops and design challenges that require minimal preparation and can be seamlessly integrated into your existing home education curriculum. From tackling loneliness to designing inclusive spaces or bringing nature to everyone, each resource is a starting off point for a range of important conversations! Plus, you can even share your children’s brilliant ideas in the online gallery.
Enter the Build for Belonging Competition by 30th June!
Can your learners design a better world? The Day & the LEGO Group’s new Build the Change Competition encourages students to tackle real-world challenges. Explore our free workshop resources, plus win amazing prizes! Learn more.
