Looking for a fun activity to do while you’re quarantined? Challenge your kids to build a flat picture from Legos. And if you don’t think that will hold their interest, here are 25 other activities to try!
My kids love LEGOs, and enjoy it when I give them a LEGO challenge. That’s when I give them a topic or theme, and ask them to go build it. When they’re done, they share their creations. It’s a fun activity!
We were recently looking through old pictures, and I found this flat LEGO picture that Jayme made several years ago:
My middle kids loved looking at what their big sister had made. So I gave them their next LEGO challenge; to build their own flat picture. Jeffrey and Ellie took the challenge, and set off to our recently created LEGO shack to get started. They each started with a base piece, and then got to work.
After ten minutes they found me again, eager to share their creations.
Jeffrey had built a flat picture of Kai, one of the ninjas from Ninjago. Ellie had made a ballerina flat picture.
I love how their builds reflect their personalities and interests.
Benefits of a LEGO Challenge
LEGO challenges offer a unique set of benefits. They’re definitely a learning opportunity!Here’s a handful of what they worked on while building:
Creative Thinking
Typically with LEGO bricks, you build by stacking. This challenge required the kids to think about the pieces differently. They had to see the picture in their mind, and then bring it to life.
Scaling
Starting from a visualization of what they wanted to create, the kids had to figure out how big to make their final picture. It took a bit of trial and error at first, as a leg was made too long.
Being able to scale a build either up or down requires a bit of critical thinking.
Attention to Detail
Both kids had an image in their mind, and they used the bricks to bring those images to life. As they built, they looked for the right color pieces to ensure their final creation had visual appeal.
It would have been easier to just throw random blocks down to make their pictures, but they took the time to make it look just so. That attention to detail is an important soft skill.
Following Directions
The kids had to follow the directions of the challenge in order to complete it. They had to listen, ensure they understood what was expected, and the follow through.
Communication Skills
Speaking confidently in front of others is an important communication skill. The sharing part of a LEGO challenge presents that opportunity.
The kids each took a turn holding up their build and telling the rest of us about it. It was like show and tell. They got to practice speaking clearly, loud enough for us to hear but without shouting, and talking about a specific topic.
Give Your Own LEGO Challenge 
Flat pictures aren’t the only LEGO building challenges my kids have enjoyed. We’ve also done:
- A building
- A vehicle
- A weapon
- The tallest build
- A bridge
- Something that opens
- A two-story structure
If your kids enjoy building with LEGOs, pick a topic and let them create. Then gather everyone together to see what was created.
Need More LEGOs?
If you need more LEGO bricks before giving your kids a challenge, I recommend the LEGO Classic Medium Creative Brick Box 10696
