From screens to screams of laughter: Bonding with your mini-me

Ask any parent and they’ll admit they feel guilty about handing over the TV remote or iPad to their little ones to keep them occupied, while they brave through another video conference. But those undisturbed moments during work hours are all that stands between you and a total meltdown. Suffice to say screens of various sizes have gone from being the last resort saviour to a regular occurrence.

Laughing hysterically through a game of dumb charades or building spaceships out of LEGO with the whole family were a daily affair. Now our evenings are punctuated by the sound of the television and dinner time banter’s been replaced with the beeping of notifications.

While their smartphones and TV are highly entertaining, too much screen time is like “working out only your arm muscles and nothing else. You would have really strong arm muscles, but at the expense of overall fitness,” says Dr Jennifer F Cross of New York-Presbyterian Komansky Children’s Hospital.

“Toys are the tools of play, and play is the work of childhood. So if you were working, would you not need the best tools? Toys are the gateway for language, curiosity, physical development and socio-emotional development, for all ages,” adds Dr Swati Popat Vats, president, Podar Education Network.

The reciprocal conversation that parents have with their children over a game is important for language and social development. Instead of just passively taking in the information they’re shown on a monitor, here they’re watching, learning, and sharing dialogue and facial expressions with their number one role model – you.

Spending this time playing a game with their parents can strengthen the parent-child bond and also help them work on their social skills, which may have dampened through this period of social isolation. Toys can be fun, educational and also help with children’s brain and social development. And LEGO DOTS can cater to them all.

Sitting down to tinker with LEGO DOTS and explore the endless opportunities of creation it offers creates a challenge that parents and children tackle together. It allows your child to channel their creativity while indulging your inner 7-year-old as well, as author Durjoy Datta stated, while playing with LEGO DOTS with his daughter.

“Creating family rituals and playing games together is a great way to bond with your child,” says psychiatrist Dr Syeda Ruksheda. This one-on-one time can help a shy child also let their guard down.
While playing with LEGO DOTS, you have a channel of communication to have some important conversations with your young one, addressing more sensitive and uncomfortable topics. Or maybe just uncover their secrets, such as who their favourite cook is, mama or papa.

The possibilities with LEGO DOTS are endless. Take the time out from the busy day and unwind with your little monster to make personalised and matching mother-son wristbands. Use the LEGO DOTS to build a photo frame for your favourite picture together and quirky pineapple pen and a pencil holder which isn’t just purely decorative but will keep all stationery in one place so you don’t need to duck under the computer screen and scamper for a pen the next time the teacher asks why your child isn’t taking notes.

Sitting down with your mini-mes with some LEGO DOTS instead of a screen can help you grow closer and enrich their creativity, socialisation and cognition. So, what are you waiting for? Switch off, rebuild and reconnect with LEGO DOTS.

Buy your child’s LEGO DOTS now.