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Legos &
Creativity

“If you want creative workers,

give them enough time to play.”
- John Cleese
“Creativity is intelligence
having fun.”
-Albert Einstein
Contents
Creativity..................................................................................................................................3

Play...........................................................................................................................................7

Creative Play.............................................................................................................................9

Lego as a creative resource.....................................................................................................10

Teaching creatively.................................................................................................................11

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 Society needs creative people (Saeideh et al., 2016). Therefore the educational system

should foster creativity from the early years since it is a golden age to develop creativity (Saeideh et

al., 2016).

The present essay will display foremost a definition of Creativity contextualized in the

preschool settings. Afterwards, the role of education to boost the development of creative skills will

be emphasized, and free play will be presented as an ideal activity to foster creativity in the early

years. The Lego Bricks as a creative resource will be introduced, which are an excellent strategy to

develop creative skills. Lastly, some conclusions and implications will be mentioned.

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 Creativity
Creativity is considered one of the most valuable attributes of a human being (Glăveanu,

2011). Theorists have defined Creativity as the production of novel and useful ideas o problem

solution in any domain (Al-Ababneh, 2020). This standard definition of Creativity points out two

critical criteria: first, originality, the creation should be unusual, novel and unique; also effectiveness,

the product should be considered valuable and appropriate (Runco & Jaeger, 2012).

Creativity
Is the capacity to produce novel ideas, original and relevant responses
or products, generate new solutions, and express oneself in a unique
manner (Gözen, 2017, p. 230).

An updated

definition argues that Creativity is beyond the production of something new and valuable. It is not

the outcome itself but involves the dynamic process of achieving the creative product o idea through

the socio-cultural interaction between the creator, the environment, and society (Walia, 2019).

In this line, the LEGO foundation defines Creativity as an iterative and dynamic process of

connecting, exploring and transforming the world in both new and meaningful ways (The LEGO

foundation, 2020).

Iterative:
Trying out different
possibilities,
revising hypotheses
and discovering
new questions.
Process:
Meaningful: A dynamic process
of exploration and
Internalized discovering which
meaning to the includes:
world around them.
Connecting and
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Exploring
 Creativity Connecting:
New: To themselves and
others in
Changing things
meaningful ways
into new in the
Creativity is the process of being original, spontaneous, and unique to create new with
everyday context.
attention,
things. It
curiosity and
imagination.
enables individuals to use imagination, generate ideas, formulate questions, test hypotheses,

experiment with alternatives, reach conclusions, evaluate ideas, and solve problems in an original

way (Masril et al., 2019).

Exploring:
Transforming:
Individuals are Vygotsky defined creativity
Testing as
andthe construction of
trying
transformed when out new things
whileexists
something new from what already
the understanding adding(Ayman‐Nolley,
a 1992).
of the world unique contribution
changed. to what already
exists.
In this line, the creator has to use the prior knowledge,

expertise, creative thinking skills and intrinsic motivation to

respond to new situations (Al-Ababneh, 2020; Garaigordobil &

Berrueco, 2011; Smith, 1996).

Therefore, it is indisputably that Creativity is an essential

skill for personal and social development (Garaigordobil &

Berrueco, 2011). Vygotsky claimed that creativity is inherent in the

human condition, related to superior psychological development and is the expression of

consciousness, thought, language and subjectivity (Stoltz et al., 2015). It can develop other skills such

as divergent thinking ability, communication skills, critical analysis (Masril et al., 2019).

All human being is creative by nature, but creativity skills should be nurture from early years through

education (Garaigordobil & Berrueco, 2011; Stoltz et al., 2015)

Piaget claimed that the main aim of education should be the production of creators and

innovators (Stoltz et al., 2015).

"Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking

rules, making mistakes, and having fun."
Mary Lou Cook

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 Teaching creatively
Teachers are aware of the importance of creativity in early childhood. They play an essential

role in fostering creativity because students development of creative skills will depend on teachers

view of creativity. They should modelling creative abilities by using innovative strategies to deliver

the classes (Gözen, 2017). They must also provide the conditions and resources to children easily

feel confident and free to play and be creative (Garaigordobil & Berrueco, 2011).

Teachers should be creative in order to promote student learning, cognitive development

and future academic success. Creativity based teaching methodologies helps children to understand

the world around them, gain flexibility, imagination and problem-solving (Saeideh et al., 2016).

Smith (1996) highlighted three important aspects of fostering creativity in a preschool

classroom:

 Adult attitudes: Teachers should have an attitude of trust and flexibility that children

are able to make decisions, engage in activities, and self regulate without too much

adult imposition. Teachers have to help and encourage children to try new things to

have significant learning.

 Classroom atmosphere: An environment relaxed and respectful where creativity is

supported and encouraged. An atmosphere where it is acceptable to take risks,

make mistakes, and solve problems—an unstructured environment with moderate

rules.

 Children's activities and materials: Facilitated strategies and ways of thinking, open-

ended activities that capture children interest.

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 Play,Creativity & Learning
Play is one of the best activity to promote creativity and imagination (Saeideh et al., 2016).

Play is a valuable opportunity to develop creativity. (Smith, 1996)

Cognitive development is a creative process, the way in which a person reconstruct reality

through interaction with the world enabling to construct the knowledge (Stoltz et al., 2015).

Children are creative from the early years in their own way of expression, through play and

experimentation with the world and society (Glăveanu, 2011)

Vygotsky claimed that the early manifestations of creativity are revealed in childrens' play

(Ayman‐Nolley, 1992).

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 Play

Lego as a creative resource

Conclusions
Although the importance of creativity is acknowledged, creativity behaviours o expressions

are sometimes discouraged. Teachers feel pressured by the system, standards and unmanageable

class size (Rinkevich, 2011).

Teachers sometimes find it challenging to balance between cover the content and play-

based learning.

Teachers have to value creativity to arrange the appropriate environment to foster

children's creativity (Eckhoff, 2011).

Creativity is developed through the life cycle. However, researchers have been focused only

on one point in time. The accumulated experiences enrich creativity, and creative products o ideas

became more complex and valuables in adulthood (Ayman‐Nolley, 1992).

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