One of the things you will notice when you attend a Langevin workshop is the variety of toys on the tables. We cover the reasons for using toys in training in several of our workshops such as How Adults Learn, Training 101, and Advanced Instructional Techniques. Using toys in training creates a relaxed atmosphere which helps facilitate learning and supports those learners who like to keep their hands busy while they are learning.
Using toys however, can sometimes prove challenging for many reasons. There are some trainers and learners who find that toys at the table can interfere with their concentration causing them to lose focus. While toys may engage the kinesthetic learners, we don’t want to turn off and distract those participants with other learning preferences and styles. Certain toys can easily take learners off task, because playing with them requires so much attention. Some toys can also be messy such as Silly Putty® which can lead some mischievous participants to stick it everywhere! Those mini yo-yos, while lots of fun require space for physical movement. Then there are pipe cleaners, which can only be used once, or straws that usually end up breaking. Squeeze balls get punctured, and Koosh® Balls simply “develop legs” and disappear. So what’s left? My favorite – Lego®!!
Legos can be fiddled with and tinkered with without causing distraction to those playing with them or others at the table. They are small and provide opportunities for simple or intricate manipulations, easily done so that the learner still pays attention to what is going on in the workshop. They don’t make noise; they’re colorful, compact, and relatively inexpensive, even if someone makes off with a handful. Legos travel well and are virtually unbreakable. They can be run through the dishwasher thereby meeting our heightened need for hygiene. And they can be easily incorporated into icebreakers and learning activities. Finally, just like potato chips, you can’t just take one! They really do help to build conversation, community, and collaboration.
So, the next time you decide to purchase toys for your training, consider toys that have multiple functions, are low maintenance, and don’t pose too many challenges during the training sessions. Just think Lego®!
Langevin Team
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Though I’m not a kinesthetic learner, I enjoyed having legos on the table at the How Adults Learn class. After lunch, say around 2pm, I get a little fidgety no matter how engaging the material! I recall building several lego people while discussing the 6 levels of questions for deeper learning. It helped keep me focused!
Thanks Ken,
I haven’t thought about bringing Lego to those classes. They are light to pack, reusable and creative to “fiddle” with. Thanks for giving me an “Ah-Ha” V-8 moment.