Lessons Learned From Magna-Tiles

Abstract

Have you ever built a spaceship using Magna-Tiles with a 4-year-old child? If not, place this on the top of your to-do list, as there are many lessons hidden within these colorful pieces of plastic. In addition to teaching patience and cooperation, the process of building with a preschooler with big emotions and an underdeveloped prefrontal cortex offers endless opportunities to serve as both a safe haven and a secure base. As each tile is carefully (or not so carefully) placed, you are building more than just a misshapen spaceship; you are reinforcing a foundation of trust and mutual respect. In helping my own 4-year-old daughter build a unicorn-themed spaceship that resembled a tug boat, I cringed when she placed the final tile that would collapse our creative masterpiece. Much to my surprise, instead of disappointment and tears, she erupted into laughter and began the process of building all over again. She reminded me that joy can come from an experience rather than an outcome, that creativity and imagination should be sprinkled daily into the work we do, and that not every spaceship is destined to be out of this world!