Lego 'like building flat-plan furniture'

CHILDREN face the same mental challenges when building Lego models as adults do when assembling flat-pack furniture.

A study, carried out at the University of Derby, looked at the way children built a series of models using Lego bricks.

The work aimed to show how a greater understanding of the way children approach construction tasks could help boost their development in maths and science.

The study suggested four factors played a part in assessing how easy or hard children found it to complete models.

Dr Miles Richardson said the research could help educators and developmental psychologists identify then take measures to help children who might struggle academically. "Construction tasks can be linked to achievement in maths and science," he said.

"Given the breadth of construction from infants' play using things like Lego, to adults building self-assembly products, the lack of understanding of its development is surprising."