Interacting with Mega Bloks
At a young age, children are learning to be more imaginative and cognitive, two attributes that are key to the average child's development. The best way for any toddler to interact with and learn about the space around them is to reach for the toy box. At least, this is what I felt when I had my Mega Bloks by my side when I was younger. This may have to do with the different modes of engagement I had with the blocks: corporeal (body) engagements, cognitive engagements, social familia and social habitus. I will explain the four modes below to explain why I feel that Mega Bloks was an integral item in my childhood experience.
_The corporeal engagements describe how the body interacts with a medium. This is especially easy to understand when it comes to tangible objects, since touching seems to be the most common of the five senses when it comes to toys. It did indeed apply to my Mega Bloks, with the way I stacked them and built creations beyond my imagination, such as towers, chairs, and even a fort.
The cognitive engagements help develop the child mentally for the road ahead. Even the most basic motor skills can be challenging at first, and media such as toys can assist with them, while allowing the child to be more interactive and less passive. In the case of Mega Bloks, I would be able to identify physical characteristics, such as the size and colour of each block. Testing my matching skills was always one thing I would try with the blocks.
The way in which something is incorporated into the family structure is known as the social familia, and attaining this requires the participation of others. This way, the child can form a relationship between themselves and other household members. Growing up with my cousins meant sharing my Mega Bloks with them. I didn't mind that too much - except when I did.
The final approach to engaging with media looks at the social and cultural norms provided to the child within their environment. The social habitus is often dictated according to the child's upbringing and the mentality of the caregiver(s) that facilitate this upbringing. This can extend outside of the home into other institutions such as the school. For instance, I recall seeing another set of Mega Bloks at elementary school. The difference between this set and the one I had at home was the restriction of "play time" allotted for the classroom. I felt that the norms of the home allow for more time to be imaginative.
My attachment to Mega Bloks must have done well for me due to the four forms of engagement listed above that reinforce the desire for imagination and cognitive interaction. I have declared Mega Bloks to be a good medium because of this.
Rating: 9
The cognitive engagements help develop the child mentally for the road ahead. Even the most basic motor skills can be challenging at first, and media such as toys can assist with them, while allowing the child to be more interactive and less passive. In the case of Mega Bloks, I would be able to identify physical characteristics, such as the size and colour of each block. Testing my matching skills was always one thing I would try with the blocks.
The way in which something is incorporated into the family structure is known as the social familia, and attaining this requires the participation of others. This way, the child can form a relationship between themselves and other household members. Growing up with my cousins meant sharing my Mega Bloks with them. I didn't mind that too much - except when I did.
The final approach to engaging with media looks at the social and cultural norms provided to the child within their environment. The social habitus is often dictated according to the child's upbringing and the mentality of the caregiver(s) that facilitate this upbringing. This can extend outside of the home into other institutions such as the school. For instance, I recall seeing another set of Mega Bloks at elementary school. The difference between this set and the one I had at home was the restriction of "play time" allotted for the classroom. I felt that the norms of the home allow for more time to be imaginative.
My attachment to Mega Bloks must have done well for me due to the four forms of engagement listed above that reinforce the desire for imagination and cognitive interaction. I have declared Mega Bloks to be a good medium because of this.
Rating: 9