A Closer Look at Lincoln Logs: An “Oldie but Goodie”
Lincoln Logs is a toy that we all had in our homes when we grew up. While there are many new toys on the market full of bells and whistles, this classic toy is timeless, and offers many educational and therapeutic benefits.
To challenge visual perception skills, such as visual spatial awareness and design copying, replicate the structure in the instructions or a physical model. Building your one-of-a-kind structure, especially one that is planned out, is great to challenge for motor planning (see our glossary of terms) because your child will need to come up with a plan (ideation), sequence the steps to make a sound structure (organization), and then carry out the plan (execution). There are limitless possibilities when you use your creativity.
Although the recommended age is from 3 years, it is difficult for many 3 and 4 year olds to manage the interlocking pieces independently. Lincoln Logs appears to be better suited for the 5-8 years old crew.
The wooden logs are durable and are great for building structures over and over again. Lincoln Logs are available in several different sizes and price ranges. If you purchase a larger set, there will be enough logs and accessories so that more than one child can play simultaneously. All sets come in a container for storage.
Blog written by Aviva Goldwasser, MS, OT and Chaye Lamm Warburg, DPS, OTR, Director of POTS