Tell Mega Bloks the ways you make learning fun for your children - £300 voucher to be won NOW CLOSED

[JustineBMumsnet]

There’s no doubt that your children think playing is great fun, but they might not always feel quite the same about learning. Mega Bloks would like to hear about the games you play with your children that might sneakily teach them things they’ll need to know in the future, or the techniques you’ve developed to make learning fun for your children.

Here’s what Mega Bloks have to say: “Every parent wants what’s best for their children. They want to build them up, and so do we at Mega Bloks. The block scooping wagon helps your DC reach important physical milestones, such as developing balance, co-ordination and motor skills. In stacking tall towers, children learn to develop their creativity. In telling stories with characters, they’re exploring their imaginations. And in building make-believe worlds where they can be the hero, they’re also building up the confidence to be anything!”

See the Mega Bloks block scooping wagon in action below:

So, whether you pretend to be at the supermarket and teach them how to count change or get them to learn about road signs while playing with cars, share your ways of getting your child to enjoy learning, or to make playing educational for their future.

All those who post a comment below will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 Toys R Us voucher.

Thanks, and good luck with the prize draw!

MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs Apply

[LifeIsGhoulish]

When dc were reluctant to write, we did spellings with chalk on the patio, or with water and paintbrush on the walls. Worked a treat!

[LadyFuchsiaGroan]

Trying to teach a small excitable child anything can be so annoying, the best way of learning I think is through playing. We spend a lot of time playing shops (counting money, naming items) or playing doctors (listing body parts).

Starting to teach my dd how to recognise and start writing letters so we play lots of games and practice writing with different things - pencils, sand even an etch a sketch. Dd has just pulled out her mega blocks she has the bus set and a lot of the blocks have alphabet stickers so she can practice recognising letters and even attempt to build words.

[VioletRoar]

Playing is the best way for any child to learn. E.g.-blocks for council etc.

I found buying comics and magazines helped my reluctant reader.

[NickyEds]

I've found singing nursery rhymes has helped my ds learn to talk.

[CMOTDibbler]

When ds was a reluctant writer, I used to get him to write the menu plan for that week (including his pack lunches) and the shopping list for that. He wanted to make sure he got the food he wanted, so would write it!

[princessladylou]

I find the bath is a good place to help my lb learn. I try and have a theme each week for the bath. ATM I've cut out all sorts of shapes in different colour foam and we are sticking them to the walls to make a picture of the sea and it's creatures - we use a circle and a few triangles to create a star fish

[Belmo]

We've been doing maths with grapes - dd finds it easier to understand visually and gets to eat them at the end!

[unadulterateddad]

DS (10) loves fantasy roleplaying games, so as part of the game I invent puzzles using maths and spelling challenges - he's not yet worked out what i'm doing and keeps asking for more puzzles!

[purplepandas]

Try and make sums out of real things (visible) and also fun things. Recipes are good for learning how to weigh/measure/add and the children love baking so this helps!

[Pinkangel23]

We do maths 'challenges' with DS at bath time. I give him mixed mental maths sums and if he gets so many right he gets a bronze award then silver, gold and platinum. We also play schools where we will do geography and reading together mixed in with fun. With baby DD we do song time most days and she's learning simple actions like clapping her hands.

[TheFlounder]

I try and incorporate as much real life in to learning as I can. Counting the stairs we climb, sweeping up, sorting laundry. I also encourage independent play as a way to learn at his own pace and around his own interests.

[Leopardearth22]

Find their best game, join in the game, then try to put learning into the game for DC to willing to take them on.

I also found sticker chart works wonders!

[Anononoo]

Never pressurise, just extend the conversation when you can, in amusing and playful,ways. Role play is really good for this.

[PurpleCrazyHorse]

We use an old washing up bottle filled with water to draw on the patio slabs, a really fun way of practicing letter formations.

[ohfourfoxache]

Ds is only 20 months, but we've started counting to 5. Each time we do it, I hold up my own fingers and move his hand to copy. So far we've got to 2 fingers extended then as soon as I get to 5 his whole hand stretches out with all 5 digits extended. It's so cute! (He's also mastered "1 more" by holding his index finger up and flashing a cheeky grin!)

Sorry, got a bit carried away there, not boasting but I'm shocked at how quickly he's growing up

[Disabrie22]

I sneakily teach my children by talking like a poem all the time - I fill every sentence with description and make sure I never describe the everyday in an ordinary way. I also vary daily descriptions they have a different way of seeing the same object or environment.

[CopperPan]

Role play is lots of fun and has so many ways to learn - pretending to cook in their toy kitchen, playing shops or cafes helps with communication skills and maths.

[foxessocks]

we get our dd to read us her bedtime story after we just read it. She can't read yet but she can remember what happen the story and tell us and use the pictures to help.

[trilbydoll]

DH and DD play doctors a lot and the ailment is always something in her arm or leg that requires counting out - last time I think there were 25 mice in her elbow

[HerRoyalFattyness]

Playing is the best way for children to learn. We do lots of counting (how many blocks in the tower, how many stairs, how many puddles can you jump in?)
We talk about what colour things are (oh look at the pretty red ladybird, that's a fantastic yellow drawing) and lots of role play. We play I spy in the street. So I spy a triangle and the children have to find the triangle etc, or I spy colours. Talking to them lots about anything and everything.

[asuwere]

I find kids learn so much while playing without realising - often I'm teaching without realising too! Just everyday things like counting steps/bricks/grapes etc, chatting in shops, helping measure when baking, singing songs, reading books.

[redbook]

Everything I do with DS aged 3 is related to learning (I sound like a fun mum, eh?). Playing with cars - lets count them, drive on the left side of the road, park on the letter "c" etc. In a cafe - lets describe people, eye spy, chat about his day, count coins. Reading stories - point out words, new things in pictures. Making meals - age appropriate helping such as dividing things in bowls, picking out ingredients, following a recipe.

[tooneedyme]

Learning through play mostly and activity books with stickers and dot to dots, mazes etc

[atupri]

I've found playing Mega blocks or Legos has helped my ds learn to talk.

[kateandme]

recognising the colour of the cars. how many of certain colours we pass
counting out how many piece of chocolate her bar is into.or how many potatoes she wants.
when we get ready for tea.how to lay table and what left and right. whats the spelling of her name. her pets name.my name.
when we dress.its one red sock.one blue t-shirt.
jenga she loves that and it helps balance hehe
playing charades.or miming.
we have the picture snap cards.and then she spells the picture like c-a-t
just make it fun.if shes not in the mood don't push it.
if shes in a fuss I aks her how to spell tantrum haha it works sometimes!
counting the stairs.
out and about what things are.trees leaves.what colours.how many.