Little Brick Detectives: Look, Find and Build!
To a grown up, it might look like a pile of colourful bricks. To a child, it could be everything they need to build a boat, a flower or a house. But how do they work out which pieces to choose?
Our picture challenges are a fun way to turn that brick pile into a detective mission at home! By looking closely, spotting clues and finding matching pieces, children can recreate the designs one brick at a time.
Using out build it break areas on our street!
Search for the clues
Start by exploring your chosen picture together. What colours can your child see? Which pieces are long or short? Where might they begin?
Then it is time to search the pile! Finding the right piece means looking at more than its colour. A brick might be yellow, but is it the right size and shape for the space? Picking up pieces, comparing them and choosing between them gives children opportunities to practise sorting, matching and noticing detail.
Try asking, “Can you find a piece that looks like this one?” or “How many blue bricks do you think we need?”
Piece the puzzle together
As their creation takes shape, encourage your child to look back at the picture. The flower’s petals sit above its stem, the boat’s sail sits above its hull and the house’s roof gets narrower towards the top.
Talking about what goes above, below and beside each piece helps children explore position while working out how everything fits together.
If something looks different, give them time to investigate. Can they spot a missing brick or a piece that needs moving? Checking, changing and trying again are all part of solving the puzzle.
Make the most of your brick pile
You do not need every piece to be an exact match. If you cannot find a long brick, could two smaller ones do the same job? If there are no pink pieces, what other colour could the flower be?
These little adaptations are another chance to think creatively. Grown ups can help by asking questions, searching for pieces and letting their little detective lead the way.
Choose a picture , gather your bricks and get building. Which challenge will your little detective solve first?
