In the process of raising our children, we have read several valuable parenting guides and are sharing here a summary of the key ideas and practices worth promoting on this journey. An interesting aspect is that some experts question the term ‘quality time’ and shorten it simply to ‘time’. So if the word ‘quality’ bothers you — feel free to skip it! Just spend as much TIME with your children as possible!
Quality time without expensive toys
What matters most during time spent with a child is attention, presence, and shared discovery. Toys merely support these moments — it is the adult’s engagement that determines the ‘quality’ of these moments. Building blocks work perfectly here, as they encourage cooperation and natural learning.
Why do simple toys strengthen relationships?
Closeness and dialogue do not require costly items. Building together allows a parent to respond to a child’s emotions and strengthens their sense of security. Blocks provide space for creating stories and spontaneous ideas, which deepen the relationship.
Learning through play
Blocks develop thinking, imagination, and planning skills, and they also teach how to cope with emotions that arise during the building process (note: things don’t always work out — sometimes a structure collapses and needs to be rebuilt). The presence of a parent helps manage and understand these emotions.
Building blocks and self-confidence
The process of building strengthens a child’s sense of agency — every decision produces a visible result. Adult support turns failures into learning experiences rather than sources of discouragement.
The role of the adult
What matters most is interest and companionship, not a perfect outcome. When a structure collapses, you can talk about frustration and anger (note: sometimes you might even get hit by a block!). When the build succeeds, pride and joy appear. Shared play allows adults to notice areas where a child excels and those that can be further strengthened.
Why expensive toys are unnecessary
Complex gadgets (and unfortunately, large boxed sets) impose a specific way of playing. Loose blocks do the opposite — they allow children to create a world based on their own ideas. As a result, imagination grows and shared building strengthens your bond. It’s worth noting that the simplest block sets often provide more fun than large sets that end up sitting on a shelf collecting dust. We hope Brikido will be an inspiration here for you — a post on this topic will be coming soon.
Meta title: Why building blocks support quality time with children and learning through play
Meta description: Discover how building blocks help build the parent–child relationship, support emotional development, and show that quality time with children doesn’t require expensive toys.