"Play as the Ultimate Lesson" - Igniting the Thinking Skills of a 3-Year-Old: How to Use LEGO and Everyday Conversations

A recent study by Florida International University (FIU) demonstrated through eye-tracking that children aged 3 to 7 can solve puzzles using the same "mental rotation" strategy as adults, which involves rotating the entire object at once. Spatial reasoning is a predictor of STEM skills and reading comprehension, and supporting it in early childhood with blocks, puzzles, and **spatial language (such as above, below, corner, big, far, etc.)** is effective. The research was conducted in collaboration with a science museum, and there is hope for its application in classroom tools and educational guidelines in the future. On social media, there has been a positive response from educational and parenting communities, and the practice of "talking play" is recommended for families.