Ronan is my builder. He prefers to work out his ideas with sculptures, cut-up paper pieces, wood blocks, and LEGOs. He is learning the process and realizing how to connect a set of pieces to make a particular object. (And, he is reading the instructions completely on his own...)
The helicopter below is a treasured gift from Aunt Randi. And, this one also came with instructions and a lot of tiny LEGOs. It required a bit of help from Joey. Also, it lives on top of the stereo so that baby brother doesn't smash it to pieces in his playing.
I didn't realize that this little helicopter was in the general LEGO instruction booklet because he just showed it to me one day. I was still duly impressed with his ability to look at the instructions and make it. I think it helped that we started him with these blocks. (In Montessori, you work from large and concrete to small and abstract).
And, of course, his own creations - complete with a covered truck bed to house all of the impossibly small tools his tiny LEGO man might need.
And, finally, the Duplos are still finding a lot of love here. We have gotten more each year since Calum's birth and it is the perfect "toy" for all of us to work together. Calum enjoys building very high towers while the rest of us work on some specific structure or object. This time, Ronan and Daddy created a zoo. Ronan's idea.
To your left is the largest snake in the world...blue and yellow stripes. No, it's not an anaconda (I asked), but there are two babies next to it. One has already gotten a blue stripe, the other is still awaiting his (or hers). Joey made those.
But, Ronan made these two animals. And, no zoo is complete without a zebra and a camel. Um, at least in the zoos we've been to...
