Imua Family Services Introduces Maui to Big Blue Blocks

Big Blue Blocks building implements are set to make their Maui debut at Imua Discovery Garden. The Big Blue Blocks from Imagination Playground are a super-sized combination of Tinker Toys, Legos and Lincoln Logs.

Created by an award-winning architect inspired by his own children’s play, the big foam blocks are a portable playground that can turn any space into a place for learning, social interactions and open-ended play.

Imua leaders say the blocks are a high-quality product able to grow with the children. The loose parts are fantastic for both young and older kids to flex their creative muscles, growing with the creativity and imagination of the users – transforming any space into a playground that encourages children to have so much fun that they don’t realize they have been learning valuable Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math (STEAM) skills the whole time.

The blocks at Imua Discovery Garden will be officially called “Ben’s Big Blue Building Blocks,” named after the son of Shep and Katie Gordon, whose inspired support enabled the purchase and transport of the blocks to the island. Also instrumental in bringing the blocks to Maui was Executive Director Dean Wong, who first encountered Big Blue Blocks at the Kids Space Children’s Museum in Pasadena, California. “My son was five years old at the time, and he enjoyed them immensely. I knew then and there that they would be an amazing addition to the future Imua Discovery Garden.”

“Ben’s Big Blue Building Blocks provide a wonderful opportunity for all of our children to engage in open-ended play,” said Wong. “They give students an opportunity for of self-expression, and the only rule that we have for them is that ‘Big Blue Blocks are for building.’ Through their play, the students are putting into practice many of the things they are learning about the world around them, such as balance and gravity. As children use the blocks to design and construct, they have real opportunities to practice problem solving.”

“With today’s screen-heavy culture, Ben’s Big Blue Building Blocks provide a hands-on alternative that combines creativity as well as fun,” according to Imua leaders. An additional plus is that the Big Blue Blocks are made of biodegradable materials and can be returned to Imagination Playground for recycling.

Initially, Ben’s Big Blue Building Blocks will be available at Imua Discovery Garden for organized playdate activities and special events. The blocks will be available more widely when Imua Discovery Garden is finished with its development phase and ready to open to the public. Preschools and Kindergarten classes coming to the Imua Discovery Garden for field trips will have access to the blocks, as will children enrolled in Imua’s own programs and services.