Associations and Indirect Effects Between LEGO® Construction and Mathematics Performance

There is a known relationship between LEGO® construction ability and mathematics performance, yet the mechanisms which drive this relationship are largely unknown. This study investigated the spatial mechanisms underlying this association, and whether this differs for concrete vs. digital construction. Children aged 7-9 years (N=358) completed spatial and mathematics tasks, and either a concrete or digital Lego construction task. Mediation analyses examining direct and indirect pathways (through spatial skills) between Lego construction ability and mathematics explained 8.2% to 26.5% of variance in mathematics scores. Exploratory moderated mediation analyses revealed that only the indirect path through mental rotation differed between Lego conditions. Findings are discussed in relation to: theories of spatial-numerical associations; and consideration of Lego training, for mathematics improvement.