A classic childhood toy has been linked to performing well at third level

No matter where you grew up or what you enjoyed doing as a child, it seems everyone loved Lego as a kid.

The colourful blocks are brilliant in their simplicity - they offer the chance to create whatever you want and so provide hours upon hours of entertainment. It's even thought that Lego could have something to do with performing well later in life. A study of the graduates at some of the most prestigious universities in Japan has found that many of them played with Lego as children. The high achievers in the study were surveyed about their play habits in childhood and what they enjoyed doing, reports Geek.com. Six in ten of the grads said they played with Lego as kids, with 92 per cent of these saying they preferred to design and build things from scratch rather than follow instructions. When asked about how they think they benefitted from Lego, the grads said the toy helped to develop their spatial organization, creativity and concentration skills. These and other benefits of Lego have long been understood in the world of education. Playing with the bricks also helps a child's motor skills, said Arina Aktova at The Scots College in Sydney, one of Australia's most prestigious schools. "Children practise dexterity as they connect Lego pieces of different sizes and shapes," she writes. "This requires different amounts of pressure to assemble and becomes a wonderful exercise for little fingers which supports children in being able to control the pressure they apply while writing." Playing with Lego can also boost things like problem-solving and teamwork skills, she said.