One Brick at a Time

Legos!!!

I don't think I know anybody who had never played with lego bricks!  They are an institution in schools and playrooms all over the world.  And it all began in Denmark.  In 1932, Ole Kirk Kristiansen, a master carpenter started a company making toys.  The company grew, and with the invention of plastics and injection molding, the iconic lego brick was born.  The privately held company is still owned by the same family, and still based in Denmark, but now their toys are sold in over 130 different countries and they have over 10,000 employees!

Lego bricks have twice been named the "Toy of the Century", and it's not surprising.  Legos are both an open-ended toy, where you are only limited by your imagination, and a goal-oriented toy.  If you buy the lego sets, you must follow the very simple (yet very detailed) directions to finish the project.  There are sets for everything from the Sydney Opera House to the Death Star! 

In our house we have only just graduated from the big legos (duplos?) to the smaller size.  I just wasn't ready to have all those teeny-tiny little pieces everywhere.  But the latest round of birthdays have brought us a few new sets- and now the kids are hooked!  So, of course, a trip to the Lego Store was in order!! 

Field Trip!!!!!

I had no idea how many different products there were at a Lego Store! The kids were in heaven, and quite honestly, I thought it was pretty awesome too! 











They had bins and bins of blocks and figures for the kids to play with.  They had already assembled sets displayed and, of course, they had lots of sets for sale.  Honestly, I kind of dislike the sets.  I think it takes the creativity away from the child.  I'd much rather have a big ol' bin of bricks and figures and let them make up their own creations.  Sure, it's probably not going to look like the Taj Mahal when they are done, but you know what? It might be pretty darn close. 

We had a ball at the Lego Store, the employees were so nice and even gave me a little magazine and a poster.  They seemed to really enjoy their jobs and every customer who walked in had a big smile on their face.  What a nice place to work.


 

Who knew little plastic bricks could make people so happy.