The Danish phrase ‘leg godt,’ which means ‘play well,’ is where the name Lego came from. And, this, indeed, is an apt name for a toy that’s made many children, young and old, extremely happy for almost a century now.
The creator of Lego, Danish carpenter Ole Kirk Christiansen, began making wooden bricks in 1932. But, in 1949, he created the first plastic brick you now use today. Since then, the growth of Lego as one of the leading toy makers in the world has become unprecedented. In 2020, their revenue reached USD$7.2 billion. Many remarked that even with the pandemic, Lego sustained its growth and seemed unperturbed.
Today, there are so many Lego building sets available. The company has collaborated with the best brands to ensure that they satisfy Lego users of all ages. There is a Lego for Star Wars fans, race car enthusiasts, Potterheads, Marvel aficionados, Nintendo gamers, Minecraft players, Disney lovers, and even plant enthusiasts! The company has probably covered all bases and partnered with everyone’s favorites, so no kids or adults get left behind. If you wish to get the best Lego sets, check out stores like Hobbyco.
It’s not only kids who love to play with Lego; even adults sprawl on the floor and scramble to complete various sets and feel their hearts swell with pride whenever they accomplish one perfectly. It’s safe to say that Lego appeals to builders of all ages, and here are the reasons why:
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It Reignites Childhood Memories
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Kids who grew up in the 70s and 80s can travel down memory lane and remember those times they watched Star Wars at the drive-in theater as they attempt to build the Imperial Star destroyer. Kids from the 90s, meanwhile, can marvel at the amazing dinosaurs they saw in Jurassic World while making the scene where the T. rex broke out of the fence.
Older adults who lived in much older decades can be mesmerized by building classic vintage cars, such as the Ford Mustang 10265, the exact replica Ford developed. What’s great about this building set is that it has movable car parts, and you can see the detailed interior. It’s as realistic as you can get. No car racing enthusiast will be able to resist this thing of beauty once completed.
It Challenges One’s Skills
Complicated building sets make kids and adults excited to compete with each other. Some even make it a race and add a prize to level up the competition. The more complex the set, the higher the stake is for adults who love the challenge of building complicated Lego sets.
Lego sets, such as the architectural kits of Marina Bay Sands, and one of the world’s wonders, the Pyramid of Giza, dare many builders to level up their skills and devise a plan to smartly beat the competition.
It Brings Families Together
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What’s more fun in building a complicated Lego set is building it with the ones you love. Kids who get encouragement from their parents and siblings exert more effort and give their best to contribute to building the project together. Parents find that this is a worthwhile bonding activity for the family.
Seeing the sense of triumph once a set is completed and taking snapshots for posterity will make any parent proud of their children. Doing this even once a month can give many families great memories to cherish in time.
Inspires Child-Like Wonder
The oohs and aahs of seeing a new Lego set launched is a true testament to the magical effect of the brand on people of all ages. And, this can be further validated by the vast crowd every Legoland amusement park receives daily. The fun and inspirational feeling simple bricks bring to everyone interacting with them is surprisingly impressive. Even if you’re already in your 40s, you feel like you’re a child once again.
Sharpens The Intellect And Problem Solving Skills
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It’s not just kids who get smarter while playing with bricks. Adults can also develop problem-solving and tactical skills that they can use in their current job or profession. Kids and adults who play with bricks use their spatial reasoning skills, which is crucial in harnessing their cognitive skills.
This also helps them navigate the intricacies of how the blocks work together. They can also identify the challenges and employ various strategies to make things work to their advantage. Complicated building sets, like the aviation and war model kits, can significantly help sharpen the intellectual faculties of kids and adults.
It Can Be A Stress Reliever
Playing with Lego can be a stress reliever. Adults who want a break from their corporate job because of burnout can dive into building Lego sets to take their minds away from the rigors of their day jobs.
Any form of play can help take the mind off stress and worry. But, with Lego, it’s been called Zen, in the shape of a brick. Building Lego sets has become a meditative practice for many, and it’s helped reduce the stress and anxiety of many people. Building something allows one to focus on the present, which helps them practice mindfulness and forget about life’s challenges, even for a brief moment.
For many, Lego has become therapeutic and helped them achieve a better sense of wellbeing. Getting lost in a sea of bricks and creating something magnificent can help replace the feeling of anxiety and melancholy for many struggling to cope with their emotions.
For kids, it also allows them to focus on one thing at a time, as well as improve their attention span.
Conclusion
Playing isn’t just for kids. The wonders of playing with Lego bricks are something irreplaceable in the lives of children and adults of many generations. It’s a toy that’s transcended many historical events, wars, and pandemics included.
The fascination with Lego will never waver anytime soon. If at all, it’ll strengthen as the company becomes even more innovative and experimental with its approach. Lego will continue to fascinate the kid and adult builders of this planet.
