Legos are a plaything most of us identify with our childhood. Those little plastic bricks were the best toys any kid could have and they provided years of enjoyment.
While most of us associate the word Lego (Danish for “play well”) with childhood, a growing number of adults admit they “play well” . . . well into their thirties, forties, fifties and beyond. They’ve even got their own acronym: AFOL’s (Adult Fans of Legos).
AFOL’s express their LEGO love in special ways: building replicas of the Star Wars millennium Falcon, the Empire State Building, or creating massive micro-cities using the tiny colourful plastic bricks.
Back in 1998, LEGO was one of the original toys to be inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame, and there are good reasons why. In a way, Legos can be seen as the iconic “building blocks” of so many people’s childhoods all over the world. Even if you never loved Legos, you definitely know what they are.
Lego has changed over the years. When you were a kid you bought a big box of Lego and all it included was a variety of coloured bricks. Now Lego comes in every colour you can imagine, different sizes (Lego Duplo for young children) and a variety of themes and collections for varying ages. Today you can buy a small box of Lego and it is just a small part of a larger theme. Each year, a new branded theme comes out or additions to existing themes, your collections can continue to grow for years to come.
Here are some LEGO Facts that will make you want to break out the bricks again.
- A Lego brick from 1958 would still interlock with a Lego brick made today.
- The nation of minifigures would hold the record for the world’s largest population (if they were humans, of course).
- Someone built a real house made entirely out of Lego. In 2009 a man from Great Britain and 1000 volunteers constructed a full size Lego house, using 3.3 million bricks.
- Lego Duplo bricks can connect with regular Lego bricks.
- The world’s largest Lego tower contains over 500, 000 bricks and stands 11 stories high.
- There are artists that sculpt exclusively from Legos.
- The largest commercially produced Lego set is the Taj Majal, the set contains over 5, 900 pieces.
- There is a good reason why stepping on a piece of Lego hurts. Lego bricks are the most durable toys in the Toy Hall of Fame. A pair of scientists built a repetitive motion machine and didn’t see and breakage on a typical brick until 37, 112 snaps had been completed.
The Lego phenomenon has inspired movies, comic books, home made movies, children’s robotic programs, video games and LEGOLAND theme parks – including the LEGOLAND Discovery Centre in Toronto. The Lego experience is truly a family affair.
Break out the Lego any try out some of these 75+ Lego ideas, tips and hacks.