A couple of weeks ago, Kerry called me up and asked if the boys would be interested in inheriting some of the Lego she and her brother had when they were kids. Her parents are moving and got tired of storing it in their basement. (I wish my parents had kept more of our childhood toys – I could pay for the boys’ college educations by selling some of the stuff we had in the 1970s and 1980s that has since become collectors items.) Of course I said yes, and shortly thereafter Kerry showed up at the house with two huge bins of vintage 80s Lego bits, mostly comprising the cool space sets with the micro-tiny pieces.
The boys LOVED it! They had been playing with the duplo blocks for a while, especially (of course) the Thomas the Tank Engine sets, and Simon has recently re-discovered the joy of towers with MegaBlocks, so I had an idea they’d enjoy the Lego, but even I was surprised how much they loved it. Tristan liked the building, and Simon liked the little figures.
I’m thinking of all this today because there have been a couple of stories in the news lately about Lego. There were reports of a Lego shortage in Europe, but the Citizen reassured readers this morning that there will be plenty of the popular toy available in North America this Christmas. And then there was another story about a 34 year old Ottawa resident and member of the Adult Fans of Lego club (snicker) who owns a quarter million pieces of Lego with an approximate value of $27,000. And then, of course, there’s the uber-cool Lego Factory, where you can design your own creation and then custom order the right bricks to build it.
All this to say that Lego must be number one on the list of universally-loved toys. I don’t know anybody who didn’t play with it as a kid – nor do I know many grown-ups who can resist joining in when a bucket gets dumped on the floor. What else would be on your list of universally appealing toys? Bubbles and marbles definitely have a place of honour. Crayons, markers and sidewalk chalk? What else?
Playdough! Who doesn’t love playing with it?!? Now, cleaning it out of your carpet, or trying to get it out of the heel of your sock is another story.
And slinkies… how can you resist?
Playdough! Who doesn’t love playing with it?!? Now, cleaning it out of your carpet, or trying to get it out of the heel of your sock is another story.
And slinkies… how can you resist?
We had Lego as kids, tons of it. We handed it off to a family who had 3 little boys and my brother and I were in high school.
The collection has now been returned to us (since those 3 little boys are all now in their twenties) and it has tripled in size. It’s huge.
I find though, I always end up making what they want, I think it is still a little too small for my guys to figure out? Who cares…one day I rest assured it will be well enjoyed.
We had Lego as kids, tons of it. We handed it off to a family who had 3 little boys and my brother and I were in high school.
The collection has now been returned to us (since those 3 little boys are all now in their twenties) and it has tripled in size. It’s huge.
I find though, I always end up making what they want, I think it is still a little too small for my guys to figure out? Who cares…one day I rest assured it will be well enjoyed.
Ditto on the playdough.
And I had an on-going love affair with a water table at my nursery school–based on my daughter’s playing in the sink I think she is the same.
Ditto on the playdough.
And I had an on-going love affair with a water table at my nursery school–based on my daughter’s playing in the sink I think she is the same.
We are amassing quite a collection of legos ourselves…. My son LOVES playing with them, and so does my husband. There are two big StarWars Lego kits hidden in my laundry room for Christmas with one more to come.
And now that my son has graduated from his first flight, he wants to fly to California to visit LegoLand!
We are amassing quite a collection of legos ourselves…. My son LOVES playing with them, and so does my husband. There are two big StarWars Lego kits hidden in my laundry room for Christmas with one more to come.
And now that my son has graduated from his first flight, he wants to fly to California to visit LegoLand!
Jump ropes, hula hoops, wooden blocks, ditto on the playdough and water play, dollhouse (the basic type–nothing that talks or beeps)……I could go on forever. 🙂
Jump ropes, hula hoops, wooden blocks, ditto on the playdough and water play, dollhouse (the basic type–nothing that talks or beeps)……I could go on forever. 🙂
I wanna play with the Playdoh too!! Especially if it’s from a “fresh” can! 🙂
Also… plasticine, Dominoes – for knocking down, games like Operation & Kerplunk, hula hoops, slinkies, kaleidescopes….and yes, Lego.
I wanna play with the Playdoh too!! Especially if it’s from a “fresh” can! 🙂
Also… plasticine, Dominoes – for knocking down, games like Operation & Kerplunk, hula hoops, slinkies, kaleidescopes….and yes, Lego.
Just the other week, I received in the mail a Lego catalog! I had so much fun looking through it with Angry Boy. I always loved Legos as a kid. I hope my kids will enjoy them as much as I did (and still do, honestly!).
Just the other week, I received in the mail a Lego catalog! I had so much fun looking through it with Angry Boy. I always loved Legos as a kid. I hope my kids will enjoy them as much as I did (and still do, honestly!).
Skipping ropes! Who didn’t like those?! Even the boys at my school used to join in.
Skipping ropes! Who didn’t like those?! Even the boys at my school used to join in.
My husband LOVES Lego! I get him new lego sets for every gift-giving occasion. This year, he’s getting the Ferrari Formula One garage set to go with the Ferrari Formula One racecar he got last year….lol! He desperately wants the Star Wars death star set, but that’s quite pricey…also the Lego Mindstorm NXT, which apparantly is robotic and can be programmed on the computer. I love my geek of a husband! 🙂
My husband LOVES Lego! I get him new lego sets for every gift-giving occasion. This year, he’s getting the Ferrari Formula One garage set to go with the Ferrari Formula One racecar he got last year….lol! He desperately wants the Star Wars death star set, but that’s quite pricey…also the Lego Mindstorm NXT, which apparantly is robotic and can be programmed on the computer. I love my geek of a husband! 🙂
Andrea Gordon just had a good post on toys with staying power (nostalgia toys).
Have a look here: http://thestar.blogs.com/parenting/2006/11/another_dose_of.html
Andrea Gordon just had a good post on toys with staying power (nostalgia toys).
Have a look here: http://thestar.blogs.com/parenting/2006/11/another_dose_of.html