Next Stop: Imagination Station
Once upon a time, I swore I
would not be the home overrun by LEGO: too many pieces; a total barefoot
walking hazard; and an edible treat for toddlers and dogs.
Nowadays, I embrace the
insanity. In a world of instant
gratification, short attention spans and electronic overload, LEGO bricks reign
supreme in my house.
It started with my son who
once had the giant pieces, but now lives in a world of teeny LEGO bricks. His afternoons are often spent
imagining, constructing and experiencing his visions. His sister, a loyal sidekick on her good days, takes orders,
and assists in the controlled chaos to that covers the carpet of the
playroom. Little pieces are
everywhere. I often whine, “Can’t
you just put away the ones you’re not using?” To which I hear that they are ALL
going to be used, at some point.
And they almost always are.
What is my favorite thing
about LEGO? No batteries required. No predetermined plan for what will be – all
open ended, all creative challenges, all child-directed. No glowing screens, no
slack jawed, glassy eyed, over stimulated kids. Magic every time.
It turns out that I am not
alone in this. Children around the world spend 5
billion hours a year playing with LEGO® bricks. It turns out that approximately 7 LEGO® sets are sold each
second AND there are about 62 LEGO® bricks for every one of the world's 6
billion inhabitants. What?!
At our house we are
surrounded with the sets that speak to my children’s’ interests: Star Wars,
Ninjago, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Marvel Superheroes, etc. My daughter, who enjoys her Friends
sets still asks for Ninjago themed sets, claiming to really like it, though we
know she’s just trying to win points with her big brother, who she’ll recruit
to build them.
My son quickly builds his
sets – ridiculously quickly. A 700-piece
set on Xmas was completed between breakfast and the arrival of the extended
family midday. It’s almost a chore
to be completed, and there’s no rest until it’s done.
Afterwards, however, when
the original design has been dismantled, is when my son’s real skills kick in.
We’ve watched the videos on the LEGO.com website that describe the engineering
that goes on behind the scenes, and enjoyed seeing small models built full
scale. I see a job in my son’s
future and remind him that math plays a big part here. It’s my job to be a buzz kill, but he
ignores me and asks to watch more videos, especially previews of designs yet to
come.
Last year, the fourth
graders were required to build a model of a monument. Ben built Big Ben, of course, out of wood, glue and other
pieces. But, before he got to the final piece, he first built a mini version
out of LEGO® bricks.
So, when I heard that there
would be a LEGO KidsFest (with a Master Builder Seminar, no less) within
driving distance of our home, I couldn’t resist the chance to take the kids.
On
tour since 2009, previous LEGO KidsFest tour stops have included major cities
such as Chicago, Boston, San Jose, Cleveland, Richmond, Raleigh and more.
Tickets generally sell out and attendance averages 27,000-30,000 visitors at
each venue.
The LEGO
KidsFest national tour stops at the Connecticut Convention
Center in Hartford, CT, December 6-8, 2013, bringing all of the creative
hands-on, minds-on fun of LEGO building and experiences together in this three
acre activity- and entertainment-packed family event for children of all
ages and builders of all skills and interests.
Among the many LEGO attractions, families will
find:
·
LEGO Model Gallery: dozens of life-sized models made entirely from LEGO
bricks
·
LEGO Master Builders: live demonstrations and activities from the crew
who get paid to play
·
Creation Nation: build your own creation to add to a custom map of the U.S.
·
Race Ramps: build your own custom car, then race it down the ramp against friends
and family
·
LEGO Games Arena: roll the dice to play LEGO board games
·
Construction Zones: creative free build, play and display areas
·
LEGO DUPLO®: younger visitors can explore imagination through building
·
LEGO Retail and KidsFest Marketplace: purchase LEGO merchandise and
official KidsFest tour goods
·
Brick Pile: a gigantic pile full of LEGO bricks for creative play and enjoyment
·
Monochromatic Builds: bricks of a single color to foster group
creativity
·
Brickscapes: fantastic displays that combine lots of LEGO and DUPLO sets
·
And much more, covering over 150,000 square feet of space
Seriously, how awesome does
that sound? I am keeping it under
my hat for now, a surprise that is guaranteed to thrill the kids, especially
Ben. There’s actually a caravan of
moms who are all sneaking out early that Friday afternoon to surprise our kids.
I can’t wait to see them soak it all in, get new ideas, and learn from the
best.
We’re so hopping obsessed
with LEGO these days that we’re even surprising the kids with a trip to LEGOLAND
this week. And, I just heard that there is an exhibit in NYC that is famous
works of art recreated in LEGO bricks.
Who knows what we’ll discover tomorrow?
Next week, I will fill you in on our LEGOLAND
adventure, and tell you how you can win your own pair of tickets to the
Friday, December 6 LEGO KidsFest event!
In the meantime, follow me on Twitter to learn crazy cool facts about LEGO, and check out LEGO KidsFest on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.
Based on
sell-out attendance in previous markets, advance ticket purchase is strongly
encouraged.
Five sessions – all identical – and 4 ½
hours in length are available for the Hartford
December 6th – 8th tour stop. LEGO KidsFest tickets
are $20 for adults and $18 for children and can be purchased online at www.LEGOKidsFest.com.
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Full disclosure, I received tickets in exchange for
sharing the news about LEGO KidsFest. My LEGO obsession, opinions and comments are always entirely my own.
Fun Fact: You play with LEGO bricks, not LEGOS or Legos. Write it down kids. (I did.)