For the love of LEGO

ANY PARENT knows the value of a good toy…priceless.  These are the toys with the highest playing value; they can keep one child or even several children occupied for hours, endure wear and tear and grow with your kids, their paint doesn’t chip, they don’t require new batteries and a recall isn’t issued.  Many toys are fads, all the rage one season but replaced with the ‘newer and better’ toy soon after. When I peer into my toy boxes I notice a trend…it’s the toys that were around when I was a kid that seem to have the most play value. These are toys that have stood the test of time.

LEGO is number one when it comes to toys in this household. These colorful interlocking plastic blocks really top the chart. They don’t take up much space, inspire creativity, problem solving and imagination and they can entertain my children for hours whether working independently on a LEGO ship or filming a LEGO stop motion animation scene or working collaboratively, piecing together an entire village.  I often find myself getting down on the floor alongside them and constructing my own piece (cars are my specialty). The blocks from my childhood still interlock with the blocks from today.

LEGO originated in Denmark in the workshop of Ole Kirk Christiansen in the 1930’s and the name Lego comes from the Danish phrase leg godt, which translates into “play well”. Fitting, in my opinion.  LEGO may not be cheap but it has proven to be worth every cent. And we couldn’t resist adding to our collection on our most recent visit to the Grand Opening of their newest store in Guildford Mall.  What can I say, we all love our LEGO.

Now, don’t get me started on some of the newer girl toy trends. Truth is I used to be opposed to Barbie with her anatomically impossible dimensions; that thin waist, that full perky chest and those tiny feet…but recently I’ve grown to appreciate Barbie. Sweet little Barbie is mild in comparison to similar types of girl dolls who are unfortunately named after unruly children, Bratz or the Monster High dolls fashioned after vampires and zombies etc. These newer dolls are scantily clad in fishnet stockings, colorful bustieres, ultra mini-skirts and not much else save for some caked on make-up.  You think I’m exaggerating but check out your local toy isle.  Yikes! So yah…I’ll take LEGO any day.