Archive for the 'Uncategorized' Category

Lego as an Inspiration in Learning and Building

Wednesday, February 24th, 2010

The name LEGO was coined from two Danish words “leg godt”, which means “play well”. It has been the company’s name and ideal since it was founded in 1932 by Ole Kirk Christiansen. From a humble beginning being a small carpenter’s workshop, it is now the world’s fifth manufacturer of toys owned by one of the founder’s grandchildren, Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen.

The purpose of the LEGO Group has always been to inspire children to explore and challenge their own creativity. By providing building toys that encourage children to engage in fun, challenging, creative activities, LEGO intends to help them learn through play. This kind of playtime supports the child’s imagination and problem-solving skills while giving a pride of accomplishment and developing their interpersonal and motor skills. The toy also caters to everyone – from toddlers, schoolchildren, teenagers, and even young-at-hearts” – making it a good bonding instrument for families.

Throughout its almost 80 years in the business, LEGO has already established its reputation of providing high quality toy materials. Their products have undergone extensive developments but the foundation is still rooted to the traditional LEGO bricks. The bricks, as designed since the start of the business, are made to interlock with each other to provide unlimited building possibilities as long as the imagination gets going.

After two very difficult years, as in the case for almost every business suffering from the world’s economic crisis, the latest accounts of LEGO demonstrate that it is already back on track. They will continue to produce brick toys while trying to explore possible innovations. In the age when electronic toys are alarmingly getting the attention of kids, it will be tough for traditional toys to compete in the market. The primary purpose of LEGO remains, to supply the children of the world with good and healthy play to prepare them for the challenges of real life.

This Year’s Hottest Lego Toys for Kids (and Adults)

Wednesday, February 24th, 2010

LEGO, known makers of build-and-brick toys and everything Lego, introduces a new line of action-packed toy sets for 2010. Below is the list of the freshly launched toy sets for the new year where a variety is offered for your kids’ preference.

LEGO Ben 10 Alien Force Swamp Fire

The new LEGO Ben 10 Alien Force Swamp Fire is an immensely strong hero whose hands are able to shoot fire and whose damaged limb heal on itself in an instant. LEGO’s adaptation of this character presents a toy that is buildable by children with ages of five years and up. It features eyes that glow in the dark and a chest that has the Omnitrix symbol. Collect all six models and experience an enjoyable play time with your kids!

LEGO Toy Story Woody and Buzz Lightyear Rescue

A set that includes Buzz Lightyear with a Rocket, Woody, and a buidable RC, this Disney adaptation of LEGO is sure to tickle the funny bones of your kids. Watch your kids’ faces be smeared with total fun and entertainment as they see RC The Car takes off when pulled back, or as Buzz Lightyear flies with the Big One Rocket!

LEGO Star Wars Trifighter Droid

The LEGO Star Wars Trifighter Drois is a 268-piece set of action packed fights and battle that your boys would surely boast to his classmates and friends. These robots and droids are for children aged 5 – 11 years. The set is LEGO’s offer for children and collectors for 2010 as a follow-up to the 2005 Star Wars Trifighter Droid release. This new set presents a huge improvement with regard to key features and sizes. Grab one set for your kid and join him in an endless battle for world domination.

LEGO Bionicle Stars – Takanuva

Another LEGO masterpiece for 2010 is the LEGO Bionicle Stars – Takunava. This 21-piece set includes Bionicle Hero Takunava, his Mask of Light and body armore, with Golden Bionicle parts that are buidable by kids from ages six and up. Get the new Takunava set for your kid and let him experience optimum action in the comfort of your home!

Lego Wear

Tuesday, February 16th, 2010

The Lego Group is famous for making toy blocks that can be used to build houses, helicopters, castles, playgrounds, anything you can think of. However, it also has an entirely different range of products meant exclusively for children and that doesn’t only pertain to the Danish building blocks.

In 1993, the Lego Group released the first range of Lego Wear. Lego Wear is a line of clothing for active boys and girls of ages 0 to 12 years old. The collections in this line are especially designed based on the development of children at different ages.

Because the clothes are meant for kids, Lego Wear follows a unique set of values. The first one is fun. The designs of Lego Wear clothing especially in the color choices are catchy and charming and they incorporate images and graphic features normally found in Lego toys. The second value is function. Lego Wear made dressing and undressing easy for children. Because children learn different things at different ages, Lego Wear integrated features that are specific to a child’s age along with zipper straps, push buttons, hook buttons, and other buttons that are easy to handle. Lego Wear clothes also aim to encourage and inspire children to do things for themselves. Lego Wear calls it playful learning. The third value is quality, not just quality of the finish product but quality from the raw materials up to the smallest details. This is to ensure that Lego clothes will be able to survive even the most active kinds of play, everyday use, and washing. The materials used are also dependent on the age. The last value is comfort. Because most children love to explore, the clothes they wear should allow them to freely do so.

Since it first came out, Lego Wear has released a wide variety of collections, from back-to-school outfits to season wardrobes, and they are available in over 20 European countries.

Lego Literary Greats

Saturday, January 2nd, 2010

Looking back into history is important, not only for every nation but for the world as a whole. Looking back to where we came from is a good way to not make the same mistakes all over again. Literature is part of history, of what is happening around the globe in a certain time period where fictional characters revolved around in.
Lego creator and artist Jamie Spencer has helped us remember literary greats through Lego. Spencer’s Lego Mark Twain is one example. The American author of great novels such as “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”, and “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” has a Lego minifigure. The popular writer whose real name is Samuel Langhorne Clemens has a rather keen wit and this earned him the admiration of his critics and peers.
Another Lego creation is the 6 feet tall Mark Twain created for The Mark Twain House & Museum located in Hartford and it is made purely out of Lego bricks. William Shakespeare does not have a Lego minifig just yet but a certain Matthew Williams built Shakespeare’s “Richard III” scenes out of Lego. The builder did the project in the year 2007 and was featured in the Washington Post because of it.
There are no photos of the creation posted online and one could only see it through Washington Posts archives. This work is interesting because Mr. Williams spent much time and effort to build the project. If Shakespeare were alive today, he would be glad that someone did this for one of his literary pieces.
Another one of Jamie Spencer’s creations is the Lego version of the American novelist and journalist, Ernest Hemingway. The author who wrote “For Whom the Bell Tolls’ among other literary pieces is one of the most celebrated American novelists. Hemingway, lived through the First World War and the Second World War. Now he not only is in the hearts of Hemingway fans, he is also in Legoland.

The Black Pearl and The Flying Dutchman

Wednesday, December 16th, 2009
Sir Nadrojs Black Pearl

Sir Nadroj's Black Pearl

The Black Pearl is now in Legolandia and Legomaniacs are continuously producing different versions of the famed ship of the rather odd seafarer Captain Jack Sparrow.  Apart from Jack Sparrow and Hector Barbossa minifigures, Pirates of the Caribbean fans who are also fond of Lego have created quite a few Black Pearl ships.

Coste Cyril, a Lego builder built the Black Pearl. This wonderful creation looks a bit modern but still has that “pirate” feel. The Black Pearl created by Sir Nadroj is a more rugged Lego creation. It is simple with its tattered sails but it is at par with Coste Cyril’s.

Coste Cyrils Black Pearl

Coste Cyril's Black Pearl

Of course the Flying Dutchman is also in Legoland and it is now driving Lego seafarers to fear Legolandia’s seas. Sebeus I created a rather large Lego depiction of the Flying Dutchman. Based on the Dead Man’s Chest and the last of the trilogy At World’s End, Sebeus I says that the Flying Dutchman is more connected to the deep seas more than other ships because the Flying Dutchman lives.

Flying Dutchman by Sebeus I

Flying Dutchman by Sebeus I

Unlike the Black Pearl, the Flying Dutchman can sail underwater and even against the wind –making the ship more unique than any other ship. Sebeus I spent 2 months to create his Flying Dutchman Lego replica and the ship is not only huge it weighs almost 3 kilograms. Now that is some heavy Lego ship. Let us all hope that Legoland’s ports will be able to accommodate this mammoth of a ship.

For those interested in buying your own Black Pearl ship and the Flying Dutchman complete with crew, you can go to eBay. There are some sellers from Australia that sell what they have created. Unfortunately, snagging a photo from the worldwide garage sale is not possible so go ahead and search for it on eBay. As of right now the two ships are priced at AU$35.00 –five more days to go maybe Lego fans can join in, in the bidding.


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