LEGOs are great. You can build, create, change, rebuild and recreate endlessly. LEGOs have been around for a long time. In fact, a master carpenter in Denmark started the company in 1932 with wooden toys. Over the years, the company developed the system of interlocking bricks now used worldwide. Check out the company timeline.
According to their timeline, the company first faced a deficit in 1998, and in 2000 the company’s “mission and fundamental beliefs” were revised. That’s when Lego products began to have media tie-ins, such as Star Wars, Bob the Builder, Bionicle and Harry Potter. The company did what they had to do to survive. I am happy they have survived, though I am worried about the direction in which they are now heading.
My sons are 5 years old (twins) and they LOVE building with LEGOs. They can literally build, create and invent for hours. Their dad loves LEGOs, too. It is something our family really connects over. Recently, though, my son asked me to take a look at a new LEGO kit he really wanted. He called it LEGO Agents. We checked it out online, and I could not hide my shock and disbelief. The LEGO Agents line looked to me like The Bourne Identity or someother grown-up spy movie. (My husband was reminded of James Bond movies.) The faces were menacing and the weapons even worse.
There and then we began a two-week long family discussion about the LEGO Agent kit. My son was determined to find a way to get it, and I was just as determined to make sure he didn’t. I explained that I did not like the weapons and the scary faces. “If we get them, you don’t have to look at them,” my son offered. His brother chimed in, “Maybe we can get LEGO Agents, and just get rid of the weapons.” “But then, how will the bad guys be bad guys?” his brother wondered.
Then one day (pay day) my husband and I were in the toy aisle and we got to see the LEGO Agents close up. I explained my concern: If the boys are playing with Legos and they decide to pretend some of the guys are bad guys, that is OK with me. The problem here is that the toy is specifically designed with predetermined bad guys, good guys and all kinds of weapons for everyone. That isn’t OK. There is a big difference. When a toy is so narrow in purpose, it determines what the kid can do with it.
He agreed with me. And luckily, there are other LEGO lines that are more open-ended, where the kid can be in charge. We are sticking with LEGO Creator 3-in-1 vehicle kits (because it is fun to follow the set of directions) and bins of wheels, bricks and other basic building materials.
LEGOs are still great, you just have to dig a little deeper to find the good stuff.
I enjoyed reading your post about Legos. You are so right about how those menacing little faces on some of the Legos takes away an aspect of creative play. I hadn’t really thought of it that way before. Good point!
The model Lego kits are interesting. My instinct was to be disappointed when my child wasn’t following the directions – surely those “leftover” pieces were important to the construction design or the aesthetic intended, I thought. Now, I’m glad the pieces from all those retired kits are all together in a clear reused blanket bag that my children can sort through and be their own engineers! Great blog! Keep up the great work.
Geralyn, I couldn’t agree with you and Mike more! I grew up with Legos too, and the sets do seem to have changed, and gotten more commercialized. We have the same type of discussion about weapons in our house too. The “open ended” sets seem like a much better way to foster creativity without teaching war and negativism.
Thanks, Darby, for stopping by. Hope you visit again soon and please spread the word…
Right on Geralyn – I am disappointed to see Legos headed in this direction. I lived in CA during the time the Lego facility was built at Carlsbad. We were all pleased to have the Lego HQ there and valued their corporate ethic, as well as the ethic of their corporate origins.
Carlsbad is long known as a community of flowers and Christian values. They have some wonderful places where one can buy flowering plants for the garden in season, and at Christmas are widely known for their presentations of Christian scenes with living characters who freeze in place for wonderful scenes.
I do not think that Legos that represent war or aggression are in keeping with the ethic of the European origins of the company or their adopted US HQ. Even though they are just north of Camp Pendleton.
May I state that I am not some out of touch liberal – I grew up in the West and learned to handle guns and hunt at an early age. I did this under the tutelage of elders who also taught me values and limits to the use of weapons.
In that vein, I counsel prudence on both sides: I know Geralyn loves her kids and is distressed when boys get excited by games of aggression. So did I and I ain't come to a bad end. On the other hand, it is distressing that the Lego folks have considered it necessary to survive by adopting a path seemingly at odds with its origins.
Grandpa John
I was amazed when I went to an actual Lego store and found that there was two distinct sections of the store. There was an entire wall of generic or non-descript lego sets. The other side of the store had all the media-linked sets tucked apart from the others. It was very clear they were trying to keep them apart. The store associates seemed to be well aware of parents who were trying to keep their children away from the media side. Mind you that there were many parents that were very calculated in keeping their children to one side.(the media free side)The store has bins of every size, shape, color,andtype of legos for adding to your collections. They're sold by the bucketful.
On another note, I too was disappointed when my child didn't follow the directions but found he had a much better time making his own creations.
I agree about the Lego sets. I think many children are trying to figure out war and aggressive play. (Our son for instance spent yesterday afternoon shooting everyone with fire and then gumballs coming out of his fingers, after watching "The Incredibles"…) I won't ever buy toy guns or the Lego sets that are leaning in the direction of war play, but I think some kids will find a way to create and make guns, tanks, etc out of other items, including Legos. It's our job as parents to interact and react (or not) to their play. It's tough when there are so many images that children see both directly and by choice and indirectly…
(I think Darby's comment is link spam. I suggest you remove his comment, or at least his link.)
Thanks for another great post!