08 Sep 09
link — 21st-century Legos
What I mean is, sure there’s educational and entertainment value in the storytelling aspect of Star Wars Legos and Indiana Jones Legos. The sets are flashier and they come with a narrative, and kids will perhaps relate to them quicker. But that’s always been true with all franchise toys; that’s always been the game of Mattel and Hasbro. Lego, of course, brings parts of its aesthetic to Hollywood-themed play; however, it leaves behind a huge legacy of not just letting kids play with other people’s worlds, but letting them create their own.
My son has his share of branded Legos (Star Wars mostly) along with a mix of general packs and some of my crusty old Legos from when I was a kid. We do build these bigger sets, but mostly it’s one and done then the pieces go into the general stock pile.
We play Legos a lot and it’s mostly just us laying on the floor, building stuff, fending off the dog (he loves Legos to), and showing each other our creations. Good times.
I suppose what I’m trying to say is that Legos are awesome no matter what existing tie-in brand they use. It’s all about playing with your kids and helping them use their imagination and Legos are still one of the best expressions/tools for this.
