A childhood staple for millions of people across the globe, Lego is fun for children of all ages and became the world’s largest toy company by revenue in 2015. Although the company has since ceded market share due to increased competition from traditional toy companies as well as the technology industry, Lego remains one of the most beloved brands of all time and boasts a vast array of building sets, video games, movies, television shows, board games, and theme parks.
Admired by generations, Lego is truly for everyone. It stimulates the imagination and can be used extensively for the young and old, offering both art and science through the act of designing your own Lego formations. These vividly colored plastic blocks represent major milestones and achievements by initiating the itch to create and allowing you to just form whatever may come into your head. If you put the appropriate physical material in your hands, you can create a masterpiece as Lego encourages creativity and teaches simple mechanics.
The Origin of Lego
The worldwide phenomenon known as Lego traces its beginnings back to a humble carpentry workshop in Billund, Denmark. During the Great Depression, a carpenter named Ole Kirk Christiansen was inspired by his miniature furniture design models to start creating small wooden toys in addition to the practical furniture he was already making. In 1934, he named his company “Lego” as a custom contraction of the Danish phrase leg godt, which means “play well”, and was later found to be a rough translation of the Latin term for “I assemble”. The end of World War II brought plastics to Denmark and the company produced a toy truck that could be disassembled and put back together again, followed by a series of small plastic bricks that interlocked to create different structures over and over again. Once Lego wheels were introduced in the early 1960s, vehicles could be built, and increasingly complex sets were released throughout the ’70s and beyond in order to appeal to older children. Lego has been going strong ever since, with over 600 billion Lego pieces produced and still counting today.
The Land of Lego
Located next to the original Lego factory, the first Legoland opened its doors in 1968 in Billund, Denmark, to advertise the toy trade and educate visitors on LEGO ways. Since its grand opening, more than 50 million Lego lovers have visited the attraction, which turned out to be a fast-growing establishment as many rides were added over the years. Operating from March through October, the park now offers over 50 thrilling rides including roller coasters and water rides, all designed to look like they are made from Lego bricks. There are seven more licensed Legoland parks in other parts of the world including England, Germany, California, Florida, Malaysia, Dubai, and Japan, with additional parks scheduled to open in the future in New York, South Korea, and China.
The Benefits of Lego
As you may already be aware, Lego can juice up your overall creativity, but the venerable and sturdy plastic bricks have many more benefits to offer. For children, Lego is about learning the art of planning and building strategies to achieve your goals. It’s a splendid opportunity for kids to hone their fine motor skills and intelligence. The skills involved in arranging, planning, and constructing with Lego are all applicable to other aspects of life, which helps kids demonstrate perseverance and resilience. When children have completed their masterpiece, they can’t wait to show off the results of their hard work, creating a sense of accomplishment.
When it comes to Lego, it turns out that child’s play is also good for adults. Lego enhances cognitive functioning and gradually slows down the outbreak of dementia. Engineering teams benefit from Lego as they use the colorful blocks as physical representations to correspond with the concepts and ideas in their minds. Lego is an effective escape if you’re suffering from emotional and mental distress as it causes you to focus and concentrate. When dancing around with Lego and planning to build your favorite structure, everything may feel momentarily forgotten. In such an active and chaotic society, Lego is a useful tool to unwind and chill out, providing comfort and relaxation. If you’re feeling the stress of everyday life, be sure you get your routine Lego fix.
