What ever happened to the big bucket of Legos?
Remember when the only Legos you could buy came in a big bucket filled with the little plastic bricks? No diagrams, no instructions, just an unwritten invitation to use your imagination and create. Now it’s all about Indiana Jones and Star Wars and Mars Mission. Sure, these perfectly choreographed components are cool, but they’re really just about following directions. Legos without diagrams encourage kids to invent something on their own. Take the instructions way and a kid has to envision a structure and then try and build it. She’s forced to take chances. She encounters failure. She starts over. And, of course, eventually she discovers what’s possible and experiences that little rush that comes from making something original. Who needs licensed Legos to teach kids conformity? We have schools to do that. Maybe it’s time to bring back the blocks.
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Hi,
that is so true. My children are now in their teens and still ask me me what happrn to their lego bucket they had when they were tiny. Even though they are in their teenage and in their 20 they ask me to find some like what they had but like you say they dont sell them no more. It be great if they bring them back.
I have to admit that I wasn't aware of LDD. Will check it out. My son, 8, a fanatical Lego builder has embraced (thankfully) the idea of customizing his creations from the branded set pieces. He'll do the directions once and then create his own. Still think the outcomes would be even more magical without the instructions to begin with.
Thanks for the comments.
My kids are obsessed with Legos. I think a good balance between the kits and the free form is nice. The kits have the coolest pieces. I tried to collect used old Lego sets (to get the cool pieces) from parents with older kids at Arnold, but nobody was giving them up! My 9yo is now into Lego Digital Designer on the website. Have you seen that? You build your own sets online then you can buy the exact set you built. They come in a printed box and everything. My son hasn't ever bought one, but he loves to build them. Sure, it's computer time and a whole different thing, but building three dimensionally online is pretty cool.
Have tried them all. My son likes Legos best, so we just eventually lose the directions.
Couldn't agree more. Have you used K'Nex at all? They seem to be more freeform.
Yea, I really wanted to get some for my nephew, but I can find is the $100 build sets. They need the buckets back. I know you can buy legos in lots off of Ebay. I think a 1500 piece lot is $99.
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