Whether you’re a hard-working mom from Los Angeles, CA, Richardson, TX, or New York, NY you know that LEGOS are a favorite toy for kids of all ages during the holiday season. With today’s tough economy and so many toys & games choices on gift lists this Christmas season it’s hard to decide what to buy kids.
As you already know there’s always a battle between buying technology based toys like video games vs. old school toys like LEGOS. This article is dedicated to giving you the pros and cons of buying building block toys, like LEGOS, for your kids or grandchildren.
Pros of LEGO Sets
Character Variety: Over the years LEGOS sets have expanded the category of characters to choose from. You can choose:
- Batman
- Star Wars
- Harry Potter
- Green Lantern
- Indiana Jones
- Spider Man
- Star Wars – Boba Fett
- Lord of the Rings
As you can see all of these names are by pretty much known by everyone young and old.
Child’s Interest: If you want to expand your child’s interest you can select LEGOS building blocks based on what excites them most:
- Animals and Nature
- Fantasy and Sci-Fi (i.e Halo)
- Learning
- Occupations
- Sports
- Transportation
- Minifigure
- TV and Movies (i.e. Harry Potter and Star Wars)
As your kids grow older you can rest assured their LEGOS collection will always hold their interest while you’re managing your life and getting everything done.
Education Based: LEGO has special brand called LEGO Education offering their Duplo building block kits for babies and toddlers. These LEGOS are designed for younger children and aid in child development:
- eye hand coordination
- color recognition
- spatial awareness
- basic design
- nourish imagination through storytelling
You can choose basic classic brick sets or theme sets (i.e. farm, train, playhouse, and family). All of these sets will educate your kids while keeping them entertained.
Cons of LEGO Sets
Price: The majority of LEGOS building blocks and accessories are priced below $25.00 for basic LEGO Bricks & more products. This is manageable if you’re a grandparent (on a fixed budget) giving a one-time gift. However, as your child gets older and more interested in LEGOS the price increases substantially, for example LEGO City The Mine runs around $160.00. A price point like that is not to be taken lightly.
Gender Dominate: LEGOS building sets tend to be male dominate. After doing a quick search online you will notice names like Bionicle, Ninja, Wars, etc. These tend to attract boys more than girls.
The good news, however, is that a new brand of building blocks is being introduced in stores and online called Goldieblox. Goldieblox is geared to girls and have girl friendly themes and titles.
Safety: Anytime you give children small plastic pieces to play with there is always the danger of them hurting themselves or others. The biggest concern with moms is choking. LEGOS designed the Duplo series (recommended for children 24 months to 5 years of age) to give moms and grandparents peace of mind knowing their little ones are safe from choking hazards.
Considering these toys target creating thinking and social development skills LEGOs are still an excellent gift choice for moms and grandparents this holiday season.