If you’re a working mom from Los Angeles, CA, Richardson, TX, or New York, NY, you know that LEGOS are the favorite toy of kids of all ages during the holiday season. With the current tough economy and so many toy and game options on gift lists this holiday season, it’s hard to decide what to get the kids.
As you already know, there is 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 children or grandchildren.
Advantages of LEGO sets
Variety of characters: Over the years, LEGO sets have expanded the category of characters to choose from. You can choose:
- bat Man
- Star Wars
- Harry Potter
- Green Lantern
- Indiana Jones
- Spiderman
- Star Wars-Boba Fett
- Lord of the Rings
As you can see, all of these names are quite well known to everyone, young and old.
Child interest: If you want to broaden your child’s interest, you can select the LEGOS building blocks based on what excites them the most:
- Animals and Nature
- Fantasy and science fiction (i.e. Halo)
- Learning
- activities
- Sports
- Transportation
- mini figure
- TV and movies (ie Harry Potter and Star Wars)
As your children grow, you can be sure that your LEGOS collection will always hold their interest as you manage your life and do everything.
Based on education: LEGO has a special brand called LEGO Education that offers its Duplo building block sets for babies and toddlers. These LEGOS are designed for younger children and help in child development:
- hand-eye coordination
- color recognition
- spatial awareness
- basic design
- Feed the imagination through storytelling
You can choose basic classic brick sets or themed sets (ie farm, train, playhouse, and family). All of these sets will educate your children while keeping them entertained.
Cons of LEGO sets
Price: Most LEGOS building blocks and accessories are priced under $25.00 for basic LEGO Bricks products and more. This is manageable if you are a grandparent (on a fixed budget) giving a unique gift. However, as your child gets older and more interested in LEGOS, the price increases substantially, for example LEGO City The Mine costs around $160.00. A price like that should not be taken lightly.
Gender Domination: LEGO construction sets tend to be male dominated. After doing a quick search online, you will notice names like Bionicle, Ninja, Wars, etc. These tend to appeal more to boys than girls.
However, the good news is that a new brand of building blocks is being introduced in stores and online called Goldieblox. Goldieblox is geared towards girls and has girl-friendly themes and titles.
Safety: Whenever you give children small plastic pieces to play with, there is always a danger that they will hurt themselves or others. The biggest concern for moms is suffocation. LEGOS designed the Duplo series (recommended for ages 24 months to 5 years) to give moms and grandparents the peace of mind that their little ones are safe from choking hazards.
Considering that these toys aim to build thinking skills and social development, LEGOs remain a great gift choice for moms and grandparents this holiday season.