Today, Lego constructors are some of the best. Children in many families happily build castles, cars and houses from multi-colored blocks and parts. Construction sets are one of those types of toys that develop children's imagination and thinking. Today we will tell you how to help a young builder build a house from Lego, because construction is a difficult thing.
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History of the Lego constructor
The first construction set from the Lego company appeared in 1932 and was made of wood. In the early 60s, the first “thematic” sets began to appear, and in 1968, the first plastic house was built. Despite the passage of time, the technology for manufacturing plastic blocks has not changed and is still relevant today.
Designer series
The peculiarity of Lego is that their sets are characterized by “serial production” and each of them is a separate little story, a special building. Each of these sets uses new parts for buildings. Many of the old sets are so successful and popular that they continue to be released in new editions. This is especially true: “Bionicle”, “Dino”, “Space”, “Ninjago”, “Lego Duplo”.
If you think that only children are interested in Lego constructors, then you are mistaken. There are many festivals where adults compete in the scale of Lego constructions. You can often see “houses” at such festivals. Let's list some of them:
- 1. Lego Colosseum. One of the greatest creations from the designer. The Colosseum itself is cut in section and shows two states - the present and the ancient.
- 2. “Lego” stadium, which is essentially a copy football stadium in Germany. It was created in 2006.
- 3. Reconstruction of the Battle of Helm's Deep from Lego. For this design, about 140 thousand parts were taken.
- 4. A walking “eco-city” that shows the creator’s idea of the cities of the future.
Making a house, where to start?
To date, the company has released many kits and when you start building a house you can get confused. Each Lego set comes with instructions to help you assemble the house. But it’s still better to start with these sets:
- 1. "House of Dolls." A set from Lego for girls, in which you can find parts to create a bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom.
- 2. “Beach House.” One of the simplest sets in which you will not find complex parts.
- 3. "Tree House." One of best sets for starters. Contains many variations.
Once you have decided which box to buy, we will give you some useful tips:
- 1. Check if all parts are in place.
- 2. Use the Internet to find other assembly options.
- 3. If you wish, buy a mini-kit, which may contain details that are interesting to you.
- 4. If you have old Lego sets lying around without instructions, you can use the company’s website to determine.
Try to buy sets from similar or the same series. Details of sets of different series may vary in size.
Instructions for assembling a house from the Lego constructor
Despite the variety and number of Lego sets, the instructions for assembling the houses are the same. Let's get started:
- 1. Make a platform on which the house will be located. Various blocks will do.
- 2. Consider the location of doors and windows in the house. Start building walls, install windows and doors.
- 3. Start building the roof by laying out the cubes in steps. If you have special parts to create a roof, then use them.
The Lego company has been producing children's construction sets with the same name for many years. For the first time, this company patented its plastic products back in 1958. The set includes plastic parts of different sizes, each of which can be quite easily attached to another part using pins located in its upper part. Over the years, the models of these sets have been improved, and many have become interested in the question - what can be made from Lego?
Today, the range of these construction sets is very wide: on store shelves you can often find a variety of additional parts for such a construction set: figures of people, birds, animals, as well as coins, trees and other attributes. In addition, the designers themselves may belong to a specific theme, for example: wizards, pirates, etc. characters and everything that accompanies them. But the most popular model is a city or Lego city.
Before you start making anything from this construction set, you, of course, need to purchase it. A standard set will do. In order to assemble a machine gun, pistol or other weapon, you need to start with small parts. By the way, another advantage of this construction set is that even a one-year-old baby can play with it, because its parts are not so small as to penetrate the child’s respiratory organs. But for the most part, the vast majority of sets are recommended for children aged 5 years and older.
Any Lego comes with instructions for making a particular element (robot, machine, etc.). After reading it carefully, you can special effort and labor to assemble the constructor. The main difference between such instructions is the most clear description of the assembly stages, and the color pictures will make the assembly process clear even to a small child.
With Lego City, the situation is somewhat different: to build it, most likely, you will need more than 1 set, because here you will have to construct buildings and structures, as well as other elements of urban or rural use. This toy will captivate not only children, but also adults!
By the way, there is one more slightly unusual application for the parts of this designer, namely household use. For example, such products can become excellent ice cube trays! To do this, simply fill them with water and place them in the freezer, and then use a knife to remove the contents from them. In addition, you can use Lego to make refrigerator magnets, candles, soap molds, or other useful household items.
Now the company is actively producing new sets with which you can create figures not only from simple parts, but also from gears, chains, and various connecting elements and even a programming block.
The company does not forget about its many fans. In this regard, she opened a number of amusement parks, which are somewhat similar to Disneyland, located in Paris. These parks are called Legoland and Legosity. In them, kids and adults can look at unusual buildings, ride on attractions and even create structures and entire cities on their own!
DIY Lego crafts: options
Lego constructors are an exciting educational game that children especially like because of their bright colors and colorful design. But its main advantage is the many various variations assembly of parts. Anyone can collect what they like best: from weapons like a pistol or machine gun, to cars, robots and even buildings!
But before you start assembling the construction set, you need to unpack it and look at the manual - instructions, where the work options will be indicated. This guide is step-by-step, so you won’t have to think long about how to properly assemble this or that structure.
If you have already tried all the assembly options suggested in the instructions, then you can create a special model or design using, for example, video tutorials.
But a situation may arise when you do not have any the required part, then it will be necessary to purchase 1 more set of the designer. But you can immediately buy Lego Freestyle, thereby supplementing the original construction set with a large number of different parts.
The Lego Technic set is very useful for child development, but first the baby should be taught how to fasten the main parts together, and then you can give free rein to his imagination. By the way, this Lego set includes, in addition to the main parts, quite specific ones, for example: motors, gears and chains. Therefore, you need to carefully monitor your small child while he is busy constructing so that he cannot swallow small parts.
Work on complex structures sometimes it takes quite a long time, so if your son or daughter is under 7 years old, it can get boring very quickly. To search necessary scheme took the shortest possible time, you can search on the Internet.
But you need to know that different sets have, respectively, different sizes. For example, when purchasing Lego Duplo, next time it is better to purchase a construction set from the same series if your plans include expanding the parts. There are also sets for older children, and also for those who like to rack their brains, such as Lego Mindstorms. Here you will find software modules, many small and connecting parts and even electronic sensors, with the help of which you can easily assemble a robot or a car!
How to make a Lego transformer: video
Many children, especially boys, love transforming robots. After all, a toy can simultaneously be a robot itself, a car, and even an airplane.
Lego crafts: video
Nowadays, children have many toys. One of the most common educational games is construction. With the purchase of this entertainment for a child, parents have new concern. After all, so often a child turns to his father or mother with the question: “What can be built from Lego?” There are many answers to this question. You just need to show your imagination and, perhaps, “fall into childhood” a little. Let's find out what you can build from Lego with your child.
Option one: house
Perhaps the first thing that comes to mind is to build some kind of room. This could be a residential building or apartment, an office or office, a car garage or a carriage depot.
To build a structure you will need insertable windows, doors, roof elements and others additional accessories. The more construction parts you have, the higher and wider the room will be. Think ahead color scheme walls and facade. You may want to build tall and beautiful columns in front of the entrance.
In front of the building you can place trees and various plants, people and cars, which are also built from this construction set.
Option two: Lego tanks
Mischievous boys love to play war. To do this they will need barricades and tanks. It is quite simple to build a fencing wall from a constructor. You just need to attach one cube to another. This must be done until you get the height you need.
A tank is somewhat more difficult to build. To do this, it is better to involve adults or older siblings. Warp tracked vehicle is formed quite simply. The size is determined by the amount of available material. In order to make caterpillars, you need to put the cubes in reverse. That is, so that the convex parts are on the outside. You start building the blank from the inside. When one part of the tank is made, it is necessary to form the second one symmetrically. In the same way, construct the required number of tracked vehicles.
How to build a car from Lego?
Perhaps, after constructing buildings, this option is the most popular. In order to make transport, you will need wheels. First, think about what size the car will be. Build a multi-piece base with wheels.
After this, make the driver's cab of the required size and the body. If the car should be a passenger car, then harmoniously secure the cubes and make a hood, roof and trunk. If desired, you can leave large openings in the form of windows. Through them you can seat the driver and passengers in the cabin.
Alternative option
So, what else can you build with Lego? There can be a lot of options. With a large number of parts, you can assemble a giant robot or a tree. Girls will certainly appreciate the following ideas: fruits and vegetables, cakes and other products. You can also make a doll or a castle for your little princess. All furniture can be created from small designer parts.
In addition, you can assemble a real computer or phone. Many children enjoy building farms and animal pens, which are also created using Legos.
It is worth noting that the manufacturer offers to purchase the product in various sizes and shapes. Small details are more suitable for older children. While large parts will be appreciated by kids.
If you have absolutely no idea what you can build from Lego, then pay attention to the packaging in which the construction set was sold. The manufacturer always offers several ideas for buildings that are drawn on the box. Most likely, from them you can choose the most suitable option for your children.
Each new Lego set is a joy from a gift, an enthusiastic game, free time for parents and a holiday for several days. And then everyday life begins - tears from an accidentally destroyed building and small bricks all over the floor that painfully dig into the heel. Practical considerations suggest that an expensive designer has not yet earned its value. The game must go on, but how? Tatyana Novikova, author of the Lego Buyers Club website, shares tips on how to set up Lego construction at home.
How to organize Lego construction? Searching for an answer on the Internet reveals a lot of advertisements for children's clubs. The details are not specified - you need to bring your child to the circle to find out. It seems that construction is a secret accessible only to selected teachers. But you have so many details - it’s time to open your own circle!
Children love to build with Lego, you just need to create the conditions. If you look at it, there are no obstacles for a child to engage in Lego creativity at home. No investment or huge effort required. A home design club is open to everyone.
The tips listed below are not step by step guide. Rather, important techniques to get around the difficulties that arise. A child loses interest for many reasons and different stages games with Lego. Fortunately, there are recommendations from Lego designers and experienced parents.
Lego - instead of Montessori classes for children and meditation for adults
What can you think about an adult who does architectural structures from small Lego parts? He seems to spend a lot of time sorting parts and building. He probably doesn't do anything else.
Nothing of the kind! Tom Alfin has also written a book about Lego architecture and runs a blog. But this is just part of his life. Tom is a programmer and user interface manager at Microsoft. He is also a traveler and photographer. It’s just amazing, where does he get so much energy and where does he find the time?
This is one of many cases where a Lego fan is successful in other areas.
- Sort by color. At first glance, this is illogical. But this is exactly how designers recommend sorting parts. The big drawback of Lego is the noise that the colorful bricks create. No, we are not talking about audio noise, but about visual noise. Even when placed in containers according to size, the cubes do not look very attractive. And children love it when it’s beautiful. They love it when their crafts look neat and stylish.
Megan Rothrock (Lego Group designer and author of Lego Adventure) noticed that while the pieces are in one colorful pile, children do not know what to do with them. When they are arranged by color, interest and ideas arise. Sorting by color inspires creativity, so it's important. It is convenient to use wide and flat transparent containers. All the details are on the surface and easy to find.
To keep things simple, it’s enough to sort by the most common colors: black, white, dark gray, light gray, yellow, blue, red, beige. Leave the others in a common container.
- Should I sort by part type? Design experience shows that sorting by size and type makes sense. That's just... from Lego constructors about 4000 types of parts. Each piece is available in several colors. If each type of part is sorted by color and type, it’s scary to imagine how many thousands of containers would be needed.
It is convenient to store small frequently encountered bricks separately. Tom Alfin, whom we mentioned above, has made a guide to the most common small details and even indicated the most common color (at the bottom of the page). Use it as your storage assistant.
- Storage system for a child. He must be able to maintain order on his own. Too much complex system storage, a lot of effort to maintain order kills motivation. Who would want to build if it’s so difficult to clean up afterwards?
Independent creativity will be a joy if building material accessible at arm's length. This can be organized using a special gaming table.
3 in 1 solution: gaming table, temporary stand for ready-made models, organizer for storing parts. Here everything you need is at hand. At his table the child builds and thinks.
To organize one, you need a suitable table (for example, from IKEA) and Lego building boards. Construction boards are attached to the table with superglue or double tape. Velcro textile fastener is also suitable. Ikea tables are so varied that there is a solution for any design and size of a child’s room. Storage organizers can be built into them.
There may be more parts than the desk organizers can accommodate. Then you need to keep the most popular ones on hand.
Instructions for Lego: why store it and where to find it?
Once the parts are sorted, creativity kicks into high gear. Usually a child cannot be stopped - he really wants to assemble something grandiose. He tries to come up with something himself, but it doesn’t turn out as beautifully as he would like. Until the design techniques have been perfected, instructions are needed.
- Save old instructions for Lego sets in file folders. The new is the well-forgotten old. If you saved instructions from designers, you will always find great ideas for design.
- Download instructions from the manufacturer's website. You can select by model number or by your favorite series.
- Find ideas and DIY tutorials on Pinterest.com.
In children's Lego construction clubs they not only build, but also make up fairy tales. Try the same. Choose songs that inspire you role playing games and making up stories. And then move on to the next step.
How to assemble Lego without instructions
The Lego company recommends trying regular pictures instead of instructions. What is your child's favorite topic? Houses, robots, animals and cartoon characters - everything can be assembled from Lego. Assembly without instructions is the next step. For this you need to master the basic techniques. If a child has collected a lot according to instructions, he is ready for independent creativity. Lego bricks are a treasure trove of interesting tricks and tricks.
The house can be opened like a book to see what's inside
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What is your relationship with Lego constructors? Tell us in the comments, do you design from old bricks? How do you store bricks? What design tricks do you know? Thanks for your feedback!
The LEGO constructor has long ceased to be just an educational game for children. Tens of millions of cubes are used to build full-fledged amusement parks for kids and their parents. LEGO has made inroads into the film and gaming industries. Creative individuals use parts to create paintings and sculptures, and passionate engineers use them to make car bodies. Looks impressive! Indeed, the limits of the use of famous figures are limited only by human imagination, and it knows no boundaries. In this article you will learn about unusual applications LEGO bricks in everyday life.
Coin Sorter
In distant Soviet times, my mother worked as a salesperson, and every day she dealt with kilograms of coins. I helped her sort them by face value. On the one hand, it was very cool to occasionally find memorable specimens, on the other hand, the boring activity quickly became boring. It’s a pity that in those days there wasn’t either the LEGO constructor itself or something like this. interesting recipe use of its parts. The mechanism can be adapted to any coin diameter.
Stand
During the hot summer, my computer likes to shut down due to overheating. Touching the surface on which the laptop is standing will result in a slight burn. Therefore, it is necessary to create an air “cushion” under it to provide greater ventilation and better cooling. Several cubes are ideal as a stand.
The solution can also be used to save space in the kitchen. In the same way, the baking sheets can go into the dishwasher.
Small items organizer
Forget about searching for keys, wallets and other pocket small things with the help of an original organizer. If you're too lazy to drill holes in your bricks, LEGO sells pre-punched keychains.
Educational game
Why not kill two birds with one stone? Combine the development of children's fingers and thinking with learning to read and count. Use a regular marker to write words and numbers onto the cubes. Learning grammar will become much more interesting.
Task Manager
No successful undertaking is complete without planning and setting goals. A design studio from the UK offered its original approach to control the progress of projects. The basis was formed by Lego parts.
But any concept is really good if it can be translated into reality. The Lego calendar is successfully used by some companies to plan the work of 20 employees.
Lens cap holder
Do you like photography or video shooting? Then you are familiar with the “problem” of a loose or lost lens cap. Attach Lego pieces to the lid itself and the strap - a simple and practical solution.
Office hacks
Place tiny magnets in the cubes and your paper clips, staples and holders will find a home. The mess on the table is over!
No magnets? No problem! You can make stylish cups for pens and other office items.
Rack
For any nonsense, usually lying around, you can do unusual stand. For example, for a phone...
... joysticks, and even...
... shaving accessories!
Photo frame
Can a photo frame surprise? Certainly! Flight of thought and Lego pieces will help you.
Flower pot
Lovers of indoor plants should love the idea of a designer pot. Usually the rapid growth of a flower is accompanied by worries about purchasing and replanting into a larger pot. With Lego you can modify any existing pot to the required size.
Theme house
Why waste time with pots when you can speed up a whole house! Perhaps this will be a playroom for children, but adults will also want to visit it at all costs.
And what unusual options Do you know the uses of Lego?
