As a kid, I remember seeing Lego get more popular with shows like “Lego- Ninjago” along with the many sets being added to their collection to date. 

Although I didn’t play then, I now have many unopened boxes sitting in my bedroom waiting to be opened. Building Legos started as a way for my friends and I to have an activity to do on their birthday. 

I was looking for an activity that wasn’t too time-consuming, plus wanted something everybody could walk away with. I found Lego, and since then, I’ve been hooked.

Jan. 28 is International Lego Day, celebrated by millions of people of all ages. Jan. 28 is deemed as Lego Day because of a patent for the current design of the brick submitted in 1958. 

The Lego group is praised for versatility and can appeal to those of all ages because of all the different kinds of sets they have available. 

Legos come in prepackaged sets with instructions, so audiences can build specific environments that are categorized for different audiences. The affordability of sets, coupled with a wide range of collections, enables users to discover a set that is not only enjoyable but also manageable to complete.

Lego has found a multitude of ways to find new audiences to engage with their products such as featuring television shows as new sets, as well as more sculptural pieces like floral sets. For those who have a desire to tinker, Lego has mechanical sets which can get more complex depending on the user’s personal building level. Lego sets are a fun way to spend time with others either building a set together or your own sets together. Building Legos is an activity that can be done alone or with a group of friends, just like a puzzle or a board game.

“I do not build Legos often,” said Robert Hawkins, a senior photography major. “I recently started last year for fun when I was given a set from my friend for my birthday. It feels satisfying to see the result when you are finished, although I didn’t get to finish mine.”

Different audiences will not all favor the same sets. Therefore, Lego has categories online where users can choose sets based on price, franchise, and difficulty. Sets will increase the amount of pieces within a set depending on the difficulty.

For example, there are franchise sets that are marketed towards children such as Lego Friends, Lego City, and even Lego Star Wars. There are also similar sets designed to be challenging for users such as Lego Star Wars, Lego Harry Potter, Lego Arts, Lego Botanical Collection, Lego Architecture and many more.

The design of Legos allows users to assemble and disassemble pieces which some might find stress-relieving due to the bricks being a direct outlet to creativity. This can be intriguing to many because there are endless possibilities to express your creativity when playing with Legos. Lego sets come in different sizes. Some can be completed within an hour or a couple of hours, while larger ones may take a few weeks or even months to finish. 

Aidan Boyer, a junior illustration major, said Legos are a great option for kids. 

“Legos are the most expressive and versatile toys you could give to a kid,” Boyer said. “I still have fond memories of building whole set pieces for my later stop motions, which were unfortunately never finished.”

Grab a Lego set, a couple of friends and head over to some spots around campus like the Holmes Student Center or the Founders Memorial Library to spend some time alone or with friends building Legos.