Jurassic Park was made using lego (Lego in General)

Member Name: lizk1

Product:	Lego in General
Date:	29/07/01 (259 review reads)
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I remember the days when building blocks were made of wood. Stack them up and knock them down, and believe me, there are only so many ways different ways that you can do that. Then in 1932 along came a Danish carpenter called Ole Kirk Christiansen. His firm manufactured stepladders, ironing boards and wooden toys. Thinking no doubt that there must be a better way to entertain children, he invented the word LEGO. Born out of the two Danish words "LEg GOdt" it means, "play well" in English.

In 1949, he was the first in Denmark to experiment with plastic moulded toys and from this was born the plastic LEGO brick, as we know it today. Initially it was only intended for sale in Denmark, but the idea was so revolutionary, that soon it had spread worldwide and eventually was hailed as. "Toy of the Century" by the British Association of Toy Retailers.

So what exactly is LEGO? Sold in various sized boxes, they are colourful plastic blocks, moulded into various shapes, each of which can be joined together to make- anything you like. The only restriction is your own imagination. “A game started with LEGO is a game that never ends.” This is the proud boast of LEGO and one, which I totally agree with.

DUPLO is the name given to the larger bricks for little fingers, and gives an introduction from a very early age. Sold in buckets, they vary from the basic bricks, to themed sets such as Mickey Mouse and Winnie the Pooh. Children can then progress through the basic LEGO, to the excellent “Technical LEGO”. This is an advanced form and includes models with fully working gears and electric motors.

The website for LEGO is at www.lego.com and as you would expect, is a streamlined state of the art site. It can be viewed in Flash or HTML. Those who need it can download the flash player here.

Children can join the LEGO club and are given access to the site with a password. The site is pe
rfectly safe and allows them to browse the excellent games, adventures and competitions. It also keeps them up to date with the latest offerings from LEGO and gives them ideas on what to build next, with detailed instructions. They are not allowed to purchase from the site, but can add items to a “wish” list, the perfect hint for Christmas and birthdays.

The main headings on the site are:

•Educators
LEGO has an educational division called DACTA, which works closely with schools to create the very best in educational information about child development i.e. infant to 5+ and activities for use with the 2-8 year-olds. Aimed primarily at educators, it is still well worth a visit by parents.

•Parents
This is part of the site dedicated to parents; it even has a virtual playroom. Advice by the LEGO family advisors, Expert Q&A, Play ideas and articles are all here. As LEGO says “We created this site with that in mind. We hope to help show you what your child is learning through play and how best to encourage this learning at home.”

•Software
LEGO has embraced the world of the computer by bringing out various software games. So far a total of 14 are available with more on the drawing board. Having seen some of them myself, I can vouch for them as colourful, educational and easy to use. Basically they are virtual LEGO sets with adventure built in. Have you ever built a LEGO racing car? Try actually racing it with “Stunt Rally”.

•Lifestyle
Goods, which incorporate the LEGO logo and are for sale include: watches and clocks, clothes for kids, bags and accessories.

•Legoland
In June 1968, LEGOLAND opened for the first time at Billund in Holland. It was originally envisaged as a small garden, with various LEGO models and figures displayed. The idea mushroomed into Legoland as we know it, and today attracts around 1.4 million visitor
s every year. Two more Legolands were opened in Windsor and in California with another planned for Germany, which opens in 2002 in Gunzburg. Details on how to get to the various places, and what you can expect are given at the site.

LEGO has teamed up with Steven Spielberg in the latest LEGO product “MovieMaker” All of his proceeds are donated to the children’s charity “Starbright Foundation” and the holocaust charity “Shoah Foundation”

Basically “Moviemaker” is a complete film studio, with camera, actors, set and the software to run it all. The earthquake movie includes a breakaway road, dinosaur, specially constructed background and even your colossal dinosaur foot! The software allows you to edit your filming, add sounds and special effects and complete your masterpiece for the grand premier showing. The cost of this package is £159.99.

Visit the LEGO site for all of this and more, as it is updated on a regular basis.

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