Every time my kids dump out their hot pink jumbo box of LEGO® bricks all over my living room, after having a minor anxiety attack, I become completely fascinated by watching their little minds at work. Imaginative Play is the keystone to the LEGO brand, which is the reason so many parents and kids love them. With a handful of bricks they can literally build whatever their imagination lets them. It’s freeing and exhilarating and challenging all at the same time. With the exact same amount and assortment of bricks, my two daughters are bound to create two totally different objects. Unless, of course, the younger one is in one of her copycat moods, then it is EXACTLY the same. Either way, the possibilities are endless and I just love to see what they are going to come up with next.
What I just recently learned is that LEGOLAND® California provides an outlet for competitive imaginative play in their monthly Junior Master Model Builder competitions. The JMMB competitions allow kids of all ages to put their LEGO brick building skills to the test. And who doesn’t love a little competition?
The second full weekend of every month, kids gather in the Imagination Zone Hero Play Room, break out into three groups according to age, and then go crazy building a model based on a specific LEGO product theme or a seasonal event such as Independence Day or Halloween. For example, last month the theme was Ninjago, and February will be Hero Factory. When the theme has something to do with princesses or rainbows my girls will be all over it.
Each month they award the winning builder in all three age categories (under 9, 10 – 15 and 16+) with four LEGOLAND California/SEA LIFE Aquarium park hopper tickets and then in January of the following year there is one Ultimate Build Off in which all the winners from the previous year gather to compete for the title of Junior Master Model Builder. Who knows, it might just lead to a career of building with LEGO bricks.
The next JMMB competition will be held the weekend of March 12-13. CLICK HERE for more details on the competition. A little friendly competition is always a good thing.
Brick regards,
Model Mom Mary
2011 just got a lot brighter thanks to hundreds of mini lightsabers soon to be all-aglow in the new STAR WARSTM area in Miniland. Miniland has always been my favorite place inside LEGOLAND® California, though I think the wonder of the intricately detailed mini-cities is lost on many young kids. But now, kids of all ages, including my husband, will not want to miss this area of the Park. This Spring, seven iconic scenes - six from the STAR WARSTM movies and one from the animated series STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARSTM will be built next to the Model Shop in Miniland.
Turning the beloved STAR WARSTM characters who have been a Force in our hearts for the past four decades into LEGO® Minilanders is a perfect way to honor them. And now parents will be able to expose their younger kids to the likes of Ewoks and Rebels from a galaxy far, far away, even before actually sitting down and watching all the films. My biggest question at this point is how close the Han Solo Minilander will resemble Harrison Ford.
Guests can pose with life-size LEGO models of Chewbacca, R2-D2 and Darth Vader and some of the new areas 2,000 LEGO models will be more than 6-feet-tall!
What STAR WARSTM scene are you most looking forward to seeing re-created in LEGO bricks?
CLICK HERE to read a more detailed account of each area and how they will be manufactured.
Looking forward to seeing y’all this Spring Break at the opening of STAR WARSTM Miniland. I’ll be the first in line to have my photo taken with the life size Chewbacca.
Brick regards,
Model Mom Mary
Not only can an Octopus’s Garden be found on The Beatles’ Abby Road, which happens to be one of my fave albums by the “fab four,” but now, SEA LIFE Aquarium at LEGOLAND California will soon have eight-legged bragging rights as well.
Yes, by the time my kids have recovered from the excitement of the new STAR WARS area in Miniland in March, they will have a new treat to look forward to with the opening of yet another interactive exhibit inside SEA LIFE Carlsbad Aquarium, called Octopus Garden. I love the idea of having an attraction dedicated to cephalopods as it seems that kids always get the biggest kick out of watching octopuses at work. Something about all of those tentacles waving around willy nilly that makes kids either fascinated or giddy, or both. Then when you add in their sneaky tricks like camouflage, ink clouds and jet propulsion, forget about it.
I must admit, I honestly didn’t even know the term jet propulsion ‘til I wrote this post, which is another reason I am excited for this exhibit. My knowledge of underwater life is limited so now I can learn all about octopus, cuttlefish and nautilus right alongside my kids. I love being able to make learning activities with the kids interactive and fun. Now the fun factor just multiplied eight times over!
See you at the OG tank in May! Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go find another song to get stuck in my head.
Brick regards,
Model Mom Mary
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