LEGO Lessons Without Stepping On One!

Here are a few LEGO lessons I have learned without stepping on one!

The ever-popular building blocks continue to inspire all ages. With the advance of technology, there are now LEGO shows and movies. Although I currently have no kids in the house, I love watching LEGO stuff! They offer a positive message of teamwork, friendship, and family. The writers also include brief references that only adults would get. For example, in the Jurassic World series, the amusement park has a hotel. In one scene, when the elevator opens, there are twin girls standing in the elevator, a nod to the movie The Shining.

One of my favorite movies is LEGO Batman. As I was watching it for the second time ☺️, my blogger mind thought, “there are some wonderful life lessons in here!”

• There can’t be a hero without a villain. Joker believes Batman needs him and would not be complete, or a superhero without their relationship. Batman denies needing any kind of relationship. (Although, we learn his favorite movies are rom-coms!)
• We need people. Later in the movie, Batman must work with others to defeat the bad guys. He realizes he needs friends and family to be complete, but fear had stopped him from connecting to others. I love how they expand the idea of family not being limited to immediate relatives.
• Difficult times challenge, teach, and strengthen us. Most every reward in life requires some kind of fight. Maybe physical, but for most of us, the fight is a mental mindset, established by life experience. It can be a daily fight to stay on the side of the positive good vs. the negative evil within ourselves.

As is my way, let’s look at this from a Christian view. During the creation process, God always ended each day of creating by proclaiming, “it is good.” Except one time. In Genesis 2:18: “Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.” Although Adam walked and talked with God in the garden, God knew Adam needed another person to be complete.

And, just as God created us to need others, the need to come together expands to other parts of His creation. Yep, I’m still talking about butterflies! Monarchs travel on their annual migration during the day, mainly on their own. But at night, they come together to roost in large groups in the trees. Many think this provides not only protection from predators, but warmth for the weary travelers. Learn more here.

Some fun facts: Did you know LEGO play is not just for fun? (Don’t tell the kids!) Those little bricks help children and adults develop in important ways:

• There are now LEGO therapy programs that improve ADHD and autism symptoms.
• Playing with the bricks improves communication and verbal skills.
• Kids develop essential cognitive abilities, such as critical thinking, creativity, and fine motor skills.
• Amy Shelton, a cognitive psychologist and director of research at the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth, says, “spatial skills learned through block play could soon be recognized as a factor in training tomorrow’s scientists, mathematicians, tech professionals, and engineers.”

For more fun, check out these Bible stories told with stop-action bricks produced by Bricktime Studios!

“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” James 1:2-4