Tag: Lego

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Things to do

We Can’t Wait to See RELICS — You Shouldn’t Miss It Either!

If you’ve got a LEGO-mad kid (or you are the LEGO-mad one), this is the ultimate school-holiday adventure. We cannot wait to go and experience RELICS: A New World Rises with our family!

Created by former LEGO® Masters champions Jackson Harvey and Alex Towler, RELICS turns ordinary objects into extraordinary LEGO worlds. Imagine:

🔹 A fridge transformed into a cryogenic health resort
🔹 A typewriter running a bustling newspaper empire
🔹 A Volkswagen Beetle powering a futuristic energy revolution

Every build is packed with Minifigure mischief, playful storytelling, and tiny details that will have you looking twice… and smiling every time.

See It Before 26 January

This isn’t just another exhibition—RELICS closes on 26 January 2026, so now’s the time to plan your visit. With strong crowds expected over the school holidays, book early to make sure you don’t miss out!

RELICS Highlights

  • 14 massive displays combining vintage objects with LEGO creations
  • Interactive LEGO build zone—create your own miniature worlds
  • Custom scavenger hunts for kids and adults alike
  • A futuristic story set in 2130, where LEGO societies rise from the remains of a human-free world

More to Explore at the Australian Museum

The fun doesn’t stop with RELICS! Over the summer holidays, the museum is also hosting two free spectacular photographic exhibitions:

Plus, visitors can explore the stunning permanent galleries: Dinosaurs, Minerals, Birds of Australia, and award-winning First Nations galleries including Garrigarrang, Wansolmoana, and the Burra play space.

A Story in Every Brick

Jackson and Alex have poured years into this passion project, giving every Minifigure its own story. The result? A playful, imaginative, and surprisingly thoughtful world you’ll get lost in—together as a family.

Don’t Miss Out

We cannot wait to explore RELICS with our family—and you shouldn’t miss it either. Bring your kids, bring your inner LEGO fan, and get ready to be amazed!

What: RELICS: A New World Rises exhibition
Open now — closes 26 January 2026
Where: Australian Museum, 1 William St, Sydney NSW
Exhibition Tickets: Adult: $29.00, Concession: $25.00, Child 4-15: $19.00, Child 0-3: Free 

The Australian Museum offers free general admission and is open every day except Christmas Day (25 December). Tickets for RELICS are available now at australian.museum – strong demand is expected for the summer holidays. Gift cards for the exhibition are also available via the AM website.

Learn about public transport, parking and how to get to the Australian Museum.

Stay tuned over the next few days on my Instagram page for updates, photos, and all the reasons we absolutely loved RELICS!

Categories
Things to do

Step Into RELICS: A LEGO® Adventure at the Australian Museum

We love LEGO® and absolutely adore the Australian Museum – it’s the perfect place to spend a day (or even just a few hours) keeping the kids entertained. And now there’s a new reason to visit: RELICS: A New World Rises, opening Saturday, 16 August 2025.

Created by former LEGO® Masters champions Jackson Harvey and Alex Towler, RELICS transforms everyday objects into incredible LEGO® worlds filled with tiny Minifigure stories and mind-blowing creativity. From refrigerators turned into cryogenic health resorts to typewriters as bustling newspaper headquarters, there’s something to discover at every turn.

With an interactive LEGO® build zone, scavenger hunts, and endless imaginative inspiration, RELICS is perfect for LEGO®-obsessed kids – or adults who never outgrew their love for LEGO®. It’s a fun, creative, and totally unique way to spend a few hours at the museum.

Whether you’re a LEGO® fanatic or just love seeing creativity come to life, RELICS is an experience you won’t want to miss. Get ready to explore a world where the past and the future collide in the most imaginative ways.

📅 When: Opens Saturday, 16 August 2025 and will run until Tuesday, 27 January 2026.
📍 Where: Australian Museum, 1 William St, Sydney NSW
🎟 Tickets: Adults $29 | Concession $25 | Children 4-15 $19 | Under 4 free

Exhibition Highlights:

  • 14 immersive displays that transform vintage objects into detailed LEGO® worlds
  • Created by LEGO® Masters champions Jackson Harvey and Alex Towler
  • Engaging, layered storytelling filled with hidden details to delight curious minds of all ages
  • Interactive build zone where visitors can design, build, and display their own LEGO® creations
  • Custom scavenger hunts tailored for both children and adults
  • Audio guide available – download the free, accessible guide to your device before arrival and bring your own headphones for the best experience

RELICS at the Australian Museum is the perfect way to spend a day with the family. LEGO® fans of all ages will be captivated by the incredible displays, interactive build zones, and imaginative stories, while everyone can also explore the museum’s fascinating exhibits. It’s a day full of creativity, discovery, and fun – a must-do for kids and adults alike!

Categories
Family

Jurassic World by Brickman

I love LEGO, my twin girls love LEGO and now my little boy loves LEGO.

We are also massive fans of Brickman. Who is also known as Ryan McNaught. Yes, his real name isn’t Brickman. And you probably wouldn’t be surprised to learn that I also watch LEGO Masters. Okay, so now you know it is a natural progression to have gone to the Brickman exhibit at The Australian Museum.

One exciting part of being in the city is catching trains. My little boy and I caught a train to Museum and the exhibit was a short walk from the station.

  • Alexander at Museum Station
  • Museum Station
  • Paddle Pop advertisement at Museum Station
  • Speedo Advertisement at Museum Station
  • We exited via Liverpool Street – Museum Station
  • Ready to go to see the Jurassic World Brickman Exhibit at The Australian Museum
My six year old boy and I visited the Jurassic World by Brickman exhibit at the Australian Museum. We saw so many LEGO dinosaurs and got hands on with all the LEGO. Learn what you an do at the exhibition.
Arriving at the Australian Museum

The exhibit was a secret surprise for my little boy, actually, it was a fun weekend with Mummy in the city.

About Jurassic World by Brickman

Dates: The exhibition is open until 17 July.

Location: The Australian Museum, Sydney, NSW
1 William Street Sydney NSW 2010 
If travelling by public transport get off at Museum Station, it is only a short walk to the Australian Museum.

Tickets: Tickets for a family of 4 are $95 and you can book your tickets at Ticketek

Opening Hours: 10am – 5pm

The Jurassic World Brickman Exhibit features over 50 large-scale dinosaurs, props, scenes, and activities made from over 6 million LEGO® bricks. Plus, in a Sydney exclusive, the newest Jurassic World by Brickman® dinosaur will be unveiled. Weighing in at 400 kilograms, the Baryonyx is over 4.8 metres long and made up of 102,317 LEGO® bricks. Relive the magic of beloved stories and characters from the Jurassic World franchise, as you embark on a thrilling journey across the island – Isla Nublar.

Walk through the iconic gates of the park (all made out of LEGO) and experience the inner workings of the Jurassic Worldlab. Venture into the baby dinosaur enclosure, where a life-size Brachiosaurus weighing well over 1.8 tonnes awaits! Encounter incredible models of Triceratops, Velociraptors, T.rex, and many more.

There will be 2.5 million LEGO® bricks for you to show off your own building skills. Get hands-on with LEGO® brick paleontology, mystery mosaics, island-building, hybrid dinosaur creations, and much more.

  • Alex being cheeky touching the dinosaur
  • Run as fast you can! There is a HUGE dinosaur.
  • Run faster!
  • Alex is trying to run away… the dinosaur is still there
  • Running is not enough with this enormous LEGO dinosaur

More than two years and 10,000 build hours have gone into the creation of Jurassic World by Brickman®, making it the biggest exhibition the Brickman team has ever created. This is a not to be missed experience for kids and adults alike.

LEGO Jurassic Fossil

New Jurassic Film out soon

If you are a Jurassic World fan like I am you will be excited for the new Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment film Jurassic World: Dominion debuts in cinemas in June 2022.

Jurassic World Brickman exhibit at the Australian Muesum

We had a blast at the exhibition. The dinosaurs and the world that was created were amazing and all out of LEGO. It must have taken ages and been hard work to create the signs, doors, lights, and of course life-like dinosaur statues.

It was fantastic that kids were able to be hands-on and get totally involved by creating their own LEGO pieces as well. Alexander spent hours creating his version of a Pterodactyl as well as some interesting art that was meant to be a dinosaur footprint but ended up being an artwork.

Be prepared to stay for hours longer for your LEGO-obsessed child to play with all the LEGO.

Getting hands-on with LEGO
So much to create in the Jurassic World with LEGO
Alexander added his art to the wall
The art and footprints on the wall
All the LEGO
Alex is proud of his art creation in LEGO
Creating his artwork

Brekkie with the Brickman

Would you like to meet Brickman? How about having breakfast with the man? I wish we could have done this as well… the exhibit was amazing. However, learning a few tips and techniques to make my LEGO creations more fabulous ( I can dream right?)

Ryan ‘the Brickman’ McNaught. Image from the Australian Museum website

You can join Brickman for conversation and a Masterclass with the only LEGO® Certified Professional in the Southern Hemisphere- Ryan ‘the Brickman’ McNaught. Enjoy a light breakfast in Hintze Hall before gaining insights and tips in the Masterclass, as Ryan answers your questions and takes you through a range of fun activities. Explore Jurassic World by Brickman® and snap a selfie with the Brickman himself.

Make sure to book to not be disappointed and have Brekkie with Brickman.

Friday mornings, 29 April & 27 May: 7:30 – 9:30am
All persons under the age of 12 must be accompanied by a paying adult.

An exclusive after-hours Masterclass for grownups with Ryan ‘The Brickman’ McNaught.

Late Night LEGO with the Brickman
Thursday nights, 28 April & 26 May: 8:30 – 10pm

This is perfect for adults who are LEGO lovers. Have a drink and learn from Brickman and find out how to improve your LEGO creations.

Book today to make sure you don’t miss out.

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Categories
Creative

LEGO Skittles

Note: This first appeared on my Kiddipedia article – Creative Activities for Kids

Making LEGO Skittles is so much fun and a great activity to keep little kids entertained.

Playing with LEGO helps kids with problem-solving, confidence, creativity, and problem skills.

 

  Steps:   

  1. Use LEGO DUPLO/LEGO  
  2. Start building towers
  3. Make 5 – 6 different towers or more it is up to you
  4. Decorate your towers with animals or other LEGO items
  5. Get a small ball and then see how many skittle towers you can knockdown
  6. If they break, build them again and keep on playing

Enjoy and have fun playing LEGO Skittles.

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Categories
Recipes

Clone Scones for Star Wars Day

May the 4th Be With You!

Are you are a Star Wars fan? Do you celebrate Star Wars Day?  How about celebrating by making a yummy batch of Clone Scones!

 

How to make Clone Scones?

I found this great recipe in the Star Wars Cookbook, I got the cook book for hubby for Father’s Day years ago now.

Before you start anything make sure to preheat your oven to 200°c

Make some Clone Scones to celebrate Star Wars Day
Make some Clone Scones to celebrate Star Wars Day

Ingredients

  • Cups of plain flour – also more for dusting on the dough so it doesn’t stick
  • Half a cup of oats (I used rolled oats)
  • 1/3 cup of brown sugar
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon of salt
  • 3/4 cup of unsalted butter – make sure it is cold
  • 2 lemons juiced and rind included (the original recipe calls for 3/4 cup of raisins, I didn’t have any and they are not my favourite anyway)
  • 1 cup of milk, plus 1 tablespoon at room temperature for brushing on top of the scones
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (I used caster sugar)
  • 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

Adding the milk to the mixture for clone scones
Adding the milk to the mixture for clone scones

Made the recipe my own by adding lemon instead of raisins
Made the recipe my own by adding lemon instead of raisins

Method

  1. Make sure you have preheated your oven to 200°c
  2. Get a large bowl and add the following ingredients: 3 cups of flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and mix all together.
  3. Add the butter in slices to the mixture and blend together with the dry mixture
  4. Add raisins if you wish now. I added lemon rind and juice to my mixture instead and used 2 lemons.
  5. Mix everything together so that it looks like a coarse dough.
  6. Add 1 cup of milk to the mixture and combine until the dough holds everything together.
  7. Have trays ready with baking paper on them or you can butter trays to allow the dough not to stick
  8. Make sure that the dough is roughly about 1.5 centimeters thick and then cut out the shapes you want for your clone scones. I just used a circle shape and mine were a little too big, you might want to make them smaller. I wanted mine to resemble large scones that you might get at an afternoon tea.
  9. Cut out your clone scones and add them to the tray
  10. Cook for 12-15mins or until they are golden.
  11. When the clone scones come out of the oven you can now brush the tops with the tablespoon of milk mixed with the granulated sugar and cinnamon. This makes them look shiny on top and gives them a nice glaze (I forgot to do this to mine so my version doesn’t look shiny but didn’t impact on taste.)
  12. Serve hot and add cream, and jam or honey to enjoy your clone scones this Star Wars Day.

 

The clone scone dough all ready to cut into shapes and to bake
The clone scone dough all ready to cut into shapes and to bake

Cooked and cooling down to allow everyone to try some yummy clone scones
Cooked and cooling down to allow everyone to try some yummy clone scones

 

 

 

 

The Finished Product – SUPER YUMMY!

Ready to eat and with added honey
Ready to eat and with added honey

Great resources to make Star Wars Day fun:

 

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Categories
Family

LEGO Jr For Toddlers

Alexander loves LEGO and has really wanted to play with his big sisters LEGO sets.

However, these LEGO sets are for big kids and have super tiny to extremely little bits that go with any of the kits I have purchased (Also due to having a lot of LEGO and not a great system in place the LEGO is stored in a draw and easily accessible by the twin’s little brother).

LEGO Jr Incredibles 2 Underminer Bank Heist Set
LEGO Jr Incredibles 2 Underminer Bank Heist Set

The twins are eight years older than their brother so as you might imagine they are doing more complicated things with their LEGO creations than he is, although he would love to give it a go.

I have noticed that he seems to be very good at not putting any little piece in his mouth or elsewhere so that is a plus and decided to see how he would go with the LEGO Jr Sets.

Finished Incredibles 2 Set all ready to play with
Finished Incredibles 2 Set all ready to play with

Superheroes are a big hit and the Incredibles Films are a firm favourite with Alexander and also the twins. Having a kit that features the “Underminer Bank Heist” from The Incredibles 2 was a good idea. 

Alex was keen to open his new LEGO set and kept on wanting to build it. I helped with opening up the box and assisted him in building the kit. It came with Mr Incredible, Mrs Incredible (Elastigirl) and the Underminer. You also can build a bank vault with breakaway door and a street scene with wall and buildable streetlamp, plus an Incredibile vehicle and Tunneler machine with spinning drill bits.  Some parts needed mummy to help and others Alex was able to click the bricks into place.

My little boy is a little young to do it all himself but enjoyed the process and playing with the set once finished.

I was very pleased once the set was complete and it matched the picture on the box and instructions. However, a three-year-old toddler didn’t care too much for accuracy and ended up dismantling my hard efforts on making sure it looked picture perfect and created his own game with Mr Incredible and the Underminer, oh and loved the fact that he got another car with the kit too (he is obsessed with cars).

The underminer and Mrs Incredible (AKA Elastigirl)
The underminer and Mrs Incredible (AKA Elastigirl)

Alexander will be 4 in January and since he is really into building with LEGO I’ve organised more LEGO Jr kits just for him.

More about how good LEGO is for kids:

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Categories
Family

The Pains and Joy of Helping With LEGO

Have you ever been asked to help kids with LEGO?  It might start out innocently and happy, but at times that happy LEGO bubble will go south.

Only the other day the girls asked mummy and daddy to help them with their new Harry Potter LEGO sets that they got for Christmas.

Santa was super generous with the LEGO and obviously knew that the twins are super obsessed with Harry Potter.

Harry Potter Aragog's Lair - LEGO 75950 Playset
Harry Potter Aragog’s Lair – LEGO 75950 Playset

One kid got the Harry Potter Hogwarts Great Hall – LEGO 75954 Playset and the other got Harry Potter Hogwarts Express- LEGO 75955 Playset

Santa was also kind enough to give them the following set to share –Harry Potter Aragog’s Lair – LEGO 75950 Playset

Now aside from Aragog’s Lair the other two sets are HUGE! There are what looks like thousands of bricks and things to sort.

One kid decided that they would build the Lair first and that was super easy, aside from missing a piece, but sorted quickly and painlessly at the customer support page on the LEGO website. Easy, sorted and we moved on to the other sets.

The twin that received the Hogwart’s Express wanted to do this first. She is not as confident with LEGO as her sister is and wanted to get some help from mummy. I was keen to see it built and of course said yes. Alexander was at care and we filled the floor of the living room with LEGO and also watched the first film in the Harry Potter series.

Watching a film while building LEGO is a painful process. Nothing gets done and if it does it is sooooooooooooooooooo slow. Painful to watch and be around. I decided that I would do my own thing until I am asked if she needed help.

The idea was to build the train and then move onto Hogwarts Great Hall, however it was taking hours and still not complete with the train.

The kid in question was doing a great job with her Harry Potter train, she was checking the instructions and making sure she had all the right pieces available to build what was needed. She did need a helping hand but mostly she did it all herself.

Having fun building Harry Potter Hogwarts Express- LEGO 75955 Playset
Having fun building Harry Potter Hogwarts Express- LEGO 75955 Playset

I was and am very proud of her doing it all herself and I could see her getting more and more confident and sure of herself. I told her how well she was doing, I made sure to explain how well she was following the instructions and that the train looked amazing so far. It’s still not finished but not long to go to have a completed model of the Hogwarts Express.

Due to the fact that the train construction was taking forever I explained to her sister that she should start building the Hogwarts Great Hall. She was excited to start and wanted my help, however this all went down hill when we struggled to find some essential bricks to help us build the Great Hall. It was discovered after a lot of upset that one bag of bricks had fallen out in the twins room.

Once we had the bag of missing items things started moving quicker, however due to not finding the right items this kid opened up all bags of LEGO and it was scattered all over the living room floor!

Daddy was called in as apparently I was not saying or doing the right things for the kid who was constructing the Great Hall.

He didn’t know if he should do it, or just help and the kid should be building it or what level of help was okay before it got met with annoyance, anger and tears.

These LEGO sets are big and they do take a while to build, we only had less than an hour to build it before I had to collect Alex from care.  It seems sad, as we had all day and then it was a mad scramble to get it done in less than an hour.

Getting there building Hogwarts Express, and having fun
Getting there building Hogwarts Express, and having fun

As you might imagine, all remaining blocks for each set have been put in a sealed bag and waiting for another day when we can build the rest of the models. I cannot wait to see the train finished and also Hogwarts Great Hall.

I love LEGO and I’m so proud of how the girls can look at the instructions and know what to do. Both girls have gained confidence with constructing sets to look exactly like it should and also use skills from other sets to build their own creations.

LEGO is such a great educational toy, they are playing and not even realising they are learning at the same time.

Have you been involved in some major LEGO creations? Let us know and send in photos to Facebook to show us.

 

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Family

Ups and Downs of School Holidays

How are you going? Are you surviving the school holidays?  I have had moments when it has all gone to hell and I’ve wanted to run to the hills and not come back for a while.

However, even with the annoyance and angst, I’ve been trying to embrace the holiday spirit and my mantra for this year…be happier.

I’ve been spending more time with the kids and family, hence why I haven’t posted recently. Sorry for the lack of updates.

I have been taking the kids to parks, movies, organising play dates, parties, sleepovers, I got tickets so kids can do some science at the local botanic gardens and much more!

One thing that is doing my head in is the arguments and one-upmanship between the twins.  It is really annoying, exhausting and frustrating to say the least. Are you in the same boat with your kids?

Do you find that a good stiff drink is in order after a tumultuous session with the kids not hearing anything you say? Oh, and when no one answers your questions, even when they are right next to you!

Even with the frustrations that holidays bring it has been relaxing and happy experience. We have spent time with friends and family and also managed to have a sleep in on a few days (So this is a win in my book).

Alexander had his birthday party and is now a three-year-old. He was very happy that his two mates from childcare could come to his party, and it was so adorable to see all three of them play in the park with each other.  Three cute little people taking walks and chatting and playing amongst themselves, they were super busy doing important playthings.

I still cannot believe the girls will be entering grade 5 soon, they are getting so grown up and soon primary will be finished for both of them. Only this year and next and then they are off to high school.

Hope you’re having a good break and spending some fun time with family these school holidays.  If you are having painful moments like me, I hope that they don’t last long or you can get a break for a bit.

Coming up next on the blog is are my tales of helping two ten years old’s with their new Harry Potter LEGO sets, it was a long, exhausting, frustrating and at times rewarding experience.  It really ends up as a tale of woe from all sides. I’m sure all mums and dads that have tried to assist a child with LEGO will understand the ups and downs of this fine line you walk between taking over or just helping.

 

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Family

There are no boys and girls toys, there are just toys!

The other day I was at the shops looking for some last minute stocking fillers for the kids.

I was looking at all the choices and associated costs. Geez, there are so many things that I could get them and some items are HUGE!

While getting overwhelmed at the millions of choices I overheard an older lady with her granddaughter.

Brilliant graphic from A Mighty Girl - Also confirms my thinking that toys are just toys and not boy toys or girl toys. Just toys!
Brilliant graphic from A Mighty Girl – Also confirms my thinking that toys are just toys and not boy toys or girl toys. Just toys!

I was in the LEGO aisle of the toy section and this little girl walked up and said “No these are boys toys”

The grandmother then said “Yes they are boys toys, come over here and look for girls toys”

They both kept on announcing what were boys toys and were not for girls. This angered me and I felt compelled to confront them but I didn’t.

I really wanted to say there are no boys and girls toys, there are just toys!

Why are we setting up girls to think they cannot play with LEGO, robots, transformers or cars? What about trains or other fun things?

My girls have been exposed to all sorts of different toys, trains, cars, dolls, dress ups, LEGO, blocks, painting, playdough, STEM, and so much more.

The twins favourite thing to do is LEGO and the complicated sets are the ones the kid’s LOVE!

You cannot know what talents or skills your child will have and limiting them with the toys they play with is just wrong. Also exposing all kids to many different toys is a good thing.

Kids who play with dolls and teddies show their emotions and learn how to care with these toys. Alexander is making sure his teddy, Bark the Dog is wrapped up in a blanket and that he is all tucked in for bedtime too. He wipes away his ears from his eyes and pats his head and back like he is soothing him.

Due to Alexander’s interest in cars, trucks and some television shows, of course, his gifts have been based around those. However, he still plays with his teddies, serves me food with his pretend food set and put his teddy in the toy pram and races up and down the hallway.

The girls are obsessed with Harry Potter and as mentioned massive LEGO fans.

I am going with the kid’s interests and I am not seeing toys as girls or boys toys, they are just toys.

Check out the Girl Empowerment Gift Guide from A Might Girl

Have you been finding it hard that some people believe there are toys for girls or boys? I personally hate this view.

I do love the graphic from A Mighty Girl as this really says that toys are for all, aside from the other toys that are for adults.

Let me know what you think?

 

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Family

Six More Mondays Till Xmas!

This time last year I was super organised. I had presents all sorted, some purchased and even some wrapped up ready for Christmas Day. I was a planning and organising machine.  I was all over it and made sure no one got forgotten. (One other mum asked me in September last year if I had sorted the kids Christmas presents. I gasped with shock at this comment. Why would I get their Christmas gifts sorted when they just had their birthday? She said that she had kids in December and since I was due to have Alexander in January and we had no idea if he would come in Dec/Jan it might be best to get things sorted just in case I ended up in hospital. Geez I had not thought about this. At first I thought I had plenty of time and how silly to be doing it in September. Although I looked at the calendar and due to being very pregnant thought I best get organised.)

Now the same time this year I am not in a super organised state. I have a few gifts purchased and none for immediate family only a gift here and there for my husbands family so far.

Nothing has been purchased for the kids so far.

I hear you gasp in the disbelief of this comment. However it is very true

So why am I not on the ball this year? Well I have not been motivated due to the kids being very naughty and horrible. Every time I do something lovely for them they act like terrors straight after and make me wish I shouldn’t have bothered. Does this happen to you?

Today is the 11th of November and that means that there is only 6 more Mondays to go before it is Christmas! Yes you read that right! Not long to go now.

I have even added the friendly text “DON’T PANIC” so it might calm you down. Yes very Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.

DON'T PANIC - There are only 6 more Mondays until Christmas Day! Yes you read that right. Not long to go at all!
DON’T PANIC – There are only 6 more Mondays until Christmas Day! Yes you read that right. Not long to go at all!

 

Are you the type of person who purchases Christmas presents all year?

I sometimes do this. I see something that is perfect for someone and buy it and squirrel it away. One issue with this technique is that you need to remember where you have hidden the presents. You don’t want to be in a panic and have to race out and get a few new gifts due to not being able to find your clever organised gifts that you of course cannot find.

Or do you do all the shopping in the few weeks before Christmas Day?

Maybe you like to race around the shops on Christmas Eve and get the last minute specials. I for one would hate fighting the traffic and the people if shopping on Christmas Eve, that would be annoying.

I have seen some items for the kids but they are so expensive and of course we would need to get two of them so I dismiss them, then of course they turn evil and then my nice thoughts of going Christmas gift shopping has been sidelined to annoyance and why was I bothering at all.

This has been uttered more than twice from me to the kids, “If you don’t start listening and behaving Christmas is going to be cancelled!” Yes bad mother alert here. Have you threatened to cancel Christmas? Let me know if you did and how that worked out?

Don’t get me wrong I am not a scrooge. I love this time of year, the holidays and giving to others. The one thing that is driving me mental is that I race around doing for everyone and don’t seem to get much in return. Yes I have my cranky pants on today, maybe the cranky pants have been cleaned and worn again due to the constant drama in our house at the moment. Don’t think that I never clean my pants due to being cranky a lot! (I just had to put that in here)

Kermit helping decorate the tree for Christmas. He has done a great job don't you think?
Kermit helping decorate the tree for Christmas. He has done a great job don’t you think?

Is it the age that the kids just ignore you? Don’t listen? Race off and never come back when they are called? Hurt each other and more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As you can see I am not a happy camper with the idea of rushing off to reward little peoples bad behaviour. I do think that it is the fact that they are so tired due to it being the end of the year, they are super excited about holidays, being in a new grade next year and of course Christmas. Do you find that your kids go a bit silly at the end of the year?

There is still time to get a few gifts for the kids before the actual day. I am just wondering what to give my darling girls this year. I don’t want little toys that will get lost and also cost a fortune. I don’t want more stuffed teddies as they have so many already, they don’t need more dolls although they have asked for some. I could get them more LEGO but they might get annoyed it is not something different. I do like to get them a set of LEGO to add to their collection (due to the fact they both love to create LEGO I like to make sure they have enough to share, hence adding to the collection).

I have been asked to get horse or a kitten, we will not be getting a horse due to space and costs but the kitten will have to wait until we are in our new house.

Are you organised for this Christmas?

Have you had to deal with kids being naughty and not behaving? Do you tell them to act nicer or else they might not get pressies on Christmas Day?

Let us know what you do to make things easier this time of year.

Categories
Teaching and Learning

Play & Learn with LEGO® DUPLO

I was lucky to go to The LEGO® DUPLO Creative Play workshop. We as a family love LEGO. Yes, rather a strong word to use for a toy but it is true. I played with LEGO when I was little, so did my sister, so did hubby and now so do our girls, and of course, our little boy will do as well.

The LEGO DUPLO Workshop was led by play expert Hanne Boutrup. Hanne was an inspiration, she made you want to play with LEGO bricks, get involved and just have fun. A perfect person to showcase the reasons that LEGO DUPLO (is for younger children to help with development and learning) is ideal for kids.

Hanne Boutrup was brilliant and really had everyone energised about LEGO DUPLO and how it helps children worldwide.
Hanne Boutrup was brilliant and really had everyone energised about LEGO DUPLO and how it helps children worldwide.

Did You Know?

The LEGO Group began in 1932, with Ole Kirk Christiansen who was a carpenter from Billund, Denmark who made wooden toys.

“LEGO is named after two Danish words LEG GODT (meaning Play Well) to produce the LEGO® name. The name is intended to reflect quality and the child’s right to enjoyable play.”

Alexander having fun with LEGO DUPLO
Alexander having fun with LEGO DUPLO

 

LEGO is a great toy but it is so much more.  So what can LEGO DUPLO do?

  • Help children with storytelling and communication. Using the LEGO DUPLO bricks and characters allows children to create their own world. When you are spending time with your child playing with LEGO DUPLO you can use the different creations as launch pads to tell stories. These creative stories help your child understand how stories are told, for example, stories have a beginning, a middle and an ending and the story needs to be told in this sequence or the person listening will get lost. This is a good skill to have as this leads to good communication that will help your child in the future.
  • You can teach fractions, shapes, patterns, colours, lengths and basic maths with LEGO DUPLO. Your kids will not even know they are learning, they will think they are just having a great time playing.
  • Being creative. Building cities, aeroplanes, birds, dinosaurs and really anything that you can think of. Don’t be confined to just the instructions that are included in the pack. LEGO DUPLO allows kids to create whatever their heart desires. There are no restrictions.

Alexander loved playing with LEGO DUPLO. When he is older I'm sure he will build amazing worlds.
Alexander loved playing with LEGO DUPLO. When he is older I’m sure he will build amazing worlds.

This workshop was hands-on. We all had to open a pack of LEGO DUPLO bricks and get building.

Our first task was to build a bridge that would allow two LEGO DUPLO characters to get across the river that had huge fish in them and who knows if they were vicious! Yes, you had no idea so best to be careful.

My group came up with a great creation that allowed the characters to cross the river. We carefully engineered a bridge with side rails and steps to access it. We were safety conscious hence the safety rails.

The Bridge our table built to get the LEGO DUPLO characters over the river safely.
The Bridge our table built to get the LEGO DUPLO characters over the river safely.

 

“Did you know that your brain is making use of the most critical skills for learning when playing with LEGO® bricks? Even when you build and rebuild with just a few bricks you stimulate more than 20 skills, supporting competencies such as problem-solving, creativity, empathy, communication and collaboration. “

 

Our second task was that we had to sit back to back to our partner and one person built with the LEGO DUPLO and the other person directed what to build. It was a very interesting lesson on communication and how to direct others when you cannot ask questions.

The second attempt at LEGO DUPLO at the Creative Workshop. It was very close but not exact. Better and more precise direction might have been better. This was a good way to showcase how if you have really good communication your team can benefit.
The second attempt at LEGO DUPLO at the Creative Workshop. It was very close but not exact. The better and more precise direction might have been better. This was a good way to showcase how if you have really good communication your team can benefit.

As you can see it was close but if the communication was more directional that would have been better. It would have hopefully led to an exact match with each creation of LEGO DUPLO.

We were also asked to take seven bricks and create a structure. It could be anything as long as it used seven bricks. This is an interesting exercise that you can use with your children. See what they create. Let them tell you the stories about the structure and why they built it the way they did.

Having a blast exploring all the blocks and new things that LEGO DUPLO offer.
Having a blast exploring all the blocks and new things that LEGO DUPLO offer.

“Did you know that LEGO® bricks produced since 1958 are fully compatible with LEGO bricks produced today”

 

The workshop showcased ways that I as a parent can help my children learn more with LEGO and also LEGO DUPLO.

Asking questions about the story, the building, the reason why something was done and finding fun ways to incorporate maths and other school learning into play is an amazing tool. Learning about patterns, counting and just having fun means that your kids will not even realise they are learning.

With the whole focus on innovation and creativity in the workplace the skills that LEGO DUPLO gives you are essential. It will help children in the workplace. If they are creative they have great ideas, solve problems and are innovative. There is a leaning now towards STEM subjects and LEGO DUPLO can help with these subjects for younger children, well at least introduce the ideas in a creative, fun and age-appropriate way.

It was lovely to meet Hanne Boutrup at the LEGO DUPLO Creative Workshop. I thought she was such an amazing speaker and so inspiring about children, learning and creativity. Alexander is also pleased to have been there as well.
It was lovely to meet Hanne Boutrup at the LEGO DUPLO Creative Workshop. I thought she was such an amazing speaker and so inspiring about children, learning and creativity. Alexander is also pleased to have been there as well.

Do your kids love LEGO DUPLO? Do you have older kids that love LEGO too?

My helper had to put his feet up. To much building with LEGO DUPLO. He had a well earned rest.
My helper had to put his feet up. Too much building with LEGO DUPLO. He had a well-earned rest.

Have you used LEGO to teach your children without them even knowing? What is your favourite thing to do with the kids and LEGO?

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Categories
5 years and beyond

Inventions

The girls got a tub of Zoob Pieces for Christmas. They are clever building block like things that attach into each other. You get connecting bits and they come in different colours. These can move around and you can create weird and wonderful creations.

Of course the kids did not want to read the instructions or what they suggest to make and just went with their imagination. I thought why not, they are happy and creating such interesting things.

You will be pleased to know that the creation that they are most proud of is thing that can kill people from the sky and also make yoghurt (copyright pending according to the twins). We learnt of the girls clever skills when they were telling us what their invention can do. Lillian explained that it can kill naughty people in the sky and then it can make yoghurt. She was very pleased with this invention and Julia was a co-creator so she also beamed with delight when we were shown how it works.

Hubby and I got a demo of what it can do in the backyard. I must say, we are safe from any aliens or things that will attack from the sky and having the ability  to make a yummy and refreshing bowel of yoghurt after shooting is very clever.

Have your kids created amazing inventions with their Zoob Pieces? I am wondering what will be in our living room next.