The history of ‘the brick’

There are two memories many people are unlikely to forget.

The first is the joy you felt as a child when playing with LEGO.

The second is the pain you felt, as an adult, when you first stepped, barefoot, on a stray LEGO brick.

But what is the history of ‘the brick’ and how did it evolve into an educational tool?

The beginnings

The story of LEGO is a story of creativity and invention. It’s a story that spans more than 80 years.

LEGO was founded in 1932 by Ole Kirk Christiansen in Billund, Denmark. Christiansen was a carpenter who started making wooden toys for his children. He named his company LEGO after the Danish words “leg godt,” meaning “play well.” The company began producing plastic toys in 1947, and by 1949 they had produced their first LEGO bricks. In 1958, LEGO began producing its now-famous interlocking blocks, and by 1960 the company was producing over 200 million LEGO bricks each year.

In 1968, LEGO began producing sets in America, and by 1974 LEGO was the best-selling toy in America. The company expanded rapidly throughout the 1980s and 1990s, opening factories around the world and producing new lines of LEGO products.

Did you say ’60 million bricks’?

Today, LEGO is one of the most popular toys in the world, with over 60 million LEGO bricks sold each year!

The company has also expanded beyond toy manufacturing, opening LEGOLAND theme parks and producing films and video games.

The LEGO brick has come a long way since its humble beginnings in a Danish carpenter’s workshop. Today, it is a global icon.

Since its establishment in 1932, LEGO has produced a number of films and video games.

In 2014, the company released its first feature-length film, “The LEGO Movie.” The film was a huge success, grossing over $468 million worldwide.

Another LEGO movie, “The LEGO Batman Movie,” was also a box office hit.

In recent years, LEGO has focused on producing films and games that are based on its popular toy lines, such as “LEGO Ninjago” and “LEGO City.”

The LEGO Group is a privately held company owned by the Kirkbi Invest A/S. The family-owned investment company also owns the majority of shares in Merlin Entertainments Group, the second-largest entertainment company in the world.

The LEGO Group is committed to producing high-quality toys that inspire creativity and imagination in children. The company’s motto is “Only the best is good enough.”

LEGO as an educational tool

LEGO has been used as an educational tool for a long time. It is a great way to teach kids about mathematics, geometry, and engineering. LEGO is also a fun way for kids to learn about history and other topics.

The LEGO Group founded the LEGO Education company in 1998 to provide elementary and secondary schools with educational sets and kits. The company’s aim is to provide students with hands-on learning experiences that develop problem-solving and critical thinking skills.

LEGO Education offers a range of products, including standard classroom sets, STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) kits, and WeDo 2.0, a program that teaches students to code using LEGO bricks.

In recent years, LEGO has also been used to teach children about robotics and programming. The company’s Mindstorms EV3 line is a popular choice for educators.

University educators have also turned to LEGO to teach complex concepts. You can read about the work of Dr Emily Cook and how she uses LEGO and stop motion animation in her recent blog post for Primary + STEM here.

The future of LEGO

There is no doubt that LEGO is a popular toy. But what is the future of LEGO? Will it continue to be popular with children around the world?

There are several things that could help LEGO maintain its popularity in the future. One is the continued production of high-quality toys that inspire creativity and imagination. Another is the expansion of the LEGO brand into new areas, such as films, video games, and theme parks.

Only time will tell what the future holds for LEGO. But one thing is certain: the company has a long history of success, and it is poised to continue its tradition of making great toys that children love.

Image credit

Photo by Matt Hudson on Unsplash