The trials, the tribulations and ins and outs of Lego modelling

The Lego dilema

Lego, a toy or an instrument of torture? And one which needs to be hoovered? Okay I may have lost the plot, writes Kelly Brown.

Because, while those classic little blocks may provide hours of healthy and creative entertainment, they are near the top of the list of the most painful and frustrating items in the world. And I’m not even talking about one of those irritating songs from The Lego Movies.

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Any poor unfortunate soul who has ever had the misfortune to step on a pesky brick knows just how painful these little blighters can be. And if you have never tried to separate a small flat piece from a base flat then you have no idea of the joy you are missing.

The joys of a Lego seperator

I was so overjoyed the day I discovered what a Lego separator was to at least spare me some of this frustration. Where were they when I was growing up? My children have a love/hate relationship with Lego – spending hours playing with it one day, and then think it is rubbish and boring the next... Before playing with it again the following day.

They both also have very different styles of play which also adds to the fun. My son is meticulous and methodical, builds his models with care and once they are complete will not under ANY circumstances let you mix them up.

Instead they go on display proudly on his shelves and you are not allowed to touch them. (If he was in The Lego Movie he would be getting out the kragle). Now of course this is all wonderful and looks amazingly neat and tidy – but have you ever had to dust Lego models, or hoover them without sucking up all the small irritating pieces?

It is one of the word’s most mind-dumbing jobs!

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My daughter on the other hand is very creative, spending ages building her models with care – before promptly mixing them all up to create her own flying horse with crystals and a trampoline (or something equally as bizarre).

It is fair to say not one of her model sets is intact or probably ever will be again. It is also fair to say I will never be buying her a Lego Disney castle!

A life built around Lego

But Lego has firmly come back into favour during our lockdown days as my boy embarks on his latest creation – a Millennium Falcon.

The 1,329 piece set has been a project which has been keeping us busy and provides a wonderful time for the pair of us to spend some quality time together – even if my role is reduced to the lackey who finds the pieces for him while he does the glory bit of actually building the thing.

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And it has been wonderful to see it take shape and have something to show from our extra time at home.So I suppose everything is awesome – as they say in the Lego world – apart from the fact I’m about to have even more of the stuff to start dusting soon.

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