LEGO celebrates 90 years of extraordinary bricks – iO Donna

THEn a moment when the metaverse is at the center of current events, something as simple as a plastic brick continues to fascinate entire generations of players. How come? Perhaps because playing with bricks – as research has shown LEGO Play Well 2022 between over 55,000 parents and children in over 30 countries around the world – helps the little ones to develop creativity (93%), communication (ninety two%), ability to solve problems (92%) e self-confidence (91%). And therefore to develop skills that help to grow and adapt to the world.

Yes, because this brick, while always remaining the same – its design is the same since 1958, which means that LEGO® bricks from over 60 years ago are compatible with those of today – in these 90 years a lot has actually changed. As he explained Marco Capone, General Manager of LEGO Italy: “LEGO has been able to rebuild itself over the years, just like its creations”, intercepting new passions, embracing the changes in the world and speaking to the new generations of children as well as to those who have grown up.

But above all, we can say it, playing with LEGO bricks makes you happy (97%), it helps to chill out and to detach (95%). Have you tried building a stadium, the Titanic or a racing car? No matter the age at which you do it, it is a challenging and rewarding experience.

90 years of celebration

The special cake created by Riccardo Zangemi, Official LEGO Builder, for the 90th anniversary of the brand is made of 5000 pieces.

To celebrate this undying love with its fans, the LEGO Group has put in place many initiatives, for children and adults, in Italy and around the world. Friday 10 June, at the LEGO® Certified Store Milano San Babila have been inaugurated the 8 weeks of play that will animate all the Italian LEGO Stores. Among these, the hilarious and colorful Wheel Station, a sort of “spin the wheel” to create and recreate with bricks using only one’s own creativity: you spin the wheel and the challenge is to create your own version of the indicated object, to then turn again and give life to something new.

Until August 10thfans of the brick will also have the opportunity to participate in the “Grand Competition 90 years of LEGO play“. By purchasing at least € 19.90 of LEGO products, you will have the opportunity to win many exclusive 90-year-themed prizes and gadgets. All information and regulations are available at the following link: www.90-years-of-LEGO-play.com.

With Sky and adidas

On the occasion of this anniversary, SKY has become the Brick Broadcaster Ambassador transforming the Sky channels into a large “playground”. The celebrations began on June 10 with the broadcast of the official video “LEGO 90 years of play” to Sky unified networks, and then continue with a series of activities that will see protagonists Melissa Satta, Mauro Sanchini and not only. Waiting for grand finale on August 10th when the Sky channels will celebrate the LEGO Group with special wishes to unified networks.

But the LEGO Group is also on the side of sport, the beautiful one. In partnership with adidas, it will be hero ofadidas Playground Milano League, the most important streetball project ever carried out on the Milanese playgrounds. Events that populate the city’s pitches and town halls, every summer since 2018, bringing together children, young people and entire families in the name of sport, inclusiveness and sustainability. The LEGO Group will be the protagonist for the entire course of the tournament starting with the first mini-basketball activities started on 11 June together with a exceptional ambassador: Giulio Maria PapiParalympic champion and player of the Italian national wheelchair basketball team.

“I think each of us is a hypothetical set of pieces which will mount differently – said Giulio Maria Papi during the party for the 90th anniversary of the LEGO Group at the Milan San Babila store – a starting from that brick that makes us unique we build ourselves every day“. The wheelchair basketball champion then explained that when at the age of 15 a tumor took away the use of his legs he never thought of becoming a sportsman. That’s why today he travels Italy together with adidas to show the kids that the wheelchair is not an obstacle to anything, just a different way of doing things.

The appointments continue July 2-3 with The League tournamentin which LEGO Italy will be the official sponsor of the Wheelchair basketball category, and will end with two major events on 7 and 9 July. On July 7 in Piazza Minniti, in the heart of the Isola district, the Danish company will organize an exclusive live building held by Riccardo ZangelmiLEGO Certified Professional Italian.

To the question, “What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced with LEGO bricks?“, The official builder Riccardo Zangelmi replied. “In 5 years with LEGO I have built everything, perhaps the biggest challenge was the Rover that went to Mars at a scale of 1: 2”. All in bricks (110,000) of course.

On July 9, with the support of adidas, LEGO Italy will give an indelible memory to the city of Milan for childrenkids and families, stay tuned!

Not only Milan, the Minifigures now also Naples

As the icing on the 90th birthday cake, the LEGO group on 9 June it celebrated the opening of 23 ° LEGO ® Certified Store in Naples. A new store has opened its doors to give to fans a special gaming experience, between physical and digital. In this shop it is indeed possible to create a copy of themselves in LEGO versionthanks to Minifigure Factory – the second in our country after Milan – a really fun and creative way to make or be a surprising gift not only for children, but also for adults, for newlyweds, for favors, anniversaries, etc … who doesn’t dream of seeing themselves in LEGO Minifigure format?

LEGO initiatives around the world

Celebrations in Italy but not only, the 90th anniversary LEGO is celebrated around the world with joyful meetings and initiatives to invite people of all ages to experience the joy and benefits of play. There will be activities to inspire families with weekly building challenges and quizzes starting June 10 on the channels LEGO social media come on LEGO Life. The abilities of children will be shown to transform the simplest moments into playful adventures, to inspire and encourage parents to do the same within the movement #PlayPledge by LEGO Foundation and we will celebrate the role of play in the lives of world-renowned creatives such as Alicia Keys, Yotam Ottolengthi and Peggy Gou.

The LEGO stores have also been transformed into playground with funny 90 years themed construction activity and display areas for the creations. Homage to the marvelous will be paid AFOLwho have never stopped playing, creating and inspiring the brand. The most iconic LEGO models will be recreatedto offer hours of fun and a pinch of nostalgia for families with the 90 years of LEGO Classic play set and another celebratory product yet to be revealed …

June 18 fans and families could take a peek behind the scenes at LEGO HQ with LEGO® CON. Enthusiasts of all ages are also invited to experience a world of playful learning activities with 25 million LEGO bricks at the LEGO House in Billund, the “Brick House” they guests of selected LEGOLAND parkswill be able to play five different types of playful activities and collect badges while exploring.

Finally, on 10 June the over 24,000 LEGO Group employees around the world they had more free time to celebrate and experience the power of play together at the annual LEGO Play Day.

To know everything is enough follow the hashtag # LEGO90anni or visit LEGO.com/90-Years-Of-Playto join in the fun and discover all the upcoming surprises.

The story of the LEGO brick

The history of the LEGO group begins exactly 90 years ago, when a Danish carpenter created a line of small wooden toys in his workshop in Billund, Denmark. His first collection consisted of a modest number of objects, 36 to be preciseincluding cars, airplanes and yoyos, all carefully crafted for help local children to learn about the world through play. That than Ole Kirk Kristiansen could not have known as far back as 1932, is that the LEGO Group would become one of the largest toy companies in the world and that would have inspired millions of boys and girls.

Twenty-six years after Ole made the first wooden toy, his son Godtfred patented the LEGO brick as we know it todaywith his modular interlocking system that offers endless possibilities for creative construction. Since then, the adventures of Danish construction have never stopped. From a few simple loose and primary color bricks more than 18,000 LEGO sets; the brand was the inspiration for the Hollywood film THE LEGO MOVIE ™; helped children learn the robotics and coding through LEGO® MINDSTORMS® and has animated hours and hours of digital gameplay through beyond 180 LEGO video games.

What does the word “LEGO” mean

Legend has it that when it came to choosing the name of the prodigious brick Ole turned to his employees for ideas offering, they say, a bottle of his homemade wine to whoever found the right one. But, perhaps luckily for his employees, he himself found the winning name!

In the end it was decided “LEGO”, union of the two Danish words “Leg” and “Godt”, which they mean “Play well”. As evidence of Ole’s passion for high quality toys, which has remained over time as a legacy of the brand.

Curiosities about the LEGO brand:

Only the best is good enough – Ole’s motto is still today synonymous with quality and safety. The LEGO bricks are subjected to various tests: they are dropped, crushed, heated and tested to verify that they are able to withstand any unexpected. Even butter is used to reproduce greasy fingers.

Spit proof – the material of the bricks, to be 100% safe for everyone, is also tested with saliva. Artificial. And also the sweat, which is also artificial. To ensure that each brick is safe and does not get damaged with use.

Splitting the hair – Each LEGO brick is modeled with extreme precision, less than the thickness of a hair (0.004mm) to ensure the perfect “friction force” that holds LEGO creations together.

A timeless charm – the LEGO brick was voted toy of the century in 1999, over 40 years after it was first designed.

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