LEGO to celebrate 90 years of play
Posted by Huw,
This year is the 90th anniversary of when LEGO started making toys. In addition to releasing a number of celebratory products, the company has other things planned as well. Here's a press release about what's going on:
Brick by Brick – building LEGO love for 90 years
This summer, the LEGO Group is celebrating the creativity of fans and the power of play as the new LEGO Play Well Study shows play is fundamental to the wellbeing and happiness of the whole family.
Ninety years ago, a Danish carpenter crafted a line of small wooden toys in his Billund, Denmark, workshop. His first collection had a modest 36 items that included cars, aircraft, and yoyos, all carefully crafted to help local children learn about the world.
What Ole Kirk Kristiansen couldn’t have known back in 1932, was that the LEGO Group would become one of the biggest toy companies in the world and inspire millions of children to play each year.
Twenty-six years after Ole made his first wooden toy, his son Godtfred patented the LEGO brick we know today, with its interlocking tube system offering endless creative building possibilities. Since then, the LEGO brick has been busy. From a few simple bricks in primary colours, the humble brick has formed the basis of over 18,000 LEGO products, received the Hollywood treatment in THE LEGO MOVIE, helped children learn about robotics and coding through LEGO MINDSTORMS, and inspired hours of playful digital adventures in over 180 LEGO video games.
Throughout time, Ole’s passion for fun and high-quality toys has endured as his legacy. In fact, the “LEGO” name comes from two Danish words “Leg Godt”, meaning “Play Well”. And now, new research from the LEGO Play Well Study shows play as not only fun, but also integral to childhood development, overall happiness and family wellbeing.
The Power of Play
For the 2022 LEGO Play Well Study, the company polled more than 55,000 parents and children in over 30 countries and found that almost all parents think children strengthen their creativity (93%), communication (92%), problem-solving skills (92%), and confidence (91%) while they play. When children play, they develop skills that help them thrive in a rapidly changing world.
But most importantly, almost all children say playing as a family makes them happy (97%), helps them relax and takes their mind off school (95%) and is their favourite way to learn.
A Family Affair
Play isn’t just for kids. Playing together makes the whole family happier, builds stronger family bonds and improves their wellbeing according to 95% of parents. Over 4 in 5 parents (85%) called out LEGO play specifically, saying their families are happier when they play with LEGO bricks.
Family values have always been at the heart of the LEGO Group, which is still headquartered in Billund, Denmark, where Ole started making his first toys. To this day, it is still owned by Ole’s family with grandson Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen recently passing the helm to his own son, Thomas Kirk Kristiansen.
“When my great-grandfather founded the company 90 years ago, he recognised that play could change the lives of children – it brings families together and helps children develop skills that can enable them to reach their full potential. He only had a small workshop, but he had big ambitions to ensure as many children as possible could experience the benefits that play brings,” said Thomas Kirk Kristiansen, Chairman of the LEGO Group. “Whether 1932, 2022 or on our 100th Anniversary in 2032, we strive to continue this legacy by helping all families, wherever they are in the world, to play well.”
Small Brick, Endless Possibilities
While the LEGO Group has constantly created new ways to play, its original purpose has never changed: to build children’s future through play and spark their imagination and creativity. In fact, six 2x4 stud LEGO bricks of the same colour can be combined in over 915 million different ways. A challenge accepted by fans the world over!
When it comes to children, 95% say toys like LEGO bricks help them be creative and try new things, while Adult Fans of LEGO (AFOLs) showcase jaw-dropping creativity with the LEGO brick every day – they have even designed some of the brand’s most popular sets!
“I’ve used LEGO building to transform all the crazy ideas I have into reality for many years – there’s always new building techniques to try that spark my imagination for new builds. And most importantly, LEGO building connects me to a community of amazing creative people around the world,” said Chinna, aged 28 from Virginia, USA.
Building a Brighter Future
The past nine decades have reinforced just how important play is to all children. That’s why 25 percent of the LEGO Group’s profit dividends go the LEGO Foundation, giving millions of children the chance to play and learn – including those who are disadvantaged and impacted by crises. Last year, the LEGO Foundation committed over $440 million USD to help children around the world reach their full potential through play.
Celebrate With Us
In the lead up to its 90th Anniversary, the LEGO Group will be celebrating fan creativity and 90 years of LEGO play with a range of activities to help those of all ages experience the joy and benefits of play for themselves. These activities include:
- Inspiring families with exciting building challenges and a ‘What Brick Are You?’ quiz starting from June 9 on LEGO.com, LEGO social media channels and LEGO Life,
- Celebrating the role of play in the lives of world-renowned creatives such as Alicia Keys, Yotam Ottolenghi and Peggy Gou,
- Turning LEGO stores into playgrounds from June 10, with fun, anniversary-themed building activities for visitors and display areas for creations to be showcased,
- Honouring awesome AFOLs by showing how they have never stopped playing, creating and inspiring us as a brand,
- Bringing LEGO fans and families together for an exciting look behind-the-scenes of LEGO HQ with LEGO CON on June 18,
- Showcasing children’s ability to turn mundane moments into playful adventures, and providing inspiration to help parents to do the same as part of the LEGO Foundation’s #PlayPledge movement,
- Collaborating with entertainment, art and design, music, fashion, sports and gaming partners to create playful spaces and experiences for communities around the world,
- Recreating iconic LEGO models to provide hours of fun and nostalgia for the family with the LEGO Classic 90 Years of Play with another celebratory set still to be revealed,
- Inviting LEGOLAND guests in select parks* to Play YOUR Way as they experience five different types of play activities and collect badges as they explore LEGOLAND,
- Helping fans of all ages experience a world of playful learning activities with 25 million LEGO bricks at LEGO House in Billund, the “Home of the Brick”,
- And giving our 24,000+ colleagues around the world time off to celebrate and experience the power of play together on June 10th on our annual LEGO Play Day.
Follow the hashtag #LEGO90years or visit LEGO.com/90-Years-Of-Play to join in the fun.
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25 comments on this article
But most importantly they are giving us a castle! But now I'm curious about the other sets they might surprise us with. Hope the rumors are true yet still hope to be surprised, I am so conflicted internally.
Happy Birthday, LEGO.
A bit surprising there's not a single mention of Technic. I'd say that together with what we now call System and Duplo that has been one of the core product lines of Lego over the decades.
Nevertheless, 90 years of goodness!
i guess legocon is where we'll hear about the castle and the classic space remake? any word on the rumored forestmen GWP?
I know Lego is a big business, but I think it’s really done a lot of good for the world over its 90 years. Lego expanded my horizons and imagination as a child, and their products continue to bring small doses of delight into my day, every day.
The simple act of sitting down to create something, even something with instructions, is a powerful one - therapeutic, exciting, and mentally stimulating all in one experience.
I’m glad the company’s future looks bright. While I’m sure we all have our issues with the company - sustainability, price, licensed themes, etc. - a world without quality LEGO would be a world that is infinitely less fun and lovely. Sincere thanks from me to them for decades of joy.
I better not hear any of ya’ll castle fans complain for a long time after this. Especially after they changed the voting to give the theme a better shot.
But all of this sounds pretty fun! It’s nice to see employees are also being given time off. I’m sure they’ve earned a break.
@PixelTheDragon said:
"I better not hear any of ya’ll castle fans complain for a long time after this. Especially after they changed the voting to give the theme a better shot.
But all of this sounds pretty fun! It’s nice to see employees are also being given time off. I’m sure they’ve earned a break. "
You can expect the time off to only apply to employees in the corporate offices / factories. Store employees only get Christmas off, never Play Day.
@PixelTheDragon said:
"I better not hear any of ya’ll castle fans complain for a long time after this. Especially after they changed the voting to give the theme a better shot.
But all of this sounds pretty fun! It’s nice to see employees are also being given time off. I’m sure they’ve earned a break. "
we're not star wars fans...
@PixelTheDragon said:
"I better not hear any of ya’ll castle fans complain for a long time after this. Especially after they changed the voting to give the theme a better shot.
But all of this sounds pretty fun! It’s nice to see employees are also being given time off. I’m sure they’ve earned a break. "
Oh you know we'll be whining in 6 months again. "Yeah that castle was cool and all, but we want a classic castle theme!'
@empire0 said:
" @PixelTheDragon said:
"I better not hear any of ya’ll castle fans complain for a long time after this. Especially after they changed the voting to give the theme a better shot.
But all of this sounds pretty fun! It’s nice to see employees are also being given time off. I’m sure they’ve earned a break. "
Oh you know we'll be whining in 6 months again. "Yeah that castle was cool and all, but we want a classic castle theme!'"
i know we got a lion knights castle, but we want a new black knights/dragonmasters/crownknights/kingdoms/etc castle!
@PixelTheDragon said:
"I better not hear any of ya’ll castle fans complain for a long time after this. Especially after they changed the voting to give the theme a better shot.
But all of this sounds pretty fun! It’s nice to see employees are also being given time off. I’m sure they’ve earned a break. "
I think by changed the voting, you mean, "made the voting fair" by not splitting the category votes.
That chart is weird. They skipped over a lot of stuff from the early 2000s, going from 1999 straight to the start of cuusoo in 2008.
Like the turnaround of the company as a whole, the first licensed themes (nowadays the vast majority of System themes are licensed, so that would be a big change right?), the first adult-focussed sets from the early 2000s, the change of core colors to the bluish and reddish variants...
At least mention Jorgen vig Knudstorp!
Yet there's two 2017, 2020 and 2022 points in a row! And the last point is literally a single set that came out! Revolutionary and/or political or not, that would make it a footnote as there are a lot more 'firsts' if we're looking at the thousands of sets produced each year.
And if you think the things I listed are too specific... they mention their current chairman of the Christiansen family. You know, who has been at the position for less than 2 years and hasn't exactly made history yet...
I wouldn't expect them to give a full overview of their history or anything, but that timeline is weirdly focussed on the stuff something like their current board of directives would care about, not the 'major' major milestones of their history.
Who is this chart really for anyway?
@WizardOfOss:
There’s no mention of perpetual mascot, the wooden duck. They used a pic with Will Arnett from the US show, but put LEGO Masters in the timeline with the year the British show started it all. I’ve yet to see one of these timelines that doesn’t seem to miss something.
@ahughwilliams:
I’m not sure if that’s a “yes” or a “no”.
@durazno33:
Wouldn’t have happened if Classic Space came out on top…
@Binnekamp:
“Pay no attention to the ‘years we lost money’ behind the curtain!”
@PurpleDave said:
" @WizardOfOss :
There’s no mention of perpetual mascot, the wooden duck. .... I’ve yet to see one of these timelines that doesn’t seem to miss something."
Well, "wooden toys" are on the list, and I think they could have included the duck somewhere as an easter egg. But it's not like that duck specifically spawned an entire product line with hundreds of sets still going strong. But sure, there's always something missing, I guess we just have to be happy that some trivial development like the minifig hasn't been overlooked.
@WizardOfOss said:
"A bit surprising there's not a single mention of Technic. I'd say that together with what we now call System and Duplo that has been one of the core product lines of Lego over the decades."
True but the thrust of this campaign seems to be around the theme of play. Technic originally came about so that LEGO could extend its age demographic to includes teens. And teens are typically less interested in the style of play that pre-teens engage in and more interested in mechanical engineering and physics. So it’s not too surprising that Technic got glossed over.
@Zander said:
" @WizardOfOss said:
"A bit surprising there's not a single mention of Technic. I'd say that together with what we now call System and Duplo that has been one of the core product lines of Lego over the decades."
True but the thrust of this campaign seems to be around the theme of play. Technic originally came about so that LEGO could extend its age demographic to includes teens. And teens are typically less interested in the style of play that pre-teens engage in and more interested in mechanical engineering and physics. So it’s not too surprising that Technic got glossed over.
"
I want to agree with this, but the many points with technical company stuff like the changes to more sustainable production methods and the start of Thomas Christiansen's tenure don't really seem all that concerned with play itself, I'm afraid. At least, not directly.
I think the chart just tried to focus on play but stumbled along the way or something.
Nothing important happened between 1999 and 2008? Oh, my aching childhood. :P
Also RIP bionicle. Not that Star Wars or any licensed themes got a mention either from what I see, but I guess the constraction toyline isn't "real" or notable Lego play like Friends, Ideas, Everyone is Awesome, and the classic themes are.
I'm impressed that they remembered Fun to Build though.
Congratulations! I think most of the fun began with the CA bricks already, enjoying building with them at my grandparents'. The chart after 1978 is a bit weird, as some mentioned, but until then it seems to capture the most important milestones, except for Modulex and trains.
Aside from the introduction of Braille Bricks, nothing in the next-to-last series of events is remotely related to play or showcasing the magic and love of LEGO in new formats (e.g. video games and movies). It’s just a bunch of pandering, quite frankly.
The bit about the study reminds me of a quote I like, "We don't stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop playing."
"with another celebratory set still to be revealed"
The wording of this is either odd or intentionally misleading. While I don't want to give specifics in case no one wants to get spoiled,
For a few weeks now the winner of the 90th D2C set has been leaked (which is probably what they
're talking about.)
A magazine or retail site (can't remember which) showcased a 90th-branded polybag in addition to a bunch of other polys.
This last week another remake of a classic set was leaked. Pricey, but not D2C levels.
And also last week, a remake of a classic set as a GWP was leaked.
Not counting 90 years of play, which was already mentioned, that's four celebratory sets yet to be officially revealed. While the last two leaks might be fake, we've seen the polybag on official sources, we know for certain that one's coming.
I've still got my fingers crossed for a full wave of Legacy products and/or a CMF, but no details of something like that have surfaced. Hey I can dream!
And I've been an AFOL for 40 years. Time to celebrate.
Too bad Ole is not here anymore to look over the quality and demand that 3rd coat of varnish instead of cutting corners everywhere.
That info chart shows well what's wrong with current LEGO leadership. Their "relevant marks" are more about virtue-signalling garbage than actually relevant milestones in LEGO's history. It's just sad to watch. Let's hope the 5th generation of the Christiansen is far better than the 4th...
@Binnekamp said:
"That chart is weird. They skipped over a lot of stuff from the early 2000s, going from 1999 straight to the start of cuusoo in 2008.
Like the turnaround of the company as a whole, the first licensed themes (nowadays the vast majority of System themes are licensed, so that would be a big change right?), the first adult-focussed sets from the early 2000s, the change of core colors to the bluish and reddish variants...
At least mention Jorgen vig Knudstorp!
Yet there's two 2017, 2020 and 2022 points in a row! And the last point is literally a single set that came out! Revolutionary and/or political or not, that would make it a footnote as there are a lot more 'firsts' if we're looking at the thousands of sets produced each year.
And if you think the things I listed are too specific... they mention their current chairman of the Christiansen family. You know, who has been at the position for less than 2 years and hasn't exactly made history yet...
I wouldn't expect them to give a full overview of their history or anything, but that timeline is weirdly focussed on the stuff something like their current board of directives would care about, not the 'major' major milestones of their history.
Who is this chart really for anyway?"
That's that period of time where they almost went bankrupt and it was that weird step child Bionicle that actually saved their bacon. Lego doesn't want to reflect on the "Dark Times" Classic Danish obfuscation of uncomfortable truths.