Reviewing Lego City Airport | Lego City Set #3182

Lego City has grown so much since it's inception in 1969 that it needs an airport like this one -

Lego City Airport from Amazon

This Lego City set includes an airplane, airport terminal along with arrival & departure signs, crew and passengers.   It has a revolving door which is pretty neat, a VIP lounge, a baggage claim area and a check-in area complete with an x-ray machine.

There is even a baggage cart in this set to allow you to transfer the bags from check in to the airplane and from the airplane to the baggage claim area.

There are 5 lego mini figures in this Lego City Airport set and they are a pilot, flight attendant, steward, service man and passanger.

Lego City Airport #3182 on Amazon

The Lego City Airport #3182 set contains 703 pieces and has great playability after the building is completed.   Personally I love all of the little details like the soda machine and the computer behind the ticketing counter.

Now although I feel that this is a great set and would be loved by any Lego fan the biggest disappointment to me is the lack of mini figures.   Honestly if I went to an airport and found I was the only person there to catch a flight , well that's never happened!   Luckily when it comes to passengers you can use mini figures from other sets.

Let's look at airport staff next.   You do have a pilot and stewardess so that's good and I have been on smaller planes where that is all the staff, but in the actual airport?   That's a different matter.   We have one person to do passport control, check baggage, issue tickets, answer any enquiries, work in the control tower etc.   When it comes to outside there is only one person to drive the baggage out to the plan, load the plane, check the engine and fill up the fuel as well as signalling the plan to direct it when taking off and taxi-ing in.

Having said all this about the mini figures I guess it's a great excuse to buy some more!

There are lots of Lego City sets available and I do have to admit that Lego City is by far my favorite theme:

Lego City Fire Station - Reviewing Lego Set #7208
This Lego City set contains 662 pieces and once completed provides hours and hours of fun (much like the rest of the Lego City range). The fire station is fully manned with a whole shift on duty at any given time

Reviewing The Lego City Construction Site Set
Lego City is a hive of activity as new buildings have been approved by council - have you seen everything that's happening on the Lego City Construction Site? It's lots of fun with Lego Rollers, Lego Cranes, Lego Dozers and more 

Check out our other Lego reviews here - Lego Reviews on Review This Reviews.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON:

Reviewing The Lego City Construction Site Set

Lego City is a hive of activity as new buildings have been approved by council - have you seen everything that's happening on the Lego City Construction Site?   It's lots of fun with Lego Rollers, Lego Cranes, Lego Dozers and more all working hard out.

Buy Lego City Construction Set from Amazon here!

If you don't have any of the myriad of Lego City Construction sets that are available then you'll be missing out on all of the excitement.

If you can only have one Lego City Construction set then you should get the Lego set #7633 pictured above.

This is a big set containing 898 pieces which will give you 3 different vehicles and 5 minifigures.

You can see the crane in action in this image.   The Lego Crane actually measures 17" long and 13" high.

Whether your child (or you, no judgements here, I love Lego!) gets more fun out of building this crane or playing with it is debatable.   In my mind it's way better than the old Tonka crane my brother had when we were growing up!!

Another fun inclusion in this set is a moving elevator which you can see in the image below.   It's a lot of fun to send your minifigs up and down on that!

As well as the three vehicles (crane, digger and truck), the modular apartments to build and the minifigs themselves that you can see in the images there are also a few other cool accessories in this set.   These things include little handheld radios for the minifigures (which will certainly make it easier for them all to communicate should one be up the elevator for example.   There are also shovels to help the workers dig on the site and lots of other fun construction related tools.

As I've mentioned that are lots of other Lego City Construction sets available to choose from so if you don't want such a big set then be sure to check out some of the others.

My little cousin loved getting the digger set for Christmas so that comes highly recommended,a although sharing it with his brothers did NOT happen!

It is lucky that I reconsidered getting this set for the three of them to play with.   Although they usually share toys happily the digger was such a hit it took about 12 months before the others were allowed to touch it!

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON:

Lego City Fire Station - Reviewing Lego Set #7208

Buy Lego City Fire Station here!

For new readers, I used to review Lego sets years ago and my favorite range was definitely the Lego City range.   I even had an alter ego called Leo who has made a surprise appearance on Review This Reviews while reviewing the Lego Creator Holiday Bakery set.

Now I know that all things fireman related are always popular with children and I can relate as when I was younger my dad was a fireman so I got to ride in a fire engine for real and even go down the fire pole (yes it is as fun as it looks!).   It's no surprise then that the Lego City Fire Station would be a popular set.   Why don't we review it now?

Lego City would not be complete without a fire station and they have a great one with Lego City Fire Station (7208)!

This Lego City set contains 662 pieces and once completed provides hours and hours of fun (much like the rest of the Lego City range).   The fire station is fully manned with a whole shift on duty at any given time - this means that you get not 1, but 5 firemen minifigures which is just fantastic in my opinion.

The set also includes a fire truck that has a ladder which actually rotates - just what you need to rescue people from the top of a burning building.   There is even a cat and a tree that it can fit in so that the fireman can 'rescue' it.

No expense has been spared by Lego City in making sure their fire fighters have everything they need including a second vehicle which is a much smaller one that's ideal for their rescue work.

There are lots of little inclusions in this set which are fun like a coffee machine, a television and a table with a computer.  I always think that it's often these little extras which are important when it comes to playing with the set after it's been built.

Lego City Fire Station with a Fire Engine & Fire Rescue Truck

Now once you've got the Lego City Fire Station you can rest assure that the citizens of Lego City will all be safe, but I'm a great believer in that you can never be too careful so if you wanted to you could get more fire sets such as a fire fighting helicopter to keep any bush fires on the outskirts of the city under control!   If you want to check out all of the Lego City fire sets then you can find the best selecion at - Lego City Fire Sets.

A Couple of Warnings for This Lego City Fire Set

The first one is that once they have this fire set many children will then request one of the Police Station sets (unless they already have them that is)!  I mean do you know of any cities that have a fire station, but no police station?

The other thing to be aware of with this set is that once it's built it shouldn't be moved.   The downside is that it's not built on one of the larger base plates so when you try and move it you'll find it breaks and has to be rebuilt.   What this means is if you have room build it in situ so that your child can play with it where it is, if you don't have room then build it on a tray or something that it can be carried on.

Lego Sets Stimulate Children's Minds & Imaginations

Lego sets are great for children as the process of building the set stimulates their mind into figuring out how to build it whether your child chooses to follow the instructions or try and figure it out on their own.   Actually putting the set together is good for their fine motor skills which is invaluable.

Lego also helps a child to learn patience and perseverance as they have to take their time to build the set before they can play with it.

Once a set is built Lego keeps giving as now it's time to play and there's nothing like a Lego City set to stimulate a child's imagination and they can spend hours playing with them.

What Do You Think Of Lego?

Do you think Lego sets make great gifts for children?   Or do you enjoy them yourself?   If you love Lego yourself or have a Lego fan to buy for then why not check out all of our Lego Reviews.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON:

Lego Easter Egg Hunt Set Reviewed

Fun Idea For Easter Basket Stuffer

Add some Lego Fun to the Basket
(image courtesy of pixabay.com)

It is a good two months before those Easter Egg Hunts take place but I am already looking for some fun ideas to add to the baskets. Of course there will be eggs to be found. I always look for some different sorts of sweets to add but I like to hold that sugary stuff to a minimum. So, I start searching for non-edible ideas rather early. I have found something fun for this year. 

Those that know me might remember that I love to play with Legos. My brothers and I built things with those plastic bricks when we were little. Hours of fun were spent with my daughters with them. This grandma still plays with the colorful plastic pieces with her grandchildren. I even have a display of the Big Bang Theory done in Legos in our family room. 

Imagine my thrill when I found a set of Legos that creates a scene for an Easter Egg Hunt! It is a small little set with only 145 pieces so the box will fit nicely in the kid's baskets. The set allows you to build three separate locations (to hide the 3 eggs). There is a carrot garden, a flower garden and a hen house. Two figures come with the set; an adult and a child. There is a wheelbarrow, a cute little basket and a magnifying glass. Well, it is just down right adorable! 

As with most of the Lego sets once this one is assembled the different locations can be easily added to any other display you might already have on display. We rarely tear our finished sets down in this house. They are fun to pull out and play with when the kids come or Grandma goes to their house. 

If you are looking for something to add to an Easter Basket that won't throw your child or grandchild into a raging sugar high, consider a set of Lego fun with the Easter Egg Hunt.

Easter Egg Hunt Building Kit from LEGO

  

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON:

Marvel Black Panther Gifts Reviewed

Ideas For The Fans Of Marvel's Black Panther

Black Panther image from Pixabay.com

Let's review some gift ideas for the fan on your gift list who loves the Marvel Black Panther movie and story line. My husband and I recently watched the movie and became new fans of this character from Marvel. 

Obviously, if the person you are looking to gift is a fan then I am sure they have seen the movie that was released in February of 2018. If you have not seen it yet; I recommend that you watch it. For one thing, seeing the movie will help you decide on items that your fan will love. Besides, it is really a good movie especially if you are one who enjoys the Marvel line of Superhero movies that are currently available. 

Before I suggest gifts, perhaps I should tell you a little about the movie. Most of the story takes place on the continent of Africa where we become aware of the legend of the Black Panther King. We learn about the advanced civilization of Wakanda that hides itself from the world to protect their source of vibranium from getting into the wrong hands. This metal is only found in the area where the Wakandans live and because it is the result of a meteor strike centuries ago, it has unusual elements. As with any substance that can give an advantage to power, the bad guys want the metal to do harm. The people of Wakanda know the potential danger to mankind and have protected it for centuries.

Royal Talon Fighter

So, the first gift that I suggest for the fan of Marvel's Black Panther is the Lego set that builds the Royal Talon Jet Fighter. The advanced technology that the people of Wakanda have developed from the vibranium has allowed them to have jets of this nature. It is a pretty darned cool machine!

Something that I really loved about the movie and story line was that we have a Superhero of color. There is quite a lot of violence as in any superhero plot so this is not for children under 12 or 13. That being said; I do love that kids can be introduced to a different culture. The people of Wakanda are split into five tribes which have totem or spirit animals that they identify with. Obviously, there is the Black Panter as one. We also see the Rhino who the Border tribe identifies with. The Jabari who have moved up into the mountains see the Gorilla as their spirit animal. Personally, I love that this is a part of the story. I also loved that the warriors for the Royal family are women.

Additional ideas for gifts are:

• Action figures
• T-shirts of several designs
• A really cool jigsaw puzzle
• bedding for a child's bed
• a vibranium power claw glove
• sleepwear for boys
• dvd of the movie

Currently the selection is a little limited. I have a feeling that as we approach the gift giving season that additional items will become available for you to consider for that fan on your list. 

I hope that we see more of this particular Marvel Superhero! He really grabbed my heart! I have been a fan of all of them but the ones that have been introduced or re-introduced in the past few years are so very interesting. As I said earlier, if you have not seen this movie yet; you really should. Perhaps you will also become a fan. 

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON:

Lego Creator Holiday Bakery Set #10216

Purchase your franchise here!

I was going to review the Lego Creator Holiday Bakery Set for you today, but I decided to let an alter-ego of mine tell you all about this gorgeous Lego set.

I hope you enjoy his story  review ...

Reviewing the Lego Creator Holiday Bakery

"Have you heard of the Lego Creator Holiday Bakery? Apparently there are lots of different ones around, but the Lego Creator Holiday Bakery that I know is located just outside of Lego City and is very popular at the holidays because a lot of Lego City residents buy their Christmas trees just outside and pop into the Lego Creator Holiday Bakery to purchase some of their delicious cupcakes.

My name is Leo G Brick and I'm actually what is known as a Lego Minifigure, I don't think I'm that different to you, the reader though in that I absolutely love bakeries. I love the smell of fresh bread and the taste of cakes, biscuits, muffins, croissants - just about anything you can find in a bakery! I was so excited when I heard that the Lego Creator Holiday Bakery was coming to the outskirts of Lego City, I must admit I ate far too many baked goods on the opening day!

The Lego Creator Holiday Bakery is actually available as a franchise that is quite affordable for anyone to purchase, click the link to find out more -

Get the Lego Creator Holiday Bakery to Your Lego City!

Now it’s called the Holiday Bakery because the original one opened before Christmas and it had Christmas decorations up ... the baker (pictured below) ‘forgot’ to take the decorations down and so the name stuck! In our Lego City we all go there when we’re getting our Christmas trees which further perpetuates the name, but the cupcakes, croissants and baguettes taste good all the time.

I love to visit on birthdays, anniversaries, Valentine’s Day and any other special occasion when I can ‘pretend’ I need to eat some delicious food. After all we don’t want the Baker to have to close because his trade only visits once a year!

Winter is great there though because there is a pond that ices over so you can ice skate which means you burn off calories that can ‘allow’ you to eat more cake – that’s my story and I’m sticking to it!"

PIN ME!

LEGO Creator Holiday Bakery 10216 

Set Details

The Lego Creator Holiday Bakery set comes with 7 1/2 minifigures – which sounds strange!

Basically the minifigures are as follows -

• Baker 
• Horse Carriage Driver 
• Christmas Tree Seller 
• 2 females 
• 2 children 
• 1 lower half of a body stuck in snow!

As well as these minifigures this Lego set also contains a horse and a snow owl.

According to the official product description the set -

• Features LEGO Power Functions lightup brick which lights the interior of the bakery when you push it! 
• Includes lots of fun winter accessories like a dark blue minifigure hood with new fur print! 
• Prepare holiday treats and ring up sales at the cash register! 
• Skate on the frozen pond made of 8×8 transparent blue plates! 
• Interesting elements include a camera, tan baguettes, croissants, green apple, 8×8 transparent blue plates, medium blue tiles and even a new caramel color for several brick and arch elements outside the bakery! 
• Features an evergreen tree for decorating, tree sellers stand and even a horsedrawn cart! 
• Bakery measures 7 (18 cm) wide! 
• Completed model (depending on space allocated between the individual parts) measures 16 (40 cm) wide, 12 (30 cm) deep and 7 (18 cm) high!

What Do You Think of This Lego Creator Set?

I hope you enjoyed Leo's review of this fun Lego set, if you already have the Creator Holiday Bakery set then you might be happy to know that there are a range of Lego Creator houses available too.

Not sure if this set is the one for you?  Well then why not check out some of the other Lego reviews here on Review This (they aren't reviewed by Leo, but by human reviewers including a couple by me!) -

Reviewing 2004 Lego X Pods
A fun Lego on the go toy - the 2004 Lego X Pod range - perfect for any Lego loving child ... and for any parent who has to wait with them anywhere!

Reviewing Lego Off Road Power Set - Lego #5893
I love Lego's Creator range of sets and this Off Road Power set is no exception.   3 Fun vehicles to make and play with, what more can you ask for.

Reviewing a Set of Basic Classic Legos
A Review of the Lego Classic Creative Supplement Set.   This set is called classic for a reason, they will always be welcomed in anyone's Lego collection.

Lego Big Bang Theory Reviewed
A set for grown ups and kids to enjoy, the Lego Big Bang Theory set is a fun piece to build and display

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON:

Reviewing Lego Off Road Power Set - Lego #5893

Buy the Lego Off Roader Set here!

The Lego 5893 set is part of the Creator 3 in 1 series and is known as the Off Road Power set. Not only can you build an awesome Off Roader with this Lego Creator set, but when you're bored with it you can transform it into something else!

The Lego 5893 set comes with instructions for three different Lego builds which is why the Creator 3 in 1 series is so popular. As a mom I feel like I'm getting value for money because once they've exhausted all of the play with one model they can rebuild it into another - how good is that?

Let's take a look at the three different things that this Lego Creator 5893 set can be transformed into (and let's not forget they can always create their own models without instructions).

Lego Off Roader

The First Build from Lego #5893

As you can see from the picture this completed model is of an off road vehicle with a trailer and quad bike. This offers a lot of imaginative play once the build is completed.

The build itself is not going to be over too quickly either as this set does have over 1,000 pieces that need to be put together.

So this particular first model has three components to it – the off roader, the trailer and the quad bike so let’s have a look at them all.

When the off roader is completed it measures 10 inches or 25 cm long and looks pretty cool as you can see in the image above. You can open the doors of the truck, put down the tailgate as well as opening up the hood. When you do open the hood you may feel a little disappointed to see you only have a V6 engine (a V8 would've been much better in my opinion), however when you look at what great features the 4×4 has you can forgive the engine size. The vehicle has working steering, suspension and (the creme de la creme) a self-winding winch!

Basically this 4×4 off roader is a really cool vehicle to build as well as being a lot of fun to play with just by itself, but you don’t have it just by itself instead it comes with both a trailer and a quad bike.  A little note if you are buying it for a younger Lego builder than recommended there are components with the engine that will probably require adult help with, even if they're experienced.

Trailer has a ramp at the back to enable your to drive the quad bike on and off – this can be put up when not in use. It also has a cool kick stand so that when it’s not attached to the off roader it can stay still. It’s the attention to detail on this model that really shines through and makes it a great set.

The quad bike is also pretty cool, although I am quite partial to playing with quad bikes! When it’s build the bike measures 4 inches or 10 cm long and one of it’s features that I think really makes it is the tilt steering.

Lego Truck with Digger

Second Build from Lego #5893

Diggers are always cool and so are trucks so when Lego offers a model of a truck that has a digger on it you just know this model is going to be a hit!

Lego Dune Buggy

Third Build from Lego #5893

This racing car/dune buggy model is the easiest of the three models to build so if you’re buying the set for a child that doesn’t have a lot of experience with Lego (yet), it’s a good idea to encourage them to make this one first before tackling the other two (the ‘main’ model of the 4×4, trailer and quad bike is definitely the hardest of the three).

A little boy that I know well finds this buggy great fun to play with (although he’s a little younger than the recommended age and his father built it!), it seems really tough and certainly stood up to racing on the concrete area in the back yard with no problems whatsoever.

What Do You Think of the Lego Creator Off Road Power Set?

Personally I think it’s really cool, I particularly like the Quad bike that’s included as part of the first build – what do you like about the set?

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON:

Reviewing 2004 Lego X Pods

Available on Amazon

The first of the range of Lego X-Pods were released in 2004, in total Lego released 5 different sets of X-pods during this year. The premise behind this Lego range was that the Lego came inside of a pod, essentially this was 'Lego on the go.'

The pods that these small Lego kits came in were designed to fit in a pocket so that no matter where you were you could pull out your Lego pod and start to build.

This Lego X-Pod range was like a sub-range of the Lego Creator series and each kit could create a number of different things limited only by your child'simagination.

The X-Pods released in 2004 were -

• Black Robot Pod
• Robo Pod
• Auto Pod
• Aero Pod
• Wild Pod

Black Robot Pod - 4335

As you can see from the picture the Black Robot Pod comes in a clear container with two black lids. This set contains 50 pieces and is recommended for the age 6+.

This is a hard to find Lego product with the following features -

* Idea Book with instructions and inspiration for 6 robot models — quick to build and rebuild for           hours of fun!
* Handy carry case with studs — build it right into your models!
* Unique assortment of LEGO elements — great shapes and awesome colors!
* Fits into backpacks, pockets and more for on-the-go play!
* Combine with other X-Pods to build cool combo models!

An interesting snippet for you is that this Black Robot Pod was released for Halloween which might explain the color scheme of black and orange!

Robo Pod - 4346

This Lego set contains 65 pieces as well as step by step instructions to build 3 models.

Of course, as with all of the Lego x-pods there is no limit to the number of different models you can actually build!

This green set comes in a clear ‘pod’ with green lids to match the robots you can make with the set.

Auto Pod - 4347

This 67 piece x-pod set comes in a clear ‘pod’ with blue lids.

There are also instructions for building different Lego models – a bulldozer, truck, and rolling robot.

These models however are only for inspiration because the key to all of the x-pod sets is that your imagination is the only thing that will stop the number of different models you’ll be able to create.

Aero Pod - 4348

This 36 piece Lego X-Pod set is sometimes referred to as the X-Pod Planes as there is a later model also called X-Pod Aero so be aware that this is the 2004 set, model number 4348.

The pod as you can see is one of the transparent ones and comes with yellow lids, the bricks inside are also predominately yellow as you can see from the picture.

I actually can’t tell you much about this particular set as I haven’t seen it myself and there aren’t as many reviews available as I would like, but if it’s like the other X-Pod sets then I’m sure it’s fantastic and no doubt will come with instructions for a few models.

Lego Wild Pod - 4349

The Lego Wild Pod set contains 44 pieces and comes in a transparent pod with red lids.

The instuctions that come with this Lego pod show you how to make seven different creatures from a crawling bug to a flying dragonfly, but as with all of these sets the instructions are only the start.

I haven’t actually seen the instruction book or played with this pod, but I have seen a dragon made from just this set and I was very impressed!

Lego X-Pods Are An Awesome Idea!

When I was a child I absolutely loved Lego and assumed that when I had kids there would be Legos strewn across the house.  Of course life never works out quite as you imagine and when I had my only child she didn't like Lego so I never got to purchase these X-Pods for her.

I have been lucky to have a goddaughter who is Lego mad and plenty of friend's children to give me an excuse to 'hang out' in the Lego section of department stores and I still think that these X-Pods are an inspired idea.

They are an ideal size to fit in a child's pocket and perfect to take on road trips, plane trips etc to keep your child happy when they have to stay in one place.

Not only are they ideal for your child to carry they are also a perfect size to pop into your handbag.  Hands up moms who have bulging bags trying to be Mary Poppins when they go out with their children!  I used to have snacks stowed away, along with things to entertain my daughter in case we were stuck waiting somewhere - these Lego X-pods don't take up much room so can be a godsend for moms.

Even though they weren't something I used I wholeheartedly recommend them for anyone with a Lego loving child (I'd even love them for myself now!).

Most of this particular range are unavailable through many outlets so I recommend looking on ebay for them, if there's a particular one you're after be sure to search with the set number.

Images courtesy of brickipedia

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON:

Best Gifts for Grandson - Books and Legos

Classic Brick Box - train instructions included

My grandson's birthday passed a couple of months ago. I have come to realize that he has really enjoyed gifts of both books and Legos. Because of his enjoyment of these two things, I will continue to add to his collections for several holidays and birthdays to come. Whether you are looking for gifts for boys or girls, aged 4 to 99, books and Legos are great ideas. But based on my grandson's reaction, books and Legos are most excellent gifts for grandsons.

Legos Building Sets and Basic Brick Box Sets

I am a long distance grandparent, so I experience many holidays and birthdays through photos, phone calls, and video chats. Even many states away and through photos, I could see the extreme happiness on my grandson's face as he held up the Lego Batman Movie - Joker Lowrider kit that he had received from his uncle.

Lego Batman Movie - Notorious Joker Lowrider

That was his first Lego kit. And after seeing the genuine smile on his face with that Lego kit, I sent him a Classic Medium Creative Brick Box. Soon after he opened his gift, my son sent a photo of the little train that they built together with the instructions included in the Brick Box. It was fun to know that my gift was something they had spent time together to build.

Legos Medium Classic Brick Box

Books to Encourage Reading and Quality Time Together

I have read to my grandson during video chats. And my son has spent a great deal of time reading to his son. As a result, books seem to be important and interesting to my grandson.

During this last video chat a few days ago, my grandson "read" his favorite book to me for a long period of time. He was focused and excited. He also took great care to hold the book up so that Gramma could see the pictures too. 

Bedtime reading to Gramma

It was a heart-warming and wonderful way to spend time together. The book he chose to read to Gramma was about creatures under the sea. Not only was he spending time with a book, he was also spending time teaching Gramma about his fascination of sea creatures.

You can be sure that Gramma will remember to send him books about creatures under the sea.

More Lego and Children's Books Reviews from our Contributors

Our contributors at Review This share reviews about children's toys and books. It seems that every one of us believes that nurturing children's interest in reading is a wonderful thing. And that providing toys that nurture creativity is also a very important thing. 

We can spend quality time with our children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and other children who are important in our lives. Below are resources to find some of those books and toys. 

Our Wednesday Elf reviews children's books which have become classics over the decades. She reviews books that have endured over time as family favorites -Children's Classics that many of us have read to our children.

Toy Treasures is a gift guide for "Toys that Capture Our Attention and Hold Our Hearts". The site lists a variety of toy categories and the Lego category showcases a variety of specialized sets as well as basic collections.

The Holiday Gift Guide Directory is a compilation of gift resources and gifts reviews by our contributors. The all-occasion gifts in this list are honest reviews and reviews or placement in this directory cannot be purchased.

And last but not least, don't forget to check out the Toy Reviews tab on Review This for a variety of toy reviews for all ages and occasions. I have to admit, I am more than a little tempted to gift myself with the Lego Big Bang Theory set reviewed by our Beverly.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON:

Lego Big Bang Theory Reviewed

Fun Legos Set For Grown-ups and Kids

Close-up of Lego Big Bang Theory Box

I just treated myself to the Lego Big Bang Theory set. No, I didn't buy it for the grandkids, I bought it for myself! I am a huge fan of the TV series The Big Bang Theory and I have loved Legos since my kids were little and we played with the plastic bricks together. When my girls were small there were no sets of Legos like there are now. We had to use our own creativity to make things. Once the grandchildren came along, Legos got even more interesting with the wonderful sets to complete. Trust me, this Grandma has purchased loads of those sets for the granddaughters! Suffice it to say, Grandma had just as much fun with the building as the girls did!

As I mentioned before, I am an avid fan of The Big Bang Theory on television. Just about every night in the hour before prime time viewing begins; my husband and I watch the syndicated reruns of the show. I started noticing that they were doing promos using Lego characters to promote the Lego Batman movie and one evening I said to my hubby, "I wish they had a real set for the Big Bang Theory." My husband replied in his logical way with, "Well, they must have one because they are showing them like they do." After rolling my eyes just a tad, I picked up my cell phone and looked it up on Amazon. Much to my delight, there is one! Ask me how long it took to hit the "buy" button! If you said, "No longer than it takes to log in." ... you would be correct!

Just opened Lego Big Bang Theory box

So, it came yesterday and of course I had to build it! The picture on the right is right after I opened the box and was ready to start building. If you haven't purchased a Legos set before, you might not know that the pieces are in numbered bags and you get an instruction book to follow. The instructions are simple for a child to follow. Basically pictures with no text are provided on each page. The page shows you a picture of the pieces that you will need for that step and then how to place them together. 

The fun thing about the instruction book for the Lego Big Bang Theory set is that there is a page that tells about the television series and a page that identifies each of the main characters of the sitcom with a picture and a short little bio. As I began building and went from page to page; I was tickled to see that every once in a while there was a small image of one of the characters with a quote from one of the episodes of the series. That was a fun little surprise!

It took me about 2 1/2 hours to completely build the set. There are a lot of little pieces to sort through but it was easy to follow the directions on each page. My only disappointment in the set is that it isn't very big and there are so many little things to build and place that it looks cramped. Because it is so small, it is really kind of hard to see everything. Then again, that is kind of fun because you have to take your time to find all of the hidden little treasures.

Lego Big Bang Theory Set

I think it is fun that they included all of the main characters in the set. There is Sheldon, Leonard, Howard, Raj, Penny, Bernadette and Amy along with Raj's little dog. All in all it was a fun set to build and it is fun to have it setting out as a conversation piece in our home.

This would make a wonderful gift for the Lego fan on your gift list, especially if they also happen to be a fan of the show The Big Bang Theory. In fact, I plan to order another one to give to my son-in-law for his birthday this year. I know he will get a real kick out of it!

View of my completed set

I thought you might enjoy seeing a view of my set on display in our living room. As you can see there is a lot of detail in this little set.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON:

Reviewing a Set of Basic Classic Legos

The Lego Building Bricks

Source: Wikipedia

We all know the Lego toys, beginning from our own childhood experiences, and on to the toys we gave and are giving our children and grandchildren today. The Lego, described as a construction set toy, began as a wooden toy by a carpenter (Ole Kirk Christiansen) in Denmark in 1932. He eventually called his company LEGO, from the Danish phase leg godt, which means "play well". 

When plastic was introduced for toys, the Lego Group company began the basic interlocking brick design (based on the traditional stackable wooden blocks of the time) that we know today as the LEGO.

Lego pieces are universal in that each piece remains compatible in some way with existing pieces. Also, each Lego piece is manufactured so precisely that when two pieces are put together, they fit firmly, yet can be easily disassembled.

Lego bricks from 1958 still interlock with those made in the current time, and Lego sets for young children are compatible with those made for teenagers. Six pieces of 2x4 bricks can be combined in 915,103,765 ways.~ Source: Wikipedia.

The Lego toys have evolved into a large variety of themes based on popular games, movies, books and more, such as Star Wars and Disney.  Themed sets can be found from individual vehicle sets with less than 75 pieces for under $10 to really large sets with over 900 pieces and prices over $100.

Grandson David's Birthday

(c) Wednesday Elf

Last week my grandson David celebrated his 7th birthday. David (like most kids, including all five of my grandsons) has been a Lego fan for several years and has collected several sets which he plays with almost daily. One of his favorites is a Star Wars set. 

When I asked his parents for a birthday gift suggestion, my son said that a Basic Lego set would be perfect because David, while enjoying his themed sets, has a vivid imagination and wanted to make his own designs out of Lego pieces (difficult to do when a themed set only goes together one way).

LEGO Classic Creative Supplement Set

The set of Legos I sent David for his birthday last week is this LEGO Classic Creative Supplement, which has 303 pieces in 20 different colors and includes a brick separator. It also features 2 sets of eyes for building all kinds of creatures and different shapes to use for animal arms and legs.  The set comes with an Idea book, and more ideas can be found online at LEGO.com/classic.  All models pictured can be built from this set simultaneously. 

(c) Grandson David, Age 7

As you can see by the first toy David made with his new set (a Dragon created within minutes of opening his gift), he LOVES his basic Lego set, an ideal supplement to all his other Lego collections.

Turned out to be the perfect birthday gift from Grandma.

Quick Links:

• LEGO Classic Creative Supplement on Amazon

For more Lego Reviews, check out

ReviewThisReviews: Legos

(c) Wednesday Elf - 5/14/2015

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON:

Star Wars Fans It's May the 4th be with you Day!

May 4th has become known as Star Wars Day!

I bet that doesn't surprise most of you as it's a play on the much quoted line "May the Force Be with You!"  Whether you are a Star Wars Movies fan or not, I'm sure that today you will hear this phrase more than once.

Star Wars has had a cult following since it's original movie premiered in 1977.  Almost 40 years of old fans, and new fans being added every time a new episode comes out. The latest addition to the Star Wars phenomenon is "The Force Awakens".  While it can be a stand alone movie, it can also be taken as a prequel to all the other Star Wars Movies out there.  I know my sons have been having ongoing arguments about many points, in the movies and how they are interrelated.   One thing is certain, it has people taking about Star Wars again, and revisiting the older movies.

May the 4th is celebrated not just in North America, but,  worldwide!  It is a celebration of the Star War Movies and all the characters that people have come to love.  In 2001 the Toronto Underground Cinema launched the first official Star Wars Day Festivities which included a costume contest and Movie Marathon.  Since then, the festivities have been ramped up and are available to fans all over the world.  I'm sure if you look you will find some kind of Star Wars Celebration happening in your corner of the world.  Better yet, you can start your own traditions and celebrations, as most of the Star Wars Movies are available on Blu-Ray or DVD.  

Who is your most admired character?  Han Solo, Luke, Leia, Chewbaka, or maybe some other minor character.  Can you make a costume to make you look like your favorite character?  Sewing a costume is not too difficult and it will be fun for you and your family to create a whole wardrobe of characters for today and maybe for a second showing at Halloween.  Check out this pattern!   With a few minor changes you can have a whole family of Jedi Knights.

Since the Star Wars epidemic started there are literally thousands of different ways you can celebrate the day.  If you don't want to dress up, or watch hours of endless Star Wars movies, you can get out your Lego and build another version of the Death Star, X-winged fighter or the Millenium Falcon.   Better yet, you can also get out the "Lego" versions of the characters and have them do their own light saber dance.  I love that you can get these character Lego's, they are so much fun to play with.  Grab your favorite board game and play it with Lego characters instead of the little pieces that came with the game originally.

My sons love to play Monopoly and believe it or not there is a Star Wars Version too.  Now Monopoly has it's own cult following, so there are many versions of the same game with modifications to the names of the properties and the player pieces. The basic game remains the same, but the fun comes from landing on some really cool "outer space" properties.  The Star Wars Monopoly Game is a collectors item.  Each one is numbered and dated.  Instead of adding houses to your properties, you add Star Ships.  Will the Rebels or the Imperials win the race around the galaxy and control the properties?  That depends on you!

All I know right now is that with the release of the latest Star Wars movie, "The Force Awakens", interest in the 4th of May, just may be at an all time high.

So may I take this opportunity to offer "MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU!" today and always.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON:

Review of the VTech Turn and Learn Driver Toy

Little Boys and Car-Related Toys

Grandson Tyler with Driver Toy

I have five grandsons who all live over 1,000 miles from me.  Therefore, it is often difficult to know just what toys the boys already have and what they are wishing for.  At birthday and Christmas times I have to rely on the parents (my 'kids') for gift suggestions.

This past Christmas, I asked my youngest son for gift ideas for 6-year-old David and 20 month old Tyler.  David was easy – a Star Wars Lego set.  For toddler boy Tyler, the suggestion was any toy with buttons to push, knobs to turn and NOISES. 

While doing an online search with this criteria in mind, I came across what I thought might be the 'perfect' toy for Tyler.  It's similar to one I bought for my oldest grandson (now 19) when HE was Tyler's age and remembered what a big hit it was, since little boys appear to be 'car crazy' from birth.  I think it's part of their DNA!  

The toy I bought for Tyler was the VTech Turn and Learn Driver Toy

VTech Turn and Learn Driver, Yellow

The VTech Turn and Learn Driver Toy is a steering wheel toy with a cute little dog character that moves back and forth as the wheel is turned.  Across the top of the 'dashboard' are five colorful buttons which introduce different animals and vehicles when pushed.

This toy car has three play modes, so your little driver can learn in animal, driving or music mode. 

There is also a traffic light, a signal lever that makes fun sounds and music, and a gear shifter that pushes and pulls.  Oh, and of course a horn!  Lots of interactive play, making this a wonderful teaching toy.  This Turn and Learn Driver Toy, which also comes in several models and colors, has a fun car design that encourages imaginative play as part of early childhood education.

This toy is from Vtech Kids, a division of Vtech® considered a world leader in age-appropriate and developmental stage-based electronic learning products for children.  The company has been making quality educational toys for children for over 35 years.

Baby Tyler's opinion?  He thought having his own steering wheel was the greatest thing he'd seen.  I watched him open the box Christmas morning over Skype and he virtually ignored the rest of the gifts offered him to open.  All he wanted to do was turn the steering wheel back and forth and honk the horn and push all the buttons! He loved it.  And it was such fun for this grandma to watch his reaction to this toy and know I'd made the best gift choice possible.

The VTech Turn and Learn Driver Toy operates on 2 AA batteries and is recommended for babies and toddlers in the 6 months to 3 year old range.  Tyler, at 20 months, is the perfect age for this cute and colorful interactive toy. It also comes in a variety of colors. I chose the bright Yellow one with the red steering wheel.

Tyler, Age 20 months

 Hey Tyler!  Happy to see you like your new toy!

~Love, Grandma

Quick Links:

VTech Turn & Learn Driver Toy on Amazon

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON: