My daughter ran home from school crying the other day. After completing her six-week reading challenge, she won a glass-blown raindrop that promptly broke when she put on her jacket to go home. I let her cry for a while, then consoled her by pulling out the Lego Mosaic I received in the mail for her to try out. Later 
that same day, my son and our babysitter spent three hours putting together Lego Creator's Big Rig, a three-in-one vehicle set with 550 pieces. Geared towards seven to twelve year-olds, I was grateful for our 12-year-old babysitter's patience as she completed the project with my six-year-old son. She comes every Thursday to help out in the afternoons while I work.
My son's favorite part?
"The engine, Mom. It's got a propellor and is really cool!" He also loves the exhaust pipes and other real-to-life pieces that makes his truck more than your average variety store toy. The great thing is we have a chance to create two other types of vehicles with the same parts -- a go-cart and a low-rider car.
The Lego Mosaic 6162, geared towards children above age three, kept my creative eight-year-old daughter busy for a good half-hour. She used all three templates to create pictures, then added on ideas as she went along. We were certain to keep the parts separate, which is a good idea whenever you get a new Lego toy. Eventually, the pieces will come off as curious hands create new things from the standard design.
Lego saved the day and has once again proven to be a delightful toy for the entire family! My favorite thing about Lego is the bonding that happens around building the toys together. It's educational and so much fun. But I haven't mentioned the very best part. No batteries necessary!
These are great toys for under the tree or any time of year.
