This post is sponsored by Real Life Bricks. All opinions are my own. Affliliate links included.
I know it’s been a while since I’ve posted and I have so much to catch everyone up on but first I have to tell you about this awesome new subscription box for Lego, STEAM, and History lovers. As many of you know, I love to use everyday activities to teach children about Black history and Sesame is a LEGO lover, so I’ve shared how I’ve used LEGO sets in the past to teach him about these moments.
However, there is one thing that makes this a bit difficult — the minifigures. For the most part, LEGO minifigures are monochromatic — yellow and this doesn’t match when talking to children about historical figures. So, when the owner of Real Life Bricks reached out to me about their new monthly Playbox, I was definitely intrigued.
Real Life Brick’s monthly Playbox is designed by an educator and family of young children and includes custom learning builds and activities for children ages 4 and up. The boxes do not only help children develop engineering skills, but they also build compassion and self-esteem while encouraging them to unleash creativity and imagination.
Caregivers can choose from The Architect Playbox, loaded with authentic LEGO® bricks, games and activities, or The Engineer Playbox, which adds LEGO® Technic elements. Each box includes:
- Collectible Minifigures: Each month receive an exclusive, custom collectible racially/ethnically diverse minifigure
- Minifigure Bios: Exclusive, theme-matched, educational Minifigure Biography that immerses you in different locations, careers, and modes of living around the world. Collect them and display them along with your minifigures in your exclusive display stand.
- Architect Activity Booklet: Learn about the broader world and absorb interesting and educational facts while enjoying the included activity and games booklet related to the monthly theme
- Engineer Guide Booklet: Additional booklet guides each child to build a small-scale engineering project related to the month’s theme using LEGO® Technic elements. They’ll learn about steering mechanisms, gears, levers and more!
We received the Engineer Playbox to review for this post. This first box was perfect for Sesame because it featured a race car driver and becoming a race car driver is currently on his list of “when I grow up” goals. Before getting started on the build, we talked about Bindall, a Garawa Aboriginal Australian who hopes to win the Formula One World Drivers’ Championship one day. The first thing Sesame said when he saw the collectible minifigure was “hey, he’s Black, like me.” He went on to remind me that he has this minifigure but he was yellow. We talked about how it made him feel to see a minifigure that looks like him and it warmed my heart to see the big smile on his face. Representation matters so much, yall.
After talking a little bit about Bindall and checking out the cool World Map that’s included, we got started on the activities. The kit included two ideas for builds. First up, using ONLY the Spotlight pieces and bricks included in the kit to create a race car that you think Bindall might drive. Sesame is still a bit intimidated by the LEGO Technic features so he didn’t want to include those in his build, and since Mr. S wasn’t home to help out, we opted to not use those for our first activity. However, I love having them as an option within the Engineering box because I know that as he gets older, they will challenge him a bit more.
Despite opting out of the Technic features, he still could not wait to start building BUT he was a little thrown off by the fact that there weren’t instructions. He’s used to the step by step instructions that come with LEGO kits, however, I quickly reminded him that he’s always turning his finished creations into new projects, so he just needed to use his imagination to get started. It took a while but after a few starts and stops, a snack break, and some encouragement, he designed his own car using only what was included in the box.
Unfortunately, little brother woke up before we got to the second activity, which involves using your own LEGOs plus what’s included in the box to create a scene for Bindall. We decided to save that for a later “mommy alone time” activity, but I’ll try to record a timelapse and share it on Instagram in the near future.
The Real Life Bricks Playbox subscription pricing starts at $32/month and they’re currently taking preorders for the box. Be sure to use my affiliate code mdten to save 10% off your order. They also sell custom conversion kits so you can change your other minifigures, which I plan to purchase soon.
What do you think of the Real Life Bricks Playbox? Are you going to check out the Architect or Engineer box? Make sure to check Real Life Bricks on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Oh, and tell them Mamademics sent you.
P.S. You can get more information about Real Life Bricks Playbox during a livestream webinar August 10 and 17th. Check out details below.
Join Real Life Bricks, Black Girl MATHgic, and Wonders of the World Book and Toy Store for a 2-part webinar series: Build a Better World Through Diversity & Representation in Toys & Media
Discover how featuring diversity and representation in the toys and media in your home can make a positive, lifelong impact on how children view and treat themselves and each other.
– Raise Global Citizens
– Develop Compassion & Self-esteem
– Build a Better World
Registration and event details here: https://www.facebook.com/
