A boy and his LEGO {giveaway}

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It is no secret that we are huge LEGO fans in this house. It started with the Duplo but whilst Tricky still enjoys it he doesn't find it challenging any more and is definitely out growing it. Meaning the last few presents he's got have all been actual, small, step-on-in-the-middle-of-the-night-at-your-own-peril, LEGO.

The Trickster was lucky enough to receive some LEGO in the mail the other day for review purposes. When he saw the box he was, well, see for yourself:

Doesn't everyone lay on the floor and hug their LEGO?

What I hadn't actually thought about was that I would have to put those suckers together before any such child-review could take place, and do it whilst a super impatient toddler looked on wondering why they didn't come out of the box ready to play with.

Oh crap, what have I gotten myself in to?

I've never actually put a LEGO design together before. I used to play with it a heap when I was little and build all sorts of things, but it was more freestyle and I didn't have any fancy sets that actually became something specific. But it was easier than I thought and required much less swearing under my breath than anticipated while Tricky pointed and said "What's this piece? Where does that one go? Is it ready yet?" over and over and over again.

Tricky was over the moon when it was all put together and the nee-naw nee-naw of police sirens have been heard here ever since. I was kinda chuffed with my LEGO assembling abilities though I was less thrilled when MapGuy came home and pointed out I'd put the steering wheel in the wrong spot - I was following instructions! I don't care if it was left hand drive!!

Chase McCain on the job

The set was so detailed and unfortunately I think a lot of that detail will just end up being sucked up the vacuum cleaner because a walkie-talkie just looks like fluff when I'm standing up. The one thing I didn't like about the set was the spike strip - although it was hilarious in it's attention to detail, it doesn't do anything else and Tricky just pulled it apart immediately and it's already lost (I'll vacuum tomorrow and it will be gone for ever). But I can't blame that on LEGO, he is under the official age range of the product.

I'm all for free play so I think a few sets of just blocks that aren't shaped to make something specific will be on the cards next, but since Tricky is car mad he has no complaints and has the cops chasing the bank robber constantly (I'll spare you the dialogue from when he catches them and sends the robber to his room - it's a cute-to-the-mother-only kinda thing).

Handcuffed and read his rights

I've got three awesome sets of the High Speed Chase (RRP $39.99) from the LEGO City range, featuring the daring and oh-so-suave, hero cop, Chase McCain. I bet all the LEGO girls swoon over his plastic hair and drawn on chin dimple. I'm kinda taken with the bad guy's mo' to be honest.

To enter click here to go to the Facebook entry page. If you're not on the 'Book (and I really can't blame you), enter via comment below telling me your favourite LEGO memory. 

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How to make a kid's kitchen out of cardboard boxes

I'm of the firm belief that kids do not need expensive toys in order to have fun or learn.

The vast majority of Tricky's toys are second hand - they've been passed down from friends, found for a bargain price at an op shop or baby market, or picked up from the side of the road at bulk rubbish collection. Yes, I find my child's toys on the side of the road, call child services.

We do it partly to reduce the amount of new plastic that comes in to our house (and therefore the tonnes of non recyclable plastic shrink wrap packaging and twistie ties that end up in landfill), to keep our costs low on our single income budget and to encourage Tricky's imagination.

So last week, with that in mind, I decided to get my craft on and channel the guys on Play School and get creative with some boxes, some tape and a Sharpie. Just call me Noni Hazelhurst.

 

Grab any boxes you have, stick them together and get drawing - it's that easy. I used some bowls to get the shape of the hotplates, a ruler for the straight lines and a sandwich to distract Tricky while I did it. There's no right or wrong and it doesn't have to be perfect - I've left 'bench space' for him to use but you could draw in a sink. If you do it indoors make sure it's in a well ventilated area or you'll end up with a massive Sharpie induced headache after colouring in the hot plates!

I must say, I'm kinda happy with how it turned out. Actually who am I kidding? I freakin' love it and when people come over now I drag them towards it singing "Come look at the kitchen I made for Tricky!!!"

Kids don't need the most expensive, realistic looking toys with sound effects... how are they ever meant to develop their imaginations if we do it all for them? Plus how many times have you given your child a toy and they've played with it for a few minutes then turned the box it came in into a car, an aeroplane, a cave or a house?

Tricky thinks it rocks and has been cooking for me ever since using some plastic fruit and veg, a chopping board, 'knife' and a little saucepan. Each time he runs to his cardboard kitchen and does the same, then holds up his 'dish' sniffs it and declares "Mmm yum!". I melt every time!

Go away, Mama, I'm cooking you a special dinner

Do you have second hand or home made toys for your kids?

Super Nan

My Mother can get things done that other people can't.

She isn't rich or famous with an entourage that bows down to her every whim because they think just being near her makes them cool.

She doesn't have a high powered job and a team of yes men she threatens with sacking should they get her a flat white instead of a skinny flat white.

She's just a plain ol' secretary and a Nanna with a modest house in the Northern suburbs of Perth full of amazing second hand toys she's found at swapmeets (then disinfected to within an inch of their lives).

Yet time and time again, she gets things that others wouldn't. Why? Because she bloody well asks for them! Well that and the fact that she practically knows everyone in the state and is so friendly and helpful that people seem to go out of their way to help her back. So maybe Karma has something to do with it too?

A few months back she wrote to the local council saying the park one house down from hers would be a great location for a little playground for all the kids in the two streets that back on to it.

If we're honest she wasn't thinking of all the kids... she was just thinking it would be fun to take Tricky there.

And whaddya know, they wrote back saying it was a great idea!

So, here we have it; Tricky's Park.

Yay for parks!

This woman is seriously cool and is well deserving of the title Super Nan.

I've adopted her 'If you don't ask, you don't get' attitude, and it's served me well. As long as you're polite when you ask and don't crack the shits if someone turns around and says no, I think it's a great way to live.

Do you ask for stuff? Or do you wait for it to come to you? And more importantly, you wanna come play at the park with us?