No, 13 is Not "Too Old" for LEGO Building
As a fellow LEGO enthusiast and gamer, I can definitively state that 13 years old does not make someone too old to enjoy the creativity and fun of piecing together little bricks. LEGO sets remain popular across a remarkably broad age spectrum, from preschoolers first grasping DUPLO blocks to adult hobbyists proudly displaying intricate builds. Read on as I explore why teenagers should feel no shame in embracing LEGO as much as their younger selves did!
Key Cognitive Benefits Proven Across Ages
Far from just being kids‘ toys, mounting research attests building with LEGO bricks uniquely stimulates key cognitive abilities at any age. As summarized in the table below, skills accelerated by LEGO play include spatial reasoning, conceptual thinking, and basic math:
| Cognitive Skill | Description | Impact of LEGO Play |
|---|---|---|
| Spatial Ability | Visualizing and manipulating 3D objects and spaces in the mind | Improves up to 50% more than other toys |
| Conceptual Thinking | Recognizing patterns and combinations to design solutions | Fosters complex categorization of parts and assemblies |
| Basic Math | Addition/subtraction, fractions, geometry, ratios | Tangibly reinforces arithmetic, geometric relationships |
As child psychologist Perri Klass remarks, "the whole idea with Lego is following diagrams and visual directions to create what you imagine…an area of the brain that kids use in much more sophisticated ways these days." Such multidimensional thinking and engineering creativity clearly explains Legos‘ enduring popularity through the teenage years.
LEGO Lines Targeting Advanced Teen and Adult Builders
Rather than age out of enjoying LEGO sets, teenagers often graduate up to more complex collections targeting their expanding interests and abilities. As my fellow gaming enthusiasts know, the LEGO Group has smartly tapped into older demographics by producing sets with intricate detailing, unconventional themes, or advanced building techniques.
For example, the LEGO Architecture theme recreates global monuments and skylines with accurate scaling and geography for an immersive building escape. LEGO Ideas similarly taps the most creative fan submissions to produce sets celebrating pop culture, science, and art. Or on the technical side, LEGO Technic models the internal mechanics of vehicles and machines with gears, moving parts, and RS components.
Such products drive strong sales from older LEGO fans, with teenagers making up 25% of buyers and adults 45% per the LEGO Group‘s 2020 user research. So I‘d argue sets packed with sophisticated design capture adolescent curiosity and technical prowess better than any others!
Perspective Across Ages Shows Universal Engagement
Seeking perspective from across the LEGO creative universe, designers, artists, and hobbyists alike underscore how LEGO transcends narrow age connotations. As LEGO Certified Professional Adam Ward noted, Lego bricks empower endless creativity unbound by builders‘ age. or as surgeon Thomas Lendvay shared on using LEGO play to advance medical robotics – "the goal is to spark that creativity that we all started showing with Lego when we were younger…and apply it to medical innovation."
Such sentiments ring true browsing online LEGO hobbyist communities, where talented teenage designers display creativity rivalling adults. I myself have been amazed seeing some builders not even 15 years old creating sweeping fantasy vistas and mechanized robots far surpassing my skills! LEGO seems to foster innovation across ages when unencumbered by societal pressures.
Pushing Past Societal Stigmas Around Age
Behind questioning whether one is ever "too old" for certain toys and hobbies perhaps lies loaded societal baggage around age-appropriate interests. Yet IN embracing activities like LEGO solely for their joy and cognitive values, we demonstrate passions need not be constrained by number.
Just as gaming cultivates strategy and community for all ages, building LEGO sets fine-tunes visual-spatial skills and creativity payoffs valuable through adolescence and adulthood alike. So while some may unfairly dismiss LEGO as juvenille, we as LEGO enthusiasts can proudly fly our brick-built flags at 13, 23 or 63 years old alike!
