30 Years of Progress in Toy-making… Or is it?

I remember when my kids were little. They played outside every day. They built stuff, made stuff and invented stuff. We did crafts and made cookies. We thought that their toys were pretty high-tech compared to what we had played with as kids… I fondly remember an Easybake Oven that cooked with a standard light-bulb. They were on the front line for video games and remote control.

Life has got more and more complex since then. It’s all about shopping for a social experience. Kids role-play online instead of in the forest or park. They decorate a virtual environment instead of building a fort.

Even Lego has changed. Here’s an ad from 1981

My kids would spend hours creating amazing "structures" or "vehicles"

I would find little pieces around the house, curse when stepping on a block on the stairs… threaten to lock it up if I found strays in the living room… But it was such a great toy that I could never bring myself to limit the play.

This is an advertisement for a new Lego Product.

What are you supposed to do with this?

Doesn’t look like much imagination is required.

Where’s the fun in that?