Lego Organization

I was babysitting the other day for a family of "Lego enthusiasts". This father and his two sons absolutely LOVE Legos, so each year for Christmas, the mother gets her husband and each of her two sons their own large Lego kit. They all go crazy for them and spend the next week working with nothing but Legos. I usually end up babysitting for them around that time and I thoroughly enjoy helping the boys with their Lego creations.

Here are some examples of their previous Lego creations:

Left: Lego Space Shuttle. Right: Lego London Bridge

This year, the youngest son received this Ewok Village kit for Christmas:

Ewok Village Lego Kit

I was told at my arrival to the house that day that I would be helping to build this Ewok Village, and to be honest, I was really excited. I had just been to the Lego Store earlier that week on a date and had actually seen this model set up in the display window. I thought it was extremely cool and wished I still received fun presents like this for Christmas. As luck would have it, I got to have a hand at assembling it a few days later.

As any parent, grandparent, babysitter, caretaker, or teacher will tell you, Legos can be the most difficult toy to allow children to work with, because it makes a mess, the pieces get lost or stepped on, younger children or pets can choke on the tiny little bricks, etc. Basically, even though they bring such joy to children, Legos can be a real hassle. 

I have found an easy, DIY way of organizing Legos that any one can use, so that children do not lose the pieces as they are building. Using a tray with elevated sides, children can lay out the Legos they would like to work with in a spot that doesn't permit the Legos to get lost, stepped on, or move away from the child. 

This is a GREAT way to let children play with Legos in the car for long car trips!

Another great way for organizing Legos, and the method I use when helping the children I babysit to build their Lego kits, is to use cupcake tins. Not only do they provide a method of keeping the tiny Lego pieces from getting lost during construction, but they also allow for the child to organize them in a way that helps them find the pieces quickly and easily as they go through the instructions of their kit. 

Cupcake Tin Organization for Legos

I like to combine the two methods above to optimize organization and preventing the loss of pieces. What I like to do is pick a large, wide tray (pictured below) and to place the cupcake tins on either side of the tray. I do this by placing the cupcake tin on the side of the tray between one of the rows of the holes, so that the side of the tray is between two rows of holes, locking the cupcake tin in place. This can be done in either direction, (as shown below), but personally I prefer to have the two cupcake tins facing the same direction as the tray (as shown in the horizontal image). 

 

            Tray/Cupcake Tin Arrangement horizontal                                     Tray/Cupcake Tin Arrangement vertical       

What I like best about this method is that it allows for space on the tray for children to place the pieces they need in the middle of the tray, rather than on the floor, as they collect the pieces they need for that current step of the instructions. Otherwise, children would place the pieces on the floor, where they can easily get misplaced or roll away. 

Space for large Lego pieces and pieces that are needed

I use these methods any time I'm working with Legos and haven't lost any pieces yet! I've also gotten great reviews from the "Lego enthusiast" parents, who have used these methods with both their sons and have used these methods for their own Lego creations. 

Finally, here is a small portion of the Lego Ewok Village I helped the boys to construct the other day.

Lego Ewok Tree House

Stormtroopers, a catapult, and a cruiser.

Close up of the Lego Ewok Village.

Completed Lego Ewok Village.

Happy building! :)