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LEGO Learning: Childhood and Beyond

Learning with LEGO bricks was an integral part of our homeschool!

What began at an early age (after seeing an older friend’s collection of bricks) quickly became an obsession. My son was definitely hooked on LEGO, and I found myself using it to teach us about everything—from geography and history to math and science.

I offered LEGO minifig writing prompts for free download (and still do!). We began a LEGO club in our basement. Bricks were strewn all over the house (and no, I don’t think I ever got a handle on how to store them!), and it was a blissful many years of play and creativity.

Through a series of beautiful events, LEGO has continued to be a HUGE part of my son’s life (as you will see in a minute!), and he’s continuing to learn about a lot in life through these simple little bricks.

FUN FACT:

Did you know that the plural of LEGO is LEGO? When speaking about these bricks in the plural, say LEGO. For example: “There are so many LEGO bricks on the floor - it’s driving me bonkers!”

LEGO Learning from Childhood to Adulthood

The LEGO Learning Continues


During the height of Grant’s LEGO obsession, we had homeschool family friends who decided to open The Atlanta Brick Co. What started as a little business has turned into a store with two locations and a robust online retail store.

Also, little did we know that the future winners of Season 2 of LEGO Masters lived around the corner from us—and they were employees of the Atlanta Brick Company. Watching the season and then interviewing them when it was finished was fun!

When Grant turned 16, he applied for a job at the Atlanta Brick Company. It’s a special kind of LEGO lover that works at this store. Grant was right in his element and has been working there off and on for the past four years. He’s gone to Mark and Steven’s LEGO studio to hang out, been to LEGO conventions to work the booth for Atlanta Brick Co, and met many Homegrown Learners’ readers when they visit the store!

So much fun stuff, right?

A few weeks ago, Mark came to our house and did a video tour of Grant’s MASSIVE LEGO collection. I wanted to share it with you! So many of you have watched Grant’s love of LEGO for years, which warms my heart. But it also warms my heart that this childhood interest has blossomed into something bigger; he is quite the collector now and is in this for joy and investment.

He has fully funded his collection through work, buy/sell/trade, and a lot of creativity. This entails research to keep up with the value of sets and tracking the value of his collection at the website Brick Economy.

My message to you is this: Encourage your children’s interests. Follow them where they want to go. Learn about what makes them tick. It’s worth it!

LEGO Resources at Homegrown Learners

Don’t forget about our many, many LEGO resources here at Homegrown Learners. You can find most of them on the LEGO Learning page.

Do you have a LEGO lover in your house?

Tell me about them in the comments!

LEGO Building and Organization Tips with Mark & Steven

It was so much fun to chat with Mark & Steven - the winners of LEGO Masters Season Two.

(If you missed that conversation, check it out here.)

As I watched the show, however, I just was blown away by how people could actually build like that with LEGO bricks! This obviously isn’t your run-of-the-mill building experience, buying a set and then putting it together with the directions.

The level of detail, creativity, and planning amazed me, and as readers sent me questions two themes started to emerge:

  • How does a LEGO Master get to where they are today?

  • How do you organize LEGO bricks?

Ask and you shall receive!

What follows is a video from Mark and Steven with simple building tips, and also a peek into how they store and organize their bricks - with one SUPER SIMPLE TOOL that would have changed my life!

I’ll let you watch the video - you’ll want your kids to see this, too - and see if you can tell which tool I’m referring to.

And seriously - Mark and Steven just blow me away with their creativity and knowledge. You will be SO impressed!

I’ve also added some additional links/suggestions so that you can take what Mark and Steven have said and begin to go down your own rabbit hole.

LEGO Building Tips

Tip #1: Studs on all Sides

Use bricks and plates to make sure you have studs on all sides of your creation. THIS is how Mark and Steven came up with so much dimension.

This is a helpful article about reversing the direction of LEGO studs.

And, have you heard of the SNOT concept? This is helpful, too.

Tip #2: Lowell Sphere

I had to look this one up when I got home from Mark and Steven’s studio! You can read all about it here - and then you can see the possibilities that come when you use this sphere in the building of your creations. As Mark points out - this technique defies the logic of LEGO.

You can also get this kit from the Atlanta Brick Company that demonstrates this technique.

Tip #3: Sculpting

As Steven explains, this is based on numbers and patterns - this seems to be something most little LEGO lovers are obsessed with!

I’m blown away watching Steven show the patterns on his creation - imagine the time and thought that went into this!

Search around the internet for examples of LEGO sculpting - you will be lost down a rabbit hole, but it’s very interesting!

Tip #4: Color

Not only primary colors can be used in your LEGO creations. Steven talks about using secondary colors and color blocking.

This article about working with the LEGO color palette is quite helpful. And - super fun - read this quote:

“One of the easiest ways to learn new skills is by watching the masters. As I mentioned at the beginning, LEGO designers Amie and Jamie talked a lot about the use of color in the LEGO Masters TV show.”

And - here is a video all about coloring in LEGO MOCS (Make Your Own Creations).

Side Note:

My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with Mark and Steven. Not only did we learn a lot, but we also enjoyed getting to know these young men better. They are both truly class acts!

Special thanks to my husband, Hal, for filming and to my son, Grant, for editing our videos. LEGO is a family affair!

LEGO Organization Tips

Sort by color in plastic bins

This never happened in our house - but if I had it to do all over again, I think I might insist on it!

Mark and Steven have nearly 2 million bricks in their studio, so they HAVE to keep them organized!

Create a “Sorting Table”

Again - I wish we would have done this!

By adding sides to the table, none of the bricks go missing on the floor! Also, I would think that having a table at a standing height like this is just so much more comfortable for sorting and building. I remember searching for a LEGO table I could purchase when really we could have taken a plain wooden table and added the sides - just like Mark and Steven have done.

Don’t you also love how this method makes it so easy to find a particular piece - or, as Steven points out - you might even find a BETTER piece than the one you were looking for.

Here’s more of a closeup look at their table:

Use a Dustpan for Easy Cleanup!

Genius. That’s all I have to say.

Additional LEGO Links:


I’d love to know how this video helped/inspired your LEGO lover!

Leave us a comment below - and I’ll be sure to pass them along to Mark and Steven!

You might also like:

How to Stand on Your LEGO Creation

LEGO Animal Cell