How LEGO bricks help adults rediscover the joy of play

When did you last close off the everyday stresses and let your imagination take flight? Abbie Headon, author of Build Yourself Happy: The Joy of LEGO Play takes us through a world where you can rediscover your happy place! 

If you’re an adult like me, it might be hard to remember the last time you gave yourself permission to enjoy some freeform play! As we grow up, other activities tend to consume our time. 

We tend to focus on our careers, housework and many other commitments. When we do have time for fun, that can sometimes too, feel a little bit like work: weekly clubs need to be organized, hobbies grow into side-hustles, and our social media posts become a yardstick for measuring our online success. It’s quite easy for fun to become work without us realizing it.

What is play?

Dictionaries define ’play’ as engaging in activities purely for enjoyment and recreation, rather than for a serious or practical purpose – but this doesn’t mean that play has no value. In fact, playing can bring many benefits to all ages, and yes this includes adults. Play encourages creativity, to build whatever feels right for us.

It develops emotional resilience, when our creations don’t work out as we expected, it drives us to find new strategies and become better problem solvers. It can open new possibilities for creating social bonds with like-minded people; and alongside all of this, researchers have found that it increases our mental well-being.

The power of play philosophy has always been at the heart of the LEGO Group. It has celebrated and refined play for over nine decades. That’s 90 years of constantly evaluating the experience and value of play!

In 2022, the LEGO Play Well report found that 30,000 adults from around the globe highlighted the importance of play and its role in modern ‘adult’ life. 

A startling 87% said play helped them feel calm and that getting ‘hands-on’ with a creative form of play or activity could be the solution for those looking to escape or unwind. 

A further 86% said that play helped them unwind from work while a huge 89% felt it helped keep them mentally sharp. All factors which help contribute to an individual’s mental happiness and benefits we can all enjoy.

“Hold the pieces in your hands, enjoying their shapes and colours, and then start clicking them together in any way that appeals to you.”

Finding your way into play – Getting started

The best way to get started with LEGO bricks is by simply allowing yourself to get to know them. Remember that you don’t have to build anything specific, it’s about discovering your path. 

Although lots of adults enjoy assembling large, complex sets with instructions, which is great, this isn’t our goal here. To start simply hold the pieces in your hands, enjoying their shapes and colours, and then start clicking them together in any way that appeals to you. 

You will quickly discover the satisfying ‘click’ of pieces and you will find yourself being taken off into your own world, building in different directions with multiple colours. Maybe you’ll build in an uniformed style or perhaps a more random creation that is unique to you! 

Once you take this first step, clicking bricks together with no particular goal, you will have taken your first step on the path to pure brick-built fun – a journey that will take you away and provide a relaxing escape from the everyday hustle and bustle of life.