How to parent like a ninja

So, you have a NINJAGO®-obsessed child at home. How do we know?

Well, we ninja work in mysterious ways. Also, you’re on the LEGO® website looking at an article devoted to ninja parenting, which kind of gave it away.

But to ninja business.

Below is our list of top tips to help you utilize your kid’s love of LEGO NINJAGO – that’ll turn you into the ultimate ninja parent and help make chores fun for kids!

1. Reframing household tasks

Being a ninja isn’t JUST about flips and kicks…

The NINJAGO universe demonstrates that it’s more about a state of mind, an approach to life, and being the best person you can be.

In the words of wise old Master Wu:

“In each of us there are obstacles that hold us back from true greatness. And only when you conquer those obstacles will you unlock your true potential.”

Reframing household tasks, therefore, as ‘obstacles’ on the way to ninja mastery is the perfect motivation for ninja kids.

Would a ninja master have an untidy room? Would they be defeated by a simple, non-demon-possessed dishwasher?

Creating these everyday ninja games also boosts your ninja kids’ creativity and problem-solving skills. Role-playing, even while doing chores, expands the limits of their growing imagination. Which is great for them! And it also improves their focus, which is great for you…!

2. Chore charts

Another way of utilizing the NINJAGO ‘path to mastery’ theme is through chore chart ideas! Having chore board ideas centered on the NINJAGO world can inspire kids by tracking their contributions in exciting ways. So, as well as adding ninja stickers or illustrations, include a goal (e.g., 10 completed chores) that signifies ‘Ninja Mastery’ for the week.

3. Use the characters

You can use the NINJAGO core characters to encourage kids to dive into particular ninja activities around the house.

For anything involving the kitchen, Cole is a big help. To call Cole a ‘foodie’ might be the understatement of the century… So, if you’re looking for helping hands when making dinner, or simply want to encourage your ninja kids into cooking, try telling them that the next meal you’re making is actually Cole’s Secret Recipe… For extra authenticity, note that Cole’s favorite food is chocolate cake. And no, we’re not just saying that to trick you into making more cake!

To provide extra homework motivation, we turn to the super-smart Nindroid, Zane. Ninja kids will have lost count of how many times the ninja have relied on Zane’s brains… well, his computer chip… Challenge your kid to try to be as knowledgeable as Zane!

An especially fabulous role model for kids is Arin, from the new NINJAGO: Dragons Rising series. Obsessed with the NINJAGO ninja since he was a kid (remind you of anyone…?), he’s mentored by his hero, the legendary Lloyd. But how does Arin ultimately become a ninja? Through nothing more or less than hard work and dedication.

(To read more about the shows, check out our parent’s guide to LEGO NINJAGO, here.)

4. Making Chores Fun with Ninja Challenges

For specific ninja chore ideas for 8-year-olds and up, we can fall back on the classic ninja trait of stealth. One of the most fun ways to do chores for ninja kids, is to be challenged to do them without making a single sound. Can they avoid clanking crockery when emptying a dishwasher? Or collect trash from every room without being ‘detected’?

You can also halve a chore’s time by convincing them to activate their super-special ninja speed. (Best to avoid doing this with anything fragile…)

Finally, a favorite of ours is to practice shuriken-throwing skills when throwing clothes into the washing machine. There’s no age limit on that one!

5. Ninja activities that fight screen time

Perhaps the biggest challenge of modern parenting is finding a balance with screen time. Though there isn’t a single solution, we can harbor their love for the NINJAGO universe to create activities away from the screen.

Meditation is a key NINJAGO theme. Master Wu even has his favorite meditation carpet.

During periods when your child could be feeling wound up, why not locate your own ‘ninja meditation carpet’? Join your child on the carpet or rug and ask them about what makes their favorite ninja such a good ninja. You can then talk about how you’ve practiced those values in your own lives, recently.

A similar twist on this screen-free ninja activity can be set up around Wu’s love of tea. Grab a teapot and some fancy herbal teas, ask your kid to help prepare (under your watchful eye, of course), and recreate one of Wu’s tea ceremonies! As you drink, talk about the ways you’ve both tried to be your best ninja selves, since your last ceremony.

Cute, right?!

6. Ninja crafts

For something a little more active, get inspired by another creative soul from Dragons Rising, Sora. Naturally gifted at tech, her trademark is to whip up creations virtually on the spot. So, for a fun ninja craft, crack out some LEGO bricks together and see who can speedily create a cool invention, just like Sora.

Top tip: if you’re struggling to think of what to make, think of a problem to solve before building. Perhaps some minifigures need help crossing a large gap, or burrowing underground?

And there you have it! We hope this article has given you more than just good chore ideas and fun ways to do chores, but a way to create even more special moments with your kids, and use their NINJAGO love to help strengthen your relationship together.

Happy ninja-ing!