h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I just saw your article. It's great. I have to say that when I was little (early 70s) the most exciting invention was the "roof tile" brick, and the clear plastic ones for "windows". I'm not so keen on the System stuff, but the Technics is great (as long as you keep them separate when dismantled).

Anyway, you didn't mention "baby lego" the Lego primo (big fat blocks for 6 - 24 months) Actually they're building blocks which fit together by means of large domes, some are cylindrical and rattle too (they also make animals, stuff to play with in the bath, but you can't really build with those). But, and here's the best thing about Lego which you didn't mention (IMO) the Primo actually fits on to the Duplo. (there are some Primo bricks with 4 "duplo connections" on them, to make the transition easier for pre-school kids)
The Duplo actually fits onto the bigger Lego bricks.

The only bad thing I ever heard about Lego was when they introduced a Ladybird rattle which was two pieces which fitted together and joined by a bendy bit (for the baby to hold). Some kids (despite Lego's legendary, rigorous testing) managed to get them stuck in their mouths, and the product was withdrawn. How Lego did this (at least in Germany) was brilliant. They wrote to just about every household with a baby up to one year old telling them that if they had this toy they were to take it to their nearest Lego supplier and get it changed for something else. Even if it had been a gift or not even bought in that town!

If you hadn't guessed: I'm a fan!

Whew! At least there are some other people out there who don't immediately scorn another human being just for being older than ten and still liking Lego!

Thanks for your suggestion - I'd been forgetting almost completely about pre-school Lego products when I wrote this article (shame on me, I know), but I intend to re-draught this article in the very near future, so I'll definitely include something about Primo and the way the bricks are designed to fit together.

Thanks again,
R25968 (aka FraserD)

No you are very welcome. We make stuff for the kids with Duplo - mostly because we're from Yorkshire and too stingy to buy stuff! - like doll's furniture (chairs, beds etc) and tunnels for the trainset... if you ever read Sophie's World you'll remember that Lego was described as (probably) the most perfect toy ever invented

I definitely agree with that!

FraserD