LEGO Group has uncovered jarring statistics revealing Australian cities need more public spaces to play – specifically areas designed with children’s needs in mind.
So, for the UN’s International Day of Play on June 11, LEGO invited children and families to join the conversation.
The toy manufacturing company asked kids how they would redesign their local area, and two boys from Glenmore Park answered.
“We’ve got lots of LEGO kits at home, so it’s good to be able to experiment and see what they can do when creating their own park,” said Ally Piec, mother to eight-year-old Dean and four-year-old Zane.
The Weekender met the family at Richardson Place Reserve to see the area the brothers redesigned.
“Glenmore Park has a lot of good parks, so we thought we’d choose one that wasn’t as established,” Ally explained.
“This was the only one we could think of that was quite close to us. We thought we’d see what they can come up with by using their imagination and having fun with it.”
Looking at the boys’ LEGO park model, it was very different to the existing structures.
“This is a tree. This is a toilet. I made this cubby house,” Dean explained while pointing out different areas on the LEGO model.
Zane’s design section is best described as a bit abstract.
“It’s a colourful park! There’s a merry-go-round in there,” said the curly-haired ball of energy.
We were also assured the dinosaurs in the park wouldn’t be real; they would be playground equipment.
This creativity and sense of fun is exactly what LEGO Group wanted to see according to Vice President and General Manager of LEGO Australia and New Zealand Troy Taylor.
“The LEGO Group’s mission is to inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow,” Taylor stated.
“The creativity and imaginations of children can help solve real world problems in ways that adults might not consider and we believe children should have a powerful voice in shaping their communities for the future.”
He said it’s time to put the world in play mode.
“It’s time to think outside the box and build a brighter, more playful future – with the next generation, for the next generation,” Taylor finished.
Ally Hall
Ally Hall joined the Weekender in 2024, and focuses on entertainment and community stories. She's a graduate of the University of South Australia and has previously worked as a Video Journalist with Southern Cross Austereo and as a News Reader with Australian Radio Network.