No Childhood Left Behind: A LEGO Tribute In Honor of Legoland Florida

Dedicated to my brother, Ryan, whose LEGO creations I seemed to always inadvertently crush.

Photo: Mike Stimpson

I recently got the news that a LEGOland was opening in Central Florida, not a far drive from my hometown. This news sparked a bit of happy nostalgia as I remembered the various creations my brother would skillfully craft from LEGOs when we were kids. For hours on end, my brother would bury himself in a mound of brightly colored blocks and silently work away on his next laser-forcefield-warpspeed-equipped space jet or turbo engine watercraft.

Photo: Mike Stimpson

The world of LEGOs is one that many children find irresistible because it is one that is created by their own imaginations. Using only tiny bits of plastic, they can capture a fantasy and bring it to life. Such power is delicious to little humans who are otherwise directed by adults in their navigation of a grownup world. Because the reality of these little LEGO worlds become so real in the creation stage, because the child has full control over what they are creating and the idea surrounding each creation, LEGOs dive deep into the spirit of being a child and dive even deeper into their hearts. A lasting fondness for the toy is deeply rooted in these children.

Photo: Mike Stimpson

But alas, children morph into adults at dangerous speeds and find they are expected to leave their space jets behind. Their bucket of LEGO blocks sit, gathering dust, in the closet. Though these adults may have very grownup black suits and sit behind very grownup polished desks in very grownup gray office buildings, any memory touching on their childhood pastime sparks a warm glow in their heart, manifesting itself by a growing smile on their face. A story usually follows about the things they once created.

Hence the need for LEGOland. Suppressing love is unhealthy and even moreso when compelled to do so by the outside force of becoming an adult. Safely under the guise of going for the entertainment of their offspring, LEGOland gives adults the chance to thrill at grandiose creations that they once dreamed of creating if only they had unlimited plastic blocks of their own.

Photo: Mike Stimpson

Here's to a great new LEGOland. Here's to never leaving childhood behind.

Photos are from a great photographic artist- Mike Stimpson. All these images, and many great others, can be found on his site. I recommend the Star Wars photos to discover a softer side of Star Troopers.