Whether or not girls actually need a feminine alternative to LEGOs is questionable – after all, the last time I checked, girls were perfectly able to put a couple LEGO bricks together without the universe imploding. That said, GoldieBlox exists, and it’s not a bad entry into the domain of engineering toys.
GoldieBlox is both a book series and a building toy, albeit one that is much different from LEGO or K’nex. The building part of GoldieBlox revolves around a square board with holes for pegs. Using axles, drums, ribbons, and cranks, girls set about building. The books that come with the sets, then, are a bit like the instruction manuals of LEGO sets, but dressed up in stories told by Goldie, the main character – a young girl with a penchant for invention. The creations will usually revolve around the use of or the building of simple machines, like pulleys. Small animal figures that can be perched on the drums add a little character.
Once at least a few sets get put together, it seems like GoldieBlox might be able to become as pliable as LEGOs – there’s room here for invention and exploration past what the storybooks say, which is arguably the most critical part of getting a youngster truly interested in the world of building and engineering. Currently, only one set is in production and on sale, but we hope to see more down the line, so girls can have the same kind of freedom with GoldieBlox that LEGOs afford.
Some will chafe at the insinuation that girls need a special building toy marketed just for them, but the idea behind GoldieBlox does have some merit. It’s completely unfair and irrational, but LEGOs and K’nex set still have the stigma of being a “boy’s toy.” If GoldieBlox can find an audience and get girls interested in engineering, then so much the better. We just hope we can live in a world where parents buy their little girls LEGO sets, too.
The project has already been Kickstarted, and the first set and storybook, GoldieBlox and the Spinning Machine, is on sale now for about $30. The set is currently in the production stage, with delivery scheduled for April 2013.
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