Lego MOCs: The Best Toy for Sustainable and Imaginative Play

In a world where the excitement of certain toys fades with evolving interests, Lego stands tall as a leader on endless creativity. As little adventurers tend to grow out of traditional playthings, Lego offers a unique promise to a variety of different age groups – they are not just any toy, Lego is a hub for imaginative play.

The inspiring factor in Lego is the ability to adapt to a variety of different play styles; once you have built your Lego set, you can go one step further but entering the realm of Lego MOCs (Make Your Own). This article will guide you through all the tips and tricks to inspire your little builders to create their very own Lego creations!

Making A Sustainable Toy Choice with LEGO

With plenty of toys being disposed of every year, sustainable toys like Lego are stealing the spotlight – and for good reason. Lego has made a commitment to the longevity of all their collections, offering children endless fun with timeless products. Better yet, children have the option to customise their Lego sets, meaning all their sets can be upcycled to create something new using something used!

Encourage your little ones to reimagine their toys and playtime to foster both creativity and eco-consciousness.

Researchers investigated the longevity of a variety of toys and how they impact our environment, concluding;

“We found that toys that are kept longer, resold, or donated second-hand, have a lower yearly environmental impact overall, as this is likely to negate the manufacture and purchase of new toys. Toys that maintained their interest and relevance to children over time, had multiple uses or could be added to as part of a collection had the greatest potential for longer lifespans.”

What is MOC?

MOC stands for ‘My Own Creation’, these are designs created by Lego fans and the Lego community rather than the brand themselves. Lego sets are great when following instructions to reach the end goal of a finished build, however, the MOC community see the Lego bricks as tools to build their own creations such as a helicopter, car, castle – whatever you can imagine.

Can You Combine Lego Worlds to Create New Builds?

Yes, and this is why this is seen as an eco-conscious play approach. Children can enjoy collecting and building sets such as the Lego Superhero sets, Lego City sets, Lego Technic sets, and a wide variety of sets. Once a child has finished these sets and is unsure what to do next, then maybe it’s time to try something new; their very own unique set which can be achieved by mixing and matching the Lego bricks from different sets.

Lego MOC Building Tips

Now that we have cleared up what MOCs are, you may be inspired to try creating your own. Here are some valuable tips and tricks to get you started on the right track, especially if you are a beginner in the world of MOCs.

1. Step One: The Bricks

Firstly, you want to get familiar with the different sized bricks to understand why each one is used in certain places. For example, the size of the brick depends on how many studs are taken up. A 1×2 brick is 1 brick stud wide and 2 studs long. Same as a 2×4 brick is 2 studs wide and 4 studs long and so on.

This can be easy to understand, the more challenging part would be remembering which type you are using. Here is a list of the different Lego bricks that you can analyse more in-depth and their purpose during a build:

• Bricks
• Round bricks
• Modified bricks
• Technic bricks
• Plates
• Rods
• Modified plates
• Wedges
• Curved slopes
• Slopes
• Technic beams

By understanding all the several types of bricks, this will equip you with the knowledge of how each one compliments the other in different sets.

2. Step Two: Understanding Your Sets

This step is quite important. We advise learning and studying your current sets, finish all the builds and while building, it’s best to start understanding the bricks in motion. Ask yourself why certain bricks are used in certain places and what is their relationship with other bricks? This way, you can start learning the building techniques that you’ll need when you begin building your own design.

3. Step Three: Ignore Instructions

Now that you feel comfortable with Lego sets, it’s time to move onto MOC Lego! A simple transition step would be to take your completed Lego sets are figure out ways to improve on them. Take some or all the bricks apart and start thinking of ways to make it bigger, taller, or add decorations to bring the scene to life even more.

Start thinking and planning these improvements as this will be the first skill you’ll need when it comes to making your own Lego creation! Keep experimenting until you find this step easy and feel like you understand the bricks in a wider scope.

4. Step Four: Design Your Own Set

Now it’s time to take what you’ve learnt from other steps and implement them by trying to create something similar to the set you already have.

For example, if you have the Lego City Interstellar Spaceship set, you could take this a part and see how you can build a new unique spaceship, using the original build as inspiration.

Remember, this takes time, your first unique build won’t be perfect, but with trial and error you will eventually have an MOC that you are proud of. Just don’t give up!

5. Step Five: Finally, Your Own Design

The final stage is all about taking all the knowledge and taking leaps all on your own. Now, you are past improving on Lego sets, your past taking inspiration from sets and building something similar, and you aren’t trying to build something using the typical Lego style. Instead, you’re now using your own original ideas, you may look for inspiration online in relation to the theme, style, mood and so on.

Anything is possible with Lego, be sure to always be experimental as you’ll never know what you can create until you have built it!

6. Step Six: Join The Community

The creator community is always a talented group to be involved in. Share ideas, inspiration, tips, tricks and so much more. Sites such as BrickLink or Rebrickable can help you in designing your own set, helping you understand what bricks, sizes, and colours you may want to combine for practicality and aesthetics.

Now unleash your creativity and imagination to create a Lego MOC yourself! This can be great for children to expand their critical thinking, problem solving and motor skills whilst adults can also join in to expand their skills and creativity. This sustainable approach is great for people of all ages, to explore Lego Creator to test your skills, look no further.

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