s Flashback Friday: Encouraging My Own Little DIYers! - The Kim Six Fix
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Flashback Friday: Encouraging My Own Little DIYers!




I believe that there are certain types of people who just love building things.  People who can take an idea out of their heads and make it a reality.  People who find joy in using their hards to actually CREATE something.

I’m one of those people.

Maybe it is because I didn’t grow up with brothers, but in my family it never dawned on me that DIY projects like woodworking and home improvement weren’t typically done by women. I was really blessed to have parents who encouraged me (and my sister) to try new things, and never told us we couldn’t do something because it was a ‘boy thing’ or because ‘girls don’t do that.’

I loved spending time in my grandpa’s workshop building bird houses, or looking over my dad’s shoulder while he changed out a light fixture. My sister and I were always welcome and encouraged.

It is with that same spirit that I want to encourage and support my girls and their love of building.  If you are a regular reader of my blog you may notice how frequently my kids are included in my projects.

I think it is really important for them to learn that they have the ability to do great things if they are willing to try.

I am always looking for ways to encourage them to love building and I want them to feel a sense of pride in something they have created.

That is one of the reasons I LOVE LOVE LOVE (and that isn’t an exaggeration) LEGO® building sets.
Kids love Legos
I grew up building with LEGO bricks, and I don’t think it is an exaggeration to say that building and designing with LEGOs then, gave me some of the confidence to build and design now.

Since this is a Flashback Friday post, I HAD to include a photo (I think this is circa 1988) of my sister and I building with our LEGO bricks.
80s legos
Ack! The 80s! Big hair and golden oak!
Back when I was younger there were no LEGO® Friends building sets, which are specifically targeted at girls.  (To keep up with all the latest LEGO products, you can follow them on  Twitter,  Facebook,  Pinterest and Instagram. )
Lego Friends Set
I am not usually a fan of gender-stereotyping, but in this case LEGO® Friends are exposing girls to construction-based play they wouldn’t normally be interested in.  How could I not LOVE that?
LEGO Friends
One of the huge advantages of LEGO sets is that kids can express themselves creatively and playfully, building whatever comes to mind (which is exactly how my 4 year old does it.)
Building with Legos
Or they can build in a more target-oriented manner, following complex instructions to accomplish their goals.  (Which is what my 8 year old prefers.)
Lego Instructions
I hope they never lose this love for building things..
Assembling LEGOs
..I never did.


I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own. I really really DO love LEGO building systems.

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6 comments :

  1. Seriously love this Kim! I had two brothers but, guess who loved to help dad when he worked on the car? Yep, that would have been me! It taught me so much and gave me skills I still use today! Girl Power!

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  2. Kim.. I agree that LEGOs are definitely for boys and girls. I have two girls and one boy, and I think they like LEGOs just as much as he does.

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  3. My parents encouraged and did not stifle that creativity in my siblings or me. We all have grown into creative thinkers that see outside the boxes. I love how you approached the subject in your article.

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  4. Great post Kim! My brothers and I played with Lego all the time and now my kids are playing with it too. I like that they can either learn to follow directions or do what they want and develop their creativity. That way when they grow up they can build Ikea furniture or create a hack version :)

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  5. Awesome post! Legos are one of those toys that can be universal. I always loved legos, even before they were pink and purple.

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  6. Wonderful Post Kim....and such a great work ethic and value you're teaching your children...Love it!

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