A competition for kids to record a message and send it into outer space is about to reward its winners, as Lego reveals more space sets.
No matter how much life changes for children, from generation to generation, two things always remain constant: a love of outer space and dinosaurs. As such, it’s no surprise to find that Lego has lots of sets based on both, but this year they’re putting a particular emphasis on the former.
Instead of just a dedicated Space range, Lego has added space-themed sets to multiple lines, including City and Friends, and while some are fantastical, they all at least have a veneer of realism.
To encourage children’s interest further a competition was held in which they were invited to record a message that could be sent into outer space, and today the winners will have their creations beamed into the aether from the Goonhilly Earth Station in Cornwall.
Everyone can watch the viewing party via the video below, with the 10 winners having been picked by Eurovision star Sam Ryder and Sky At Night presenter Dame Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock DBE.
Both will feature in the video, discussing all things space and the chosen winners, as well as playing games, and with a surprise promised from Sam Ryder later in the show.
Metro spoke to Dr Maggie and asked her about the sort of messages that the children had been making, given the only criteria is that it should involve outer space adventure and exploration.
‘We had all sorts of imaginative entries, from outer space slumber parties to skateboarding on the rings of Saturn. All the winners were very energised and excited about the idea of exploring space.’
At the same time Lego also conducted a survey, which found that 75% of kids dream of going to space and 20% expected to be able to live on another planet in their lifetime.
Over a third (38%) claimed that space exploration was their favourite subject and 12% said space was their ‘ultimate playdate location.’
For some kids being a footballer or doctor might be their dream job, but for 8% it’s astronaut – with floating in zero gravity seeing as the most important perk of the job.
Naturally, this is music to Dr Maggie’s ears, especially as she regularly visits schools around the country promoting science and astronomy.
‘We actually have a shortfall of people in the UK, that work in these areas, so it’s vital that we take advantage of children’s natural interest in the subject,’ she says.
‘Every child has questions when they look up at the night sky, about where we are in the cosmos and whether there are aliens and these are good, scientific questions to answer.’
As well as the Friends and City toys, Lego has also released a number of bigger sets this year, including NASA approved models of the Artemis rocket and the whole of the Milky Way.
They also produce lots of Star Wars and other licensed sci-fi sets but many of their current Space sets are inspired by NASA designs and it seems kids are just as interested in that as they are the more fantastical concepts of exploring the universe.
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