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Lego has been around, in one form or another, since 1934, when it was created by Ole Kirk Kristiansen, a Danish carpenter and toymaker. The interlocking plastic bricks which we know today were introduced in 1958. In 1959 Lego was introduced to the UK, Belgium and France and the US and Canadian launch took place in 1961.
Whilst it may be a cliché, it is nevertheless true to say that Lego is a toy “for children of all ages”. It is used not only as a traditional toy but also as a management training aid and, in some cases as artwork.
However, there can be no doubt that it is as a toy that Lego enjoys its greatest success. There are product lines for all ages; younger children can start with Duplo – slightly larger blocks which are easier for small hands to manipulate – before graduating onto the normal, or classic range of Lego building blocks.
The Technic and Mindstorm ranges cater for older children and teenagers – and possibly even adult hobbyists. There are also a number of themed sets available – Pirates, Medieval Knights, Harry Potter. Star Wars etc.
A clue to the enduring appeal of Lego can be found in these themed sets. Normally the first thing a child will do is to build the Lego model as per the instructions. However, it usually doesn't take very long before the kit is disassembled and put together again in a different way. Shortly after that, another remodelling is highly likely, followed by another, and another…
It's the versatility of Lego, and its ability to allow children to express their creativity - dreaming up and constructing their very own combinations and designs - that makes it so very popular. Children can let their imagination run riot and realise their wildest designs in the brightly coloured ABS blocks.
Lego has kept up with the times. In addition to its electronic models it now has its own website, in a number of different languages and it's possible to buy video games which are based on Lego versions of popular films. It has even reversed the trend for feeding off popular children's movies and created videos themed around its own products, most notably the Bionicles range. Apart from feeding the imagination of the children, these videos have, of course, been very effective adverts for Lego.
In addition to the website, the videos and the themed sets based on kid's movies, there are four Lego theme parks, based in Denmark (of course), the USA, the UK and Germany. Kids and adults can have fun, be inspired by fabulous Lego sculptures, drive Lego cars and ride in Lego boats.
However, as much fun as the website, the video games, the videos and DVDs and the theme parks all are, it's the fact that Lego allows kids to express themselves and develop their creativity in an enjoyable manner that means that Lego will be around, in a variety of shapes, forms and colours, for many years to come.
With the nation's biggest event of the year already stirring up excitement, the Presidential Inauguration has been drawing in the biggest names in entertainment to help celebrate the beginning of a new presidential era. It's hard to imagine any national event going down without the help of vocalist Miley Cyrus, and the tween sensation will indeed be right in the middle of the action this month in Washington, D.C., as Cyrus and her father (the “Achy, Breaky Heart”-singing Billy Ray Cyrus) will both perform in the TV concert Kids' Inaugural: We Are the Future, an event honoring military families that is set to air on the Disney Channel on January 19 (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day).
Also joining the Hannah Montana superstar and her father onstage in support of the Presidential Inauguration are the Jonas Brothers, Demi Lovato, Keke Palmer, Usher and Shaquille O'Neal. The Kids' Inaugural: We Are the Future concert will air one day before the 2009 Presidential Inauguration. Another concert in celebration of the inauguration will take place on January 20, the night of President Obama's swearing-in ceremony. The Neighborhood Ball: An Inauguration Celebration will feature musical guests Beyonce, Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, Faith Hill, Stevie Wonder, Jay-Z, Alicia Keys and Shakira and will air on ABC on January 20.
Pop singer and Disney Channel icon Miley Cyrus is no stranger to the main stage, as the teenage celebrity was born to country music star Billy Ray Cyrus. Miley, whose real name is Destiny Hope but takes her stage name from the nickname Smiley for which she was called as a cheerful child, was born in 1992 and wasted no time getting into the entertainment industry.
The child prodigy made her debut as an actress in 2003 when she made a cameo in the television show Doc, and later that year she appeared in the Tim Burton film Big Fish. Cyrus worked singing into her healthy diet of acting and by 2005 she was ready to explode on the public scene, giving the rest of the world a taste of Miley Cyrus when she was cast in the lead role of the Disney program Hannah Montana. The lovable teenager plays a normal schoolgirl by day and rock star by night in Hannah Montana, letting her emphasize both her acting and singing skills simultaneously. The Disney Channel television series became an instant hit with teens across the country in 2006, eventually leading to a Hannah Montana film and soundtrack that propelled Miley Cyrus' singing career.
In 2007 Cyrus toured the country with another fresh Disney act the Cheetah Girls, and Cyrus' music industry breakout occurred the same year when the Hannah Montana album was released. Hannah Montana 2/Meet Miley Cyrus followed in its footsteps, becoming Cyrus' first number one-charting album while further establishing her as a vocalist just as much as an actress. In 2008 Cyrus released Breakout, an appropriately-titled album that was her first full-blown album as herself rather than as Hannah Montana. The album was an instant number one on the Billboard 200 and smash singles “See You Again” and “7 Things” exploded on the pop scene soon thereafter.
As if Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana hasn't been busy enough these days, the young superstar has also thrown herself into a hectic schedule of tour dates and live performances, appearing on stages across the country while continuing to film episodes of her famed Disney Channel television series. The energetic vocalist's live performances are fun for all ages, so grab your entire family and get Miley Cyrus tickets from http://www.stubhub.com/miley-cyrus-tickets/!