Ben Alder, LEGO Ideas, Winnie the Pooh

Ben Alder’s Winnie the Pooh LEGO Ideas submission was chosen by LEGO for production and sale. In this edition of The Friday Five, Alder shares his insights into the LEGO Ideas process.

What is your personal connection with LEGO?

LEGO has always been part of my life. I can remember sitting for hours as a child with my parents, building sets and making my own creations. Since having my own children, my love of LEGO has been rekindled and we all find it a great way to relax and play as a family.

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Why did you choose to design a Winnie the Pooh set?

Winnie the Pooh has always been dear to me. I remember being read it as a child and I now read it to my children. My children love to make up stories and act them out with their toys, so I thought that a LEGO Winnie the Pooh set would be the perfect way for them to recreate our bedtime stories.

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What surprised you about the LEGO Ideas process?

The biggest surprise was how much they involve you in developing the set. I really felt part of the LEGO team. They ask you for your ideas and what you would like to see in the set.

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Is the LEGO Ideas community just for advanced adult fans of LEGO (AFOLs)?

It’s certainly not just for advanced AFOLs. Anybody can submit their creation provided it meets LEGO’s criteria. It’s a great platform to show off your creations and to see so many wonderful ideas.

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What advice can you offer to other AFOLs hoping to get a set featured on LEGO Ideas?

The best thing to do is to build something that you are passionate about. It makes it easier to build if it’s something you love and that passion will show in the design. When it comes to submitting it to the LEGO Ideas website, it’s important to take really good clear photos of the set. People need to be instantly attracted to it so they click through and vote. Having said this, the most important thing is to have fun, as that is what LEGO is all about!

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Buy Alder’s Winnie the Pooh 21326 LEGO set online.