Lego has launched a new social network specifically made for Lego builders aged 5 to 13 years old.
Dubbed Lego Life, the mobile app invites children five- to 13-years-old to join creative challenges in a safe online environment.
In an effort to keep real identities hidden, Lego Life encourages users to create an alter ego: pick a username and accessorize a minifigure or minidoll to represent them.
Available for iOS and Android, the free program requires a Lego ID account, as well as a parent or guardian’s permission.
Users can follow other Lego fans, like and comment on posts, and share their own content.
Lego Life also caters to its young audience by providing building challenges, artistic activities, and quizzes.
“The launch version of Lego Life is only the beginning,” according to the company website. “We’ll be adding more and more features as the months go by, so it will just get better and better.”
New features like the Lego Keyboard—a visual language for fans to communicate with colorful emojis and images. Simply download the latest version of the Lego Life app to express yourself with minifig heads, animals, foods, and more.
Introduced nearly 70 years ago as a children’s toy, Lego’s interlocking plastic bricks have become a global subculture of movies, video games, competitions, and amusement parks aimed at kids and adults.
Apart from interaction with other builders, there will also be building challenges and sticker activities to keep children engaged.
As a means of keeping the kids safe, a dedicated team of moderators will monitor photos that would hint at personal information or identity. There is also no way to directly chat between users. Additionally, Lego Life accounts will be associated to Lego digital products that they buy and play.
For now, the app for Lego Life is available for Android and iOS in Austria, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, U.K. and U.S. And while it is free, ads for different Lego products are scattered across the network.