The new LEGO Friends figures arrive a decade after the release of the previous version
After ten years that the LEGO® launched the LEGO® Friends collection, the company reinvented the way of dolls, and now the LEGO Friends Universe of 2023 hits the shelves, with representative dolls, differentiating skin tone, highlighting disabilities and neurodiversity and different cultural backgrounds.
In order to make the users of the new dolls better understand the differences between humans when playing and, in addition, see themselves in the characters, before launching the collection, a study was carried out around the world with 18 thousand children, in the age group of 6 to 12 years, from 19 countries, in order to understand the differences in current friendships.
Among the topics studied by the company for the development of the new dolls, two out of three children who collaborated with the research, the equivalent of 68%, commented that they would like to see more toys where emotions are present, so that life can be better understood.
Still with regard to the research carried out by LEGO®, Laverne Antrobusa child psychologist, commented on:
“The survey results provide a fascinating insight into the complexities of childhood friendships in the modern and increasingly diverse world we live in. It’s encouraging that kids want to see diverse friendships represented in the content they watch and the toys they play with. These changes will help children understand differences and give them the confidence to form relationships with others who are not like them. Learning from friends about how they are similar and different will help children accept others as they navigate friendships and relationships in the world they live in.”
She continued, commenting on the company’s new collection: “It’s great to see that the new LEGO Friends universe will be fully inclusive and a better reflection of real-world friendships in 2023, so that young people can play, explore and express their emotions with a more diverse range of characters and replicate those experiences in their day-to-day lives.”
The Head of Product for LEGO Friends at The LEGO Group, Tracie Chiarella, also commented on the new collection a decade after the previous version: “Children are our role models and guide everything we do here at the LEGO Group. After an incredible 10 years on LEGO Friends, this reimagining has allowed us to push the boundaries not only in content and storytelling, but also in reflecting modern childhood friendships, so kids can really see their experiences reflected in the world around them. From the survey released today, it’s great to see that kids recognize the importance of friendship to their mental health and it’s encouraging to know that they want more emotional diversity to be represented in the content they consume and the toys and characters they play with.”
Also, in addition to the new dolls, the company will carry out some global activities to celebrate friendships, making children, the main users of LEGO® toys, enjoy the benefits of games.
LEGO® exists since 1932, and during all these years, it has been a reference in toys with buildable parts.
Source: Recreio
