If your kids (and you!) are Lego fans, you've no doubt spent countless hours cobbling together castles, space ships, or heck, entire villages made out of these colored bricks. Yet did you know that in addition to these flights of fancy, Legos can also be put to use in more practical, real-world ways — say, as desk organizers, math lessons, pet feeders and far more?
If you're curious to see some more offbeat ways to incorporate Legos into your actual lives, look no further than this slideshow of amazing projects. They will stretch your imaginations, and prove that Legos are far more than mere toys. Happy building!
Who knew that Legos could help keep your kids from getting sick in #6?
Image via Dave Hax/Instructables
Lego Key Holder
This Lego key holder spells the end of your kids losing their keys!These interlocking bricks are an easy and colorful way to hang them up; instructions also include tips to attach a notepad.
Lego Math Tutorial
Legos can help make abstract math concepts much easier to grasp — and more fun! — for your kids. The website We Are Teachers includes instructions on using Legos to explain math concepts such as multiplication, mean, median and mode, area and perimeter, and more.
Lego Earrings
What better way for your kids to show they're Lego fans than to wear Lego earrings or other jewelry? And the great thing is, your kids can attach other small Legos to these bricks to embellish how they look.
Lego Desk Organizer
One clever way to help your kids keep their desk clean is to have them build a Lego desk organizer. Since your kids can personalize the size of various compartments, it can hold pencils, scissors, paper clips, or anything else your kid uses on a regular basis.
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Conduct a Lego Archaeological Dig
If you've got budding archaeologists in your house, they will love the challenge of freeing a Lego "fossil" from a glacier (a.k.a. block of ice). Just warn them that fossils are delicate, so they'll need to find a gentle way to excavate it out, using tiny chisels, brushes, salt, or any other method they can dream up.
Lego Hand Sanitizers
Make hand washing a lot more fun (and frequent!) with Lego-filled soap dispensers and hand sanitizers. Clear bottles are best for showing off the bricks floating inside.
Lego CD Holder
If your kid wants a neat way to hold his CDs or DVDs, a Lego CD holder is a no brainer. Plus as your kid gets more, he can add more compartments, or prune as needed.
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Lego Shadow Box
Turn your kid's Lego creations into wall art with a Lego shadow box — you can even change the "art" from fall leaves to a Christmas tree or other creation to keep it timely.
Lego Tape Dispenser
Hands down, there is no cooler way to grab a piece of tape than a Lego tape dispenser. And it doesn't just look great; it works as well as the real thing.
Lego Pet Feeder
If your kids have graduated to Lego Mindstorms, the options for building nifty household items are infinite … and if they love messing with the family pet, it doesn't get better than a Lego Mindstorms pet feeder. They'll have a blast coaching his dog, cat, or hamster to push the button to get a treat.
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