Skip to content

Is This Cool or What?

What possible connection could there be between holiday shopping and the opening of the Panama Canal’s ‘Third Set of Locks’ last summer? (Seen here near completion, with the original Pacific-side locks in the background.)

© 2016 ACP

Shopping for holiday gifts that will be fully appreciated can be a huge headache — except perhaps when you’re shopping for young kids. If you choose well, they’ll react to your gift with wide-eyed fascination, and might even call you their hero.

This year, the ever-innovative toy masters at Lego have come up with a sure-to-please item that has real-world, nautical significance. We’re talking about the new working model of the recently opened Panama Canal expansion (rated for kids age eight and up). Check out the video below, and you’ll see that it demonstrates how ships actually move up and down the new locks, with water coming in — okay, actually blue Lego bricks — and out.

As you’ll notice, creation of the 1,184-piece set was approved by the Panama Canal Authority. Think of the fun you’ll have helping to build it, not to mention the potential lessons in history, geography, and international commerce that you could convey while you’re trying to figure out exactly how to position piece number 952.

Video courtesy Lego Education

Leave a Comment