As part of an ongoing partnership, LEGO Australia has teamed up with Camp Australia and StarTime to celebrate the power of play through stop-motion animation and storytelling.
During the summer school holidays, over 9000 children across Australia participated in Camp Australia’s ‘LEGO Create Day’ where they were challenged to sculpt their own LEGO universe; building cities, characters and setting the stage for epic tales to be told in a stop-motion film. Either in teams or independently, the young creators produced over 1900 stop-motion films.
Justine McKenny, Senior Director and Head of Marketing at LEGO Australia and New Zealand, spoke on the positive impacts of the partnership.
“Creativity and imagination are at the heart of LEGO play, and when you combine LEGO bricks with children’s curiosity, you will find there are unlimited stories to tell,” she said.
“Through our partnership with Camp Australia and StarTime, we have experienced firsthand the potential LEGO play has in unlocking children’s inventiveness and imagination. Children from around the country have combined hands-on play with digital storytelling to bring to life fun and memorable stop-motion films, building invaluable skills for their future.”
Cathryn Coyle and her husband moved from Wales to Western Australia 11 years ago. Without any family living nearby, Camp Australia has been an incredible source of support for them during the holidays. Cathryn’s boys, Olly (8) and Ellis (6), participated in LEGO Create Day, which has invigorated their love for creative play. Commenting on her sons’ video which tells the story of an epic robot-battle, Cathryn says:
“My boys are super active and love being outdoors, however I’ve noticed that LEGO bricks give them an opportunity to enjoy interactive imaginary play. “I love seeing them reenacting and building upon events that they’ve experienced throughout the day. They are both loving superheroes at the moment, which you can see reflected in their stop-animation. Here I was thinking it’d be about sport!” “As a parent, it’s lovely to watch their shared enthusiasm for LEGO bricks and play, despite their different ages and personalities.”
Speaking to the importance of nurturing children’s creativity through new experiences, Warren Jacobson, CEO of Camp Australia said, “We believe in the value of learning through experience. With this in mind, our Rocketeers vacation care team has crafted a program that ensures no two days are the same.”
“This year we saw record attendance for our LEGO Create Day. It’s been such a joy to watch children’s ideas come to life and to watch them grow through their experiences, from ideation, through to building and directing their own films. The Rocketeers Film Festival is the perfect way to showcase their achievements and these incredible films!”
Spearheading the animation program on LEGO Film Day, StarTime played a pivotal role in facilitating a transformative experience for the participating children. CEO of StarTime, Lindsay Moss, emphasised the profound impact on the children, stating, “This project was truly transformative for the young creators. It enabled them to unleash their creativity and bring their imaginations to life through the integration of physical creativity with digital technology.”
Through their partnership, LEGO Australia, Camp Australia and StarTime are empowering children to become storytellers, creators and innovators, shaping a future where imagination knows no bounds.