Did you know that kids can go on an expedition to an active volcano without screens or gadgets? All it takes is a little imagination and some LEGO® bricks Mammutico® to turn ordinary play into a real adventure.
Play is every child’s fundamental activity! Just a dozen or so years ago, when we talked about children’s play, we thought of scavenger hunts, jumping rope, hot and cold, building forts in the garden, or playing card games. There were so many activities that it’s impossible to list them all in one breath. Today, play often boils down to games on tablets, consoles, and computers. That’s where children can experience incredible adventures, transport themselves to another world, and do unique and magical things—of course, that’s their parents’ theory…
We have a different opinion! We know that little ones can have incredible adventures without the help of multimedia. All they need is a child’s imagination and… of course, Mammutico® blocks!
A Trip to Krakatau Island
How about a trip across the Indian Ocean to exotic Indonesia, to a small island where, at the foot of the Anak Krakatau volcano, we’ll begin our adventure? “Anak” means “child” in English, because our volcano has a dad, too.
Let’s visualize this volcano now so it’s easier to picture
You should know that the Anak Krakatau volcano is still active—it regularly smokes, spews lava, and releases volcanic ash. Less than a century ago, it emerged from the ocean between the islands of Java and Sumatra, and it’s still growing! Every year it grows another 5 meters taller! We could try climbing to the top of the volcano, but that’s not always possible. There are days when Anak Krakatau goes dormant and lets the brave peek inside. But most often, you can only approach it by boat and watch the smoke billowing from this enormous crater.
Over 130 years ago, the father of our volcano, simply called Krakatau, caused immense destruction with its eruption! One sunny day at noon, a massive eruption occurred that lasted all day and all night. Huge amounts of rocks, dust, and gases were hurled into the air from the crater. For many hours, the volcano was shaken by explosions that could be heard over 3,000 km away. That’s roughly the distance from Poland to Turkey, and even further! The volcanic eruption also triggered massive waves in the seas and oceans. The largest reached heights of up to 40 meters and could have completely submerged a 10-story skyscraper.
Today, Anak Krakatau seems calm. So we can try hiking to its summit to look into the crater and see what lies within.
We sail to the island by boat, moor it at the shore, and continue on foot. Just in case, we bring planks with us, which we might use to build a bridge over the crater. When we reach the foot of the volcano, gray smoke begins billowing from the crater and everything is shaking! So it’s awake again! The hot lava spewed by Anak Krakatau flows at tremendous speed and in an instant floods the entire island. We have to get to the boat as quickly as possible so we don’t touch the lava. Good thing we have the planks with us! With their help, maybe we can make it to shore. How? Try to come up with something, and remember—everyone has to get back to the boat safely!
WithMammutico® blocks, every play session can become an adventure!
