Legos have grown up. What began as a series of interlocking bricks has taken on many new forms. Some of them, like most of their movie tie-ins, have added unique blocks to the mix, but the basic concept has remained unchanged. But as tastes and technology mature, Lego has added new lines to their expanding building systems, and the Technic line shows a significant departure while still true to its roots.

When the Dune Buggy/Tractor kit arrived (each kit includes plans for 2 different vehicles that can be made from the same parts), I turned it over to Dani, our resident engineer, who has probably logged more time with various building systems than the rest of the family put together. The box says "Ages 8-14," so as a 10-year-old, she considers herself right in the middle.

Instead of bricks, the Technic line uses various rods, gears, and beams, and users will note that this line is not compatible with standard Lego bricks. Dani compares them to K'nex, although these look a little more elegant.

Because they don't use the standard bricks, the resulting vehicles end up being lighter, more maneuverable, and less house-like.

The Dune Buggy offers a lot of parts and functions that will appeal to kids. The steering wheel turns the front wheels, the pistons in the engine move when the car moves, and the rear of the vehicle includes spring-loaded shock absorbers.The tractor has the same piston engine, a moveable ripper on the back, and center steering for tighter turns when plowing that field.

The manuals give step-by-step wordless instructions, showing with diagrams each piece's assembly. Some pieces are shown actual size to clarify which is needed for a particular step. Several of the steps are broken down into smaller steps, assembling different parts and joining the assemblies. At one point, she got frustrated trying to get the engine installed and feared she'd have to take much of it apart, but a pull and a squeeze from Dad did the job. A few other pieces required a blunt object to put them in properly due to the tight fit, so kids may want a parent at least available for those tight times.

Due to the difficulty of the assembly, we would recommend 10 as the youngest age to play with this alone or with minimal help from a parent. 8 and up would be able to do much of it but might need it to be a parent/child project, which most kids would love.

Personally, I was impressed that the same kit can be used for 2 very different vehicles with nearly the same number of parts, given the specific pieces.

While challenging to build, this kind of project not only inspires aspiring engineers, but it gives a tremendous sense of accomplishment and pride in a job well done. Dani loves showing off her creation and has noted that it's about the right size for a Polly Pocket to ride. Watch for Polly on the dunes.