Admit it. How many of you, who have kids in your life, have used that phrase while walking through the house late at night? I know I have said those words more than once, on my way to watch TV downstairs or to check in on one of my kids. Usually, I follow my utterance of the phrase with a mental reminder to tell the kids to pick up the Legos the next day.

As with many of my other reminders, I usually put the task off for another day.

I’m okay with that. We have accumulated many Legos during the past 10 years or so and they are used quite often by all three of my kids, as well as the neighbor kids. Even adults who stop by find themselves playing with them every so often. Sure, playing with Legos can routinely lead to arguments over a particular piece, of the thousands we have, that two or more of my children want. Still, when the Legos are lying out, I know my kids have been using their minds, their creativity, and their social skills. I like that in a toy.

A few years ago, I attended an educational workshop at which a presenter showed a video of an electronic toy, made up of a handful of little squares with video screens. I do not remember exactly how the toy worked, but when individual squares were connected, a change in the video screens occurred, resulting in different designs. The video was pretty impressive, especially with how quickly the person demonstrating the toy could reposition the squares to create new designs.

When the video was finished, the presenter predicted the toy would become more popular than Legos.

He lost me on that one. I had a hard time envisioning millions of kids lying on the living room floor, surrounded by hundreds of electronic squares.

He also said the company producing the toy would be buying out the Legos company. Again, hard for me to believe.

To settle my mind, I did a little research. With a quick Google search, I learned The Lego Group was, and still is, a privately-held company, owned by the family of the man who invented Legos in 1932.

In addition, my kids and I recently spent some time at Legoland at the Mall of America. Based on what I observed, we must not be the only parents whose children enjoy playing with Legos. The store was packed with kids, and adults, using their imagination.

I like electronics. I like electronic toys. My kids play with electronic toys. I prefer, though, toys that do not need batteries or any other power source other than what a child possesses inside him or her. Also, I would rather have my children determining the direction of their play and not computer programmers.

A few weeks ago, I decided to get down on the living room floor and try my hand at creating a Lego masterpiece. With the help of my 7-year-old son and 9-year-old daughter, I created a swimming pool, with a diving board, hot tub, and a water slide with a turn. My kids were even able to get their Lego people to successfully traverse the slide and land in the pool.

It was one of my favorite days of playing with the kids. No electronic squares could have created the enjoyment the three of us had together that afternoon.

Who knows? Maybe someday a few electronic squares will be more popular than Legos.

Hopefully, not in my lifetime.

Definitely, not in our house.