LEGO® Mini Basic Pack

Description

A building kit for the classroom

This set comes from Educational and Dacta, the range with which LEGO® supplied material to schools and teaching institutions. Mini Basic Pack was released in 1983 and is meant as a universal kit: not a template for one particular model but a collection of bricks that children can use to build and experiment freely. At 150 pieces it is small enough to hand out to several pupils, yet large enough for first constructions of their own.

Many bricks, few types

The ratio stands out: 150 pieces but only 21 different part types. Most bricks therefore repeat often, which is typical and sensible for a basic kit. With many identical bricks you can make walls, towers and vehicles and learn how shapes connect. The main colours of black, red, yellow and blue are strong and easy to tell apart, which helps with teaching material and keeps sorting simple for younger builders. Sorting by colour and shape becomes the first exercise.

No minifigures, plenty of freedom

There are no minifigures. The set concentrates entirely on the bricks and leaves open what should be built. It hardly works as a display model, but it does make a good starting point for ideas of your own, or an addition to an existing collection. Collectors of old Dacta sets value packs like this because they show how bricks were used in lessons back then, and because the parts still mix well with modern elements despite their age.

Making use of the parts list

The complete parts list with colours and quantities is below. If you own the pack or similar bricks, the “What can I build?” tool shows which models come out of them and the rest of your collection. That is especially useful with a universal kit, since no instruction booklet tells you what is possible. When buying a second-hand pack, the list also helps you verify completeness and fill gaps with the right bricks.

FAQ

How many pieces does the Mini Basic Pack have?

Set 1055-1 has 150 pieces in just 21 different types. There are no minifigures.

What does Educational and Dacta mean?

It was the range in which LEGO® offered material for schools and educational institutions.

Which colours are the bricks?

The main colours are black, red, yellow and blue.