Anyone who has unintentionally stood on a Lego block will know how excruciating an experience it is.
The upside of letting children play with Lego is they can win an all-expenses-paid trip to Legoland in California for their family - just like Orlando Hay has done.
The Company Bay 11-year-old won the National Lego Building Competition with his latest creation, titled Hobbit's Retreat.
It is a scene inspired by the Hobbit movies, and built with more than 1000 pieces of Lego over about three weeks.
Orlando said he had been trying to win the annual competition for the past eight years. He had won the Otago regional prize four times, but never the ''big one'' - until now.
''I'm super-excited. I've been trying to win this for ages.''
Hundreds of children nationwide enter the competition every year, and Orlando is the first from Dunedin to win the national final.
The prize includes return flights for two adults and two children to Legoland, accommodation for five nights, and $1500 of spending money.
In qualifying for the national competition, Orlando won the Otago regional award for the fourth time, and won a $100 Toyworld voucher, which he plans to give to the children's ward at Dunedin Hospital.
He also plans to retire, saying: ''It's time to let someone else win the competition.''
Orlando was given his first Lego set when he was aged 3,
and since then he has created hundreds of exhibits, turning the tiny bricks into the London Tower Bridge, The Simpsons house, and a remote control robotic dinosaur.
He has shown his work at seven different shows, including the Christchurch Brick Show and the Armageddon Shows in Dunedin.
''I like it because you get to make whatever you want - build imaginary worlds.
''My friends think it's amazing.''
His mother, Jacqui, said all Orlando ever wanted for his birthday or Christmas was Lego.
''For his 5th birthday, he was given his first large set, a castle with almost 1000 pieces.
''That night he started making it after being shown how to follow the instructions, and by the time we woke up next morning, the castle was complete.
''It was then that we knew he had quite a gift with Lego because the set was aimed at children 7-12 years old.''
Orlando is now working on his next exhibit for the Christchurch Brick Show in July.
The family hope to take Orlando's dream trip to Legoland in September.
