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Original poster

To be really annoyed that Lego seems to all be for boys?

148 replies

rogersmellyonthetelly · 14/11/2011 19:47

DD (5) has just discovered Lego. I would like to get her some for Christmas, however all the play sets seem to be aimed at boys. I don't particularly want pink stuff, but a play set that doesn't involve a) star wars b) cars/trucks or c) scary dragon looking things would be nice. Is it just me or is it a bit sexist this Lego lark?

OP posts:
pickledsiblings · 15/11/2011 10:20

Grimma, it is not all there on the lego website. There is no doubt about the fact that there are many many more male characters than female although things are improving. Lego Narnia would be a cool set, or His Dark Materials. Both of these have strong female characters. But no, we get Lego Batman and Bionicle and Hero Factory. Where's Lego High School the Musical?

mousymouse · 15/11/2011 10:28

why the branded stuff anyway? you can get "ethnic" families as set, or just basic bricks/house parts.

I don't get it.

GrimmaTheNome · 15/11/2011 10:28

I meant all the stuff mentioned is available there whereas its not in the shops, not that every possible theme was covered. There really is loads of gender-neutral and 'girl' stuff, dunno how many shedloads we need really.

Big lego sets need some sort of structure, not just characters - so not sure Dark Materials would really work (build your own oxford college?). Narnia I suppose could have Cair Paravel and a Dawn Treader would be excellent - but it occurs to me they may have thought of this but been unable to obtain merchandising rights, I don't think there is much Narnia 'stuff' (about the only thing I've ever noticed is White Witch dressing up outfit in M&S)

As for HSM lego .... well my DD would run a mile from that for sure! Grin

minimisschief · 15/11/2011 12:24

buy lego city sets if you think she doesnt like cars,dragons,castles and starwars

MissKittyEliza · 15/11/2011 15:36

I'm in my forties now. As a child, I shunned Tiny Tears, tea sets and dolly prams in favour of toy tractors (still love the real thing.....except when behind 3 of 'em on the A49!) tipper trucks and digging for worms in the garden.

I grew up to be very feminine.

I understand what you mean but, girls can and do "do" Lego!

MissKittyEliza · 15/11/2011 15:37

And Meccanno type stuff!

crazygracieuk · 15/11/2011 16:33

Someone was asking about Dr Who Lego- Character Building do building sets.

Megabloks do branded building sets like Hello Kitty and Disney Princess. I've not bought any for my dd so can't comment on compatibility with Lego but someone here will probably know.

My dd is very girly and the sort of sets that I've gone for are things like sets of Lego City people, seasonal ones like Christmas trees as well as general sets. She loves transparent bricks so I bought sets of those separately.

cheekeyiownitmonkey · 15/11/2011 16:42

Sorry, can't be bothered to read whole of thread but I have just today bought my DD some 'girls' lego out of Asda. Flame me if you like it is pink, which is one of her favourite colours but she also like blue Hmm

notso · 15/11/2011 17:02

I agree with GrimmaTheGnome it is almst always marketed in the shops as 'boys' toys, only the pink is in the girl section.
I think the only shop I know that just has toys is a little independant shop.

belgo · 15/11/2011 17:17

Megablocks Hello Kitty is compatible with Lego and Duplo but the quality is rubbish imo, the blocks may fit together, but they do not stay together. Stick to the small sets for the Hello Kitty characters, as they are quite sweet.

Doctor Who Character building toys are fab - good quality - but the manufacturers do not have so much experience in design as Lego and this is seen in the Tardis - it looks great when it is made, but the building process is not so satisfying as Lego.

MumblingAndBloodyRagDoll · 15/11/2011 17:19

That's right notso....and who wants PINK lego?

OrmIrian · 15/11/2011 17:20

Yes you are. it isn't for boys its for children

crazygracieuk · 15/11/2011 17:25

Thanks Belgo

I bought the Tardis in the Sainsburys half price sale and was looking forward to helping ds build it.

Tigresswoods · 15/11/2011 17:31

Grr, why can't kids be kids. I lived knights, pirates, space & town Lego growing up. It doesn't have to be pink to be for girls.

belgo · 15/11/2011 17:37

I saw the Tardis in Sainsbury's for five pounds, that's a good buy; I paid 10 pounds for it unfortunately!

bruffin · 15/11/2011 18:01

Omiron it is marketed for boys. I have read that all the focus groups and market research is done through boys.

MrsHeffley · 15/11/2011 18:10

It's marketed for boys with parents who pay too much attention to gender then.

I have 8 year old twin boys and a 7 year old girl.She plays with the same boxes of Lego as her brothers.She makes pretty much what her brothers make-weapons,Hex Bug runs,zoos,Zhu Zhu pet homes,space ships etc.

Anybody who thinks it's not aimed at girls are simply being sexist.

belgo · 15/11/2011 18:32

From a marketing prespective I agree with the other posters who say that is is mainly aimed at boys; but that does not mean to say that girls cannot or should not play with it.

My girls love it - all sorts- from the 'boyish' Ninjago to a the girly Belville.

OrmIrian · 15/11/2011 19:26

I don't think it matters who it's marketed to though. I don't know anygirls who don't play with it ats ome point in their childhood and who have been given it for christmas or birthday.

notcitrus · 15/11/2011 19:34

YANBU in as far as Lego seems vehicle-obsessed now.
Depending on what shops you have near you, it can be nigh-impossible to find the basic block sets of Lego.
I played with it loads as a kid, and had most of the Town kits and piles of basic block boxes, ones all in one colour, roofs, etc.
But now it does seem to mainly be either vehicles which I found a bit boring, Technic, or kits where it's almost all fancy shaped bricks and hardly any general building blocks.

Even Oxford St department stores only had one or two general boxes and only one or no boxes of Duplo!

Ds will inherit mine in instalments when he's old enough, but looks like I'll have to go for Ebay to find Duplo for him. Lego's loss- I'd pay full price if it existed in shops!

GrimmaTheNome · 15/11/2011 21:18

Some girls like vehicles. I think my DD would have liked Technics, but we she has loads of K'nex instead including motors etc.

You can buy all the general building bricks any child could possibly want from the website. When we started getting lego for DD, DH got big baseplates, hundreds (could be thousands - seems that way!) of plain red and green bricks and roof bricks.

redpanda13 · 15/11/2011 22:52

Why not buy the big plain bucket of bricks? I wanted a plain box for DD like what I had as a child. I got a plain tub of bricks and a plain tub of wheels and accessories. Though I do think DD would be thrilled with the Harry Potter Lego sets they are just too expensive for this Christmas.
My 18 year old sister who is a very girly girl was mad for Star Wars Lego and the little Star Wars playsets. They were a sort of Polly Pocket aimed at boys but much loved by my sister.

VivaLeBeaver · 15/11/2011 23:06

Belville is shit though. Seriously shit.

I lved space Lego as a kid, my brother has all his 1980s sets.

pickledsiblings · 16/11/2011 09:25

Those of you that think that Lego is gender-neutral are seriously deluded. Either that or trying too hard Wink.

GrimmaTheNome · 16/11/2011 09:33

A lot of it isn't 'neutral' - but there's shedloads that is. More than any one child could possibly need.