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

[rogersmellyonthetelly]

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?

If it isn't gender-neutral I don't think I know what gender-neutral means It's a construction toy with a variety of themes - but last time I checked DD was just as keen on Star Wars/Harry Potter/Atlantis etc as my DS. And the colours are red/blue/yellow/green/white/brown ...does it really need to be 'pink' to be suitable for girls?

We have a lego mad DS1 here who custom builds female figures so that his sister can join in and play along to the same extent. If they were available to buy, we would have bought them before now. Like I said, things are improving and you can buy Hermione, Elizabeth Swann etc but the vast majority of character figures are male. Now if your DD's are so 'right on' that they don't mind being a male character in a game, then bully for them but in a world that is 50:50 male:female, the Lego world is most definitely NOT.

Oh I see. I never really considered the lego figures. As far as I know they aren't that significant when my DC play with them so their little teeny weeny genitals don't really matter

YANBU to want a wider range of products and less gender-specific advertising, but YAB sexist to say that girls wouldn't like those things.

Too old for the OP's dd (well done btw OP for realising that maybe it's you being sexist here!) but this is fab, and has reignited ds's (11) interest in Lego:

Lego Ideas Book.

I bought ours for a fiver from the Book Peopl, but they appear to be out of stock.

Ds used to get highly irritated btw at the way certain toys were aimed at girls - not that a boy can't play with a pink cupcake maker of course but he'd have preferred another colour and for it not to have Girlz or somesuch emblazoned across it.

Fortunately he understood that most of the heavily gendered toys are utter shite.

That's a very cool book :)

I looked through the Lego Ideas Book as was tempted to buy it, but every page seemed to centre round some particular special blocks and there was precious little that I considered imaginative.

Unlike the magazine-style book I had as a kid where almost no special blocks were needed and the stickers in the middle made everything necessary.

There are a fair few ideas that utilise basic bricks. ds has had kits in the past though, so has some of the fiddly bits too and has also found substitutions if he doesn't have the specific piece.

The main thing though is that it has kick-started his own projects - he uses the book for inspiration rather than as a manual.

Youtube is a great source of projects with Lego. DS1 is always making variations on models he has seen on there. He actually managed to make a working...ahem...Halo weapon. Well it fires lego bricks rather than plasma but still....

I'm not selling it as a gender-neutral toy am I?

Sorry notcitrus that sounded really defensive

What I meant is that ds doesn't really copy the ideas, rather it helps his use Lego creatively - he just needed a starting point iykwim.

Grimma, DS1 has come up with the great idea of a Princess Mononoke lego set, what do you think?

Definitely the more fiddly bits you have the more creative you can be, that's why I don't mind buying the sets DS1 makes the most amazing models of dragons etc now and has a good eye for the aesthetic appeal of his models

The little mini Lego Creator 3 in one sets are good for getting a load of tricksy little pieces at a reasonable price. I got one for 2.50 in the Sainsburys half price toy sale.

Grimma, DS1 has come up with the great idea of a Princess Mononoke lego set, what do you think?

I think I haven't a clue who Princess Mononoke is!

My ds2 is a reluctant reader but spends ages "reading" Lego books like the Lego Ideas book. We don't have that book (was planning to buy it for Christmas but out of stock on the Book People) but have similar ones that people have donated to charity shops which he will read for fun. He also gets Lego Magazine sent to him and is desperate to have his photo inside.

Decent sized boxes primary coloured Lego in asda today for about 25 quid

Grimma, now you do

I have just bought dd3 (5) the lego camper van set for xmas and I think she will be really pleased with it. Something nice to do with daddy :-)

bugger, just seen this which she would be even more chuffed with

The Lego campervan is great. Buy the house and box set for her birthday! Lego is small and keeps it's value well - you can never have too much

My dd's love lego, dd1 has asked for the ninjago sets for christmas and i have got dd2 a cars 2 set. I do think its a shame that there are not more girly sets (maybe a princess castle and some faries would be good), luckily my dd's are not that girly but i do see where you are coming from.

Marne my dds' have Lego fairy set, I paid 9 euros a few years ago.

There are loads of girl Lego figures, especially in the Lego miniseries.

Hi I understand completely - I have a 6 yr old girl and have had huge difficulty in finding girl lego - I have found that lego do do more girl style pieces but the shops don't necessarily stock them
I found this article particularly helpful www.squidoo.com/lego-house and the one I went for was the lego street/city that I felt would encourage my girl to be more creative with her stories /role play!
hope this helps!