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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask for help regarding LEGO?

90 replies

KissMyEmbroideryHoop · 20/07/2012 18:36

DD is nearly 8 and has never had any lego as I always felt it was bloody overpred and can't see the point in all those pre designed sets...you know...build Hogwarts for 50 quid....

She wants Lego for her birthday and I don't know what to do...I oved my set as a kid but it was basic...just bricks and windows etc...I found a deluxe box for thirty two pounds...looked good and basic...then I red the reviews ad they were all saying "My 4 year old son loved this"

Confused

Should I be buying some other form of lego? I really didn't want to buy those sets...I do NOT want to get her a pink box...or one of those bloody

"Happy-Twat Girly Vet Shack" sets that they do.

AIBU to not know what to get and to ask for help.

Probably yes...but there you have it! Grin

OP posts:
LadySybildeChocolate · 20/07/2012 18:39

I'd go for Lego Tecnhics. She can then build robots/spiders etc. Smile

LadySybildeChocolate · 20/07/2012 18:39

I've lost the ability to spell today! Blush

belgo · 20/07/2012 18:40

There are plenty of general sets you can get, and look on ebay for second hand Lego, of general blocks.

If she really wants a specific set, I don't see why you have a problem with it. Lego is expensive but is incredibly well made and durable, especially compared to other types of building blocks.

I would say Lego is for age 6 and up, with many adults still enjoying it.

BitterAndTwistedChoreDodger · 20/07/2012 18:42

I have a 7yo DS who is mad on Lego - he likes the Lego Dino sets and Lego City but tbh it all ends up as bricks once it's been assembled once. I think they do packs of doors and windows/wheels and the like so I would maybe get some of those and a load of basic bricks.

PenisVanLesbian · 20/07/2012 18:42

My four and seven year olds play with the same lego and have great fun, just one is more sophisticated than the other. I can't see them stopping anytime soon. We have a mix of sets and general buckets (which is what we started with) they love both.

Original poster
KissMyEmbroideryHoop · 20/07/2012 18:43

She's not asked for a specific set...I thought if you get a set then once its built it's built...or do you then just chuck all the bits in with your oher lego?

OP posts:
Original poster
KissMyEmbroideryHoop · 20/07/2012 18:43

[googles lego technics]

OP posts:
LadySybildeChocolate · 20/07/2012 18:44

Technics is great, at least she'll be able to make things which move/do stuff.

DowagersHump · 20/07/2012 18:44

What does she like? Lego City is fairly gender neutral if you don't want that lego girl crap. You could get her a building or a vehicle which are really fun to build.

My 5 year old loves lego but he's only just started been able to build his own creations with it - it's pretty hard for a 4 YO to follow the instructions without parental help!

belgo · 20/07/2012 18:46

Yes I agree with Lego City. My three year old plays with Lego but to be honest he deconstructs rather then construsts, and of course loses bits, so I encourage him to stick with the duplo.

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 20/07/2012 18:47

Technics is good, Lego Mind storms is awesome (programmable robots) but might be a bit old for her.

DD only has Duplo so far, but yes any "sets" end up in their component parts in the general box.

Check Ebay too...

3duracellbunnies · 20/07/2012 18:47

The creator sets always look quite good, and can be made into different versions of the same thing. My dc love just having a box or three of random blocks which they then build stuff from, regardless of what they were originally destined to be. I have seen some families who build the sets and keep them as they are meant to be but my children are just too messy creative to be constrained by the designers.

BramblyHedge · 20/07/2012 18:47

Or house about a house so you get basic bricks and windows etc, but it has a bit more wow factor. We got the wheels/ vehicles set which was good. We have a whole tub full of lego which is made up of many themed sets and to be honest the kids love it because they find ingenious ways to use the bits again. They never make the original set up after they have done it once which I think is great. There is also a good book called the Lego Ideas Book which she might like.

SizzleSazz · 20/07/2012 18:48

We got a huge box from ebay - you buy it by weight. Ours included a number of sets including a pizzeria and a harry potter one. Huge box for £40. Loads of normal bricks, people, horses, garden stuff etc

Original poster
KissMyEmbroideryHoop · 20/07/2012 18:49

I can't bring myself to buy 2nd hand for birthdays...i mean I would if it were something like a climbing frame but not lego which is so well handled and possibly chewed and licked.

[blech]

I do have OCD though.

OP posts:
3duracellbunnies · 20/07/2012 18:53

Oh also ask your parents if they still have your lego. Mine had all long since gone but we raided dh's loft and got a good haul, bit dusty and I don't think it will go into the prescribed space shuttle again but the dc are happy.

JarethTheGoblinKing · 20/07/2012 18:54

Lego city lighthouse would be my choice, or one of the other 3-1 options. Check amazon for prices, should be cheaper.

Once she's built it and wants more bricks you could always top up with a basic bricks set

JarethTheGoblinKing · 20/07/2012 18:55

Creator, not city

Iamsparklyknickers · 20/07/2012 18:57

Sorry I'm linkely challenged, but if you have a look on the Lego website or google shop Lego basic you can get a good starter kit from £17-£35 that isn't anything specific. Most of them include books for ideas.

Ignore the +4 thing, I know (sadly) many grownups who love Lego, it's got quite a hardcore following, there's some amazing stuff people have built. You never know you could be nurturing a budding architect!

amck5700 · 20/07/2012 19:03

We have thousands of pounds of the stuff - we started with a basic set and it grew from there - I have 2 boys a year apart though and it has featured on every birthday/Christmas list for the last 8 years!! It depends how anal your child is (and you!) We bought the sets, they built them, played for a while and then broke them up and put the bricks in the general population so that they could make their own stuff. So I have City, Star Wars, Pirates etc etc all mixed in together - if we wanted to sell it it would be worth much more resorted into sets but in terms of play value it is better mixed. i agree that the creator sets are good but then the houses etc are good too - we have half a lego town, but mostly it gets made into whatever they want. They are now 12 and almost 11 and are finally growing out of the normal stuff - they build guns (working models that fire elastic bands) and have the programmable stuff too which still gets an outing - but now we don't know what to do with the tons that we have stashed all over the house!!

LadySybildeChocolate · 20/07/2012 19:32

Whatever you do, don't get Hogwarts castle. It looks lovely, but it takes days to put together and minutes to fall apart. Sad

snoopdogg · 20/07/2012 19:33

Get boxes from ebay or boot sales then go here for lots of lovely free instruction manuals

amck5700 · 20/07/2012 19:36

in general the "non branded" e.g. not harry potter/star wars etc sets are much better value for money.

JustFabulous · 20/07/2012 19:40

You can by general boxes to make what you want.

You can buy a LEGO Ideas book from Asda.

You can keep any kit in a box so it doesn't have to be put in with other lego.

You can do pick and mix at lego shops so she can choose what she wants, or you can choose a selection.