What do you do about Lego?

[Pyjamaramadrama]

Ds has had 5 or 6 Lego sets for Christmas from us and other people.

On Christmas Day ds wanted to open everything but didn't have the concentration to build whole sets as he was overwhelmed with toys. He's 7.

Dh has done nothing but moan about the Lego. Moan, moan, moan at ds not to open them, how expensive they are. He's made no attempt to build he Lego with ds or put it out the way.

Now the excitement of Christmas is over ds wants to build the Lego. He's sat all morning and built the sets but one has a few pieces missing. Dh is moaning now " oh I told you ds, I told you not to open them, I'm not going to bother buying Lego if you're going to do this', he's even told him he's got no self control ffs. Ds just keeps saying he didn't lose them.

It's driving me mad, I see his point, it's annoying, but ds is just a kid, I think we should have put the sets out of sight ds was bound to want to open them. The boxes are quite hard too 8+ and he's sat and built them really well.

He also moans if the sets eventually end up getting broken up and mixed. I've said he should glue them together if he's going to be so anal about it.

They are now both building it happily after finding a couple of bits and improvising.m

Get your DH to watch Lego Movie!! He is being a grump!!

Though saying that I do kinda get where he is coming from as I hate is when my DS(also 7) starts breaking his lovely sets up but....well I used to do it as a kid too and it's great for their imagination.
Glad they are both having fun now though.

I don't "do" anything about the kids' Lego meself. Why would I? It's theirs.

Your DH needs to unclench his bum cheeks.

There is someone in the western world who does not like Lego? I learn something new every day.

Ds now knows not to open sets until he's going to build them. He makes the set then over the course of a couple of weeks of playing with it, it disintegrates into pieces again and goes into the big box of lego to be reincarnated.

He's watched Lego movie it went straight over his head.

Honestly the sets don't have to be made perfectly. Let your ds build away and use his imagination. That's what lego is all about.

All we do is try to avoid hoovering the bits up. Ideally, you have a go at the actual set the first time - just because.

But after that, surely the whole benefit from Lego is building your own stuff?

(remembers when Lego was just the rectangular blocks and a few 'men')
(old)

I'm sorry but is this your DH's lego or your DS's? Your DH needs to leave him alone.

Lego is the best thing in the universe. Who cares if they get mixed up? That's part of the joy of it, anally sorting through thousands of bits to find the right one!
All mine got shoved in one big crate.

You can improvise a Lego table out of an ikea lack table if you want to be more organised. Otherwise, just enjoy playing with the stuff and tell your dh to stop morning. :)

One of my sons (now 20) was a huge fan of Lego as a kid and still is an Adult Fan Of Lego (apparently there is such a thing) now. If a kid gets seriously into Lego, they will of course, mix all their sets. Eventually, son settled on having colour coded boxes so he has light grey, dark grey, red, etc... and the big Lego sets he hasn't got on display in his room, are broken up. I'd tell hubby a truly creative kid (or possible future engineer, I guess they're creative?) will inevitably have to break down and mix up kits. And if your son gets into it (not likely with his dad being so negative) then you will figure out a way of storing it.

Sounds like your son is talented if he can build a big set aged 7. I'd encourage him. It is creative, and has far more educational value than frying his brain on a X Box.

My younger son, not such a fan but likes the odd Lego set, puts them in a tin with the instructions and chucks the boxes once they're opened. That's also a good solution esp after xmas with all those tins hanging around.

Do not resort to the Kragle!
When you take them apart either put the complete sets in separate boxes or separate them by colours (eg. Black bricks, grey bricks, white bricks, mixed colors....). Most importantly keep the instruction books in one place together. So DS can build them properly when he wants but also build any bonkers thing he likes. Don't worry about the missing bricks, they ALWAYS turn up eventually.

That's the thing, ds loves Lego, absolutely loves it. He will sit for hours building the sets but he wants to mix them up after a couple of weeks. He could tell you every set he's had since he was about 4, so it's not as though he doesn't appreciate Lego. I can't be bothered sorting through all the little bits I'll build a set with him but once they inevitably fall apart that's it, thy can join the big tub. I think if dh is so bothered he should separate them all.

Wow. Sounds like your DH is a total control freak. Your only solution is to pack all the lego into a box and post it to me

I love lego. My big sets stay together. Most of DD once built and played with for a while end up in one big tub to become whatever she wants. It is a toy to be played with. As long as you keep the books it can always be sorted in the future.

Oh God, this is me. We've had our first Lego sets this Christmas, I'm struggling to not care that they won't be reboxed as sets.

At the minute they are still the things they're meant to be, although losing approx 5% of pieces/day

I think sets are a pain and the big tubs where they can use their imagination much better as you then don't have the whole issue of losing a piece.

DS is a maker and breaker of Lego. He makes the set, strips it down and then uses his imagination to build some amazing things. Everything goes into shoe box size boxes all mixed up - I just do shoe box size because DS can lift the boxes around instead of needing help with the more cumbersome sized ones.

Only tip I have is, if you're vacuuming after a Lego session, pop an old piece of tights or 'pop socks' over the hose. That way you'll be able to rescue any lego from the 'net' the tights create. Saves the tears when a much loved piece gets sucked up!

So, see the sorting lego bricks thing - what storage joys can you share?

We have it all in a giant tub and mini figures in a wee box. Sorting into colours sounds like a good option.

Bloody stuff. It's everywhere.

It would be nice to keep them as sets but I gave up on it a long time ago. None of us have got the patience so no point in moaning.

Perhaps if dh stops whinging ds will start being more organised in his own time.

Tupperware boxes and a stash of instruction booklets. But the big standard box gets played with far more than the sets. Resisting the urge to move DD3 on from mega blocks for as long as possible as the enormous pieces don't get lost.

Left to my own devices I would be as much of a killjoy as your DH so I do sympathise.

You make the thing, then you need the bits for something else so it gets broken up. We store ours in plastic boxes from ikea that have several compartments.

DH needs to be ignored. Find an area for the lego where it will be safely stored and played with. Then tell DH it is not his business, if he doesn't want to see DS playing with one of the world's best and most imaginative toys, he can look the other way. What a dick.

My house is full of tubs of Lego. We just keep accumulating more.

I can't believe anyone really wants to keep them in the sets!! Lego is so creative - what's the point if you only make what it says on the box!? Well OK I can understand that for an adult hobbyist and I'd go with it if it's what the child wants, but if it's not what the child wants, let them play.