To be a bit uninspired by Lego's current range.

[Clembarrass]

DD turns 6 in a few days. I spent my morning browsing the Lego shop in search of a present for her, and was totally uninspired.
She's not into superheroes or Star wars or Ghost busters, or elves, she hasn't seen the latest Disney film (Moana?)
I don't like the Friends sets much because of the figures, I prefer the traditional ones - and am a bit turned off by the cutesy cupcake-cafe and hair salon banality of it. And also you don't seem to get much for your money at all - half the pieces seem to be flowers or cutlery instead of bricks .

There were a scant handful of sets that I thought were OK, but hardly amazing (and one camper van one that was really good, but I think might be too complicated for her). All in all, very disappointing.

I'm thinking of trying to find some more inspiring discontinued sets on ebay for her instead - does anyone have any recommendations for brilliant sets that you can't get any more?

Or should I just give up and get her Playmobil instead?

I second the creator sets. The beach houses are nice and Canadian light cabin. But the city range is universal, how about the space shuttle? Or airport?

Oh yes the creator sets are fab too.

Sometimes it's good to get the stuff from Lego.com, they have offers and free gifts sometimes but I always check out the prices elsewhere too. Sometimes you can drop on some great bargains in the supermarkets.
I hope you're a member of Lego Club!
The Cure, nice one.

*Lego Club VIP points and all that.

Oh, sorry LegoChick, I meant DitzyChick34, regarding the camper van, that'll teach me to abbreviate posters usernames.

Does she have any Lego already? If not, I think it would be great to start her off with a Classic box of Lego like this:

shop.lego.com/en-GB/Creative-Box-10704

There are different sizes depending on budget. A nice selection of basic pieces and colours and then if she gets into different things you can add with smaller themed sets for later presents.

Add in a selection of base plates:

shop.lego.com/en-GB/Green-Baseplate-10700 (You can get green, grey and sand coloured for different themes) to help build structures/ scenes

And a brick separator is priceless!

shop.lego.com/en-GB/Brick-Separator-630

You can even get a cool Lego brick shaped storage box but I think they are a bit pricey and a normal storage box will do!!

Would make a lovely present to get her started without being reliant on a theme/franchise which I think has got a bit silly and is taking away from the original beauty/fun of Lego in my humble opinion!!

My 6 year old son has this one

www.lego.com/en-gb/city/products/van-and-caravan-60117

It's lovely but not a big birthday set. I've actually got the Vacation getaways set (shop.lego.com/en-GB/Vacation-Getaways-31052) stashed away for Christmas, but he's somewhat addicted to Lego (£20 a week habit according to my other half). Look out for sets in the Supermarkets, they get reduced quite often. I'm having to buy any that get reduced!

This is a nice little set too www.lego.com/en-gb/city/products/pizza-van-60150

The Park Street sets are nice for a birthday. I've seen them on offer too, keep an eye out on hotukdeals.

I'd definitely get the Creator beach house or Lakeside Lodge or Treehouse Adventure. I'm deeply tempted by them for myself tbh.

Oh this is lovely www.amazon.co.uk/LEGO-Creator-31036-Grocery-Shop/dp/B00NVDM5F6/ref=pd_rhf_eetyp_s_cp_14?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00NVDM5F6&pd_rd_r=TWT0BB3QVCMV0GF66D85&pd_rd_w=squUE&pd_rd_wg=rxQID&psc=1&refRID=TWT0BB3QVCMV0GF66D85&tag=mumsnetforum-21

The Light house is a bargain atm
www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01AC19ITU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1&tag=mumsnetforum-21

The themed sets may take away from the open-endedness of Lego but my ASD 6 year old insists on instructions, keeps him from destroying the house and winding his older brother up too.

I agree.

DS is desperate for some Harry Potter lego which is all now £££. I have no idea why they are not still making it, surely it would sell well to the latest generation of Potter fans.

I got my 29 yr old oh a pizza van and a plane for his birthday he honestly nearly wet his pants with excitement.

I do find the lego 'for girls' a bit patronising and stereotypical but each to their own. I think I'd have liked a fire engine at her age though.

In the general non specific boxes you do get a booklet with instructions on how to build different things. But I do get that for a lot of children the fun is in building a certain item from a set of instructions, and making the completed item, and to be honest following instructions in order is an important skill which is taught in Literacy so it's just as valid a way of playing as any. :)

The elves sets are amazing. Really complex and lots of extra technical bits, we have a castle with a trapdoor, an "exploding" wall and lots of other cool features. The dragons are great too.

They don't skimp on the technical side of things, the mechanical things are not dumbed down.

^ that was in reply to hennaoj -- still not sure how to respond/ quote a particular message sorry!!

My DD is into Lego Friends and she has a vets, the horse vet truck, an astronomy set and a mechanic set, it's not all hairdressers and cupcakes. Personally, I love the hotel and the big house with all the separate rooms inside.

We do have some Lego already - some of DH's and my childhood collection, plus she's got a big box of coloured bricks which came with a few doors and windows and wheels, a couple of vehicles, and a few bits from the Junior range. She loves playing with it all, and she definitely enjoys following the instructions to make something (takes after DH, I always preferred to make boxy little houses my own thing.

Some of these ones linked are lovely, but are the age recommendations not accurate? I was thinking ones aimed at 8 and over would be too tricky for her.

Depends on your child. My just 6 year old can build the large friends/elves sets but she has been able to follow instuctions easily since she was 4. She finds the junior sets babyish.

The creator animal sets are really lovely.