Advice from anyone who has these toys...

[SugarHut]

DS, 5, adores Lego style toys. He so far has a tonne of Playmobil, and the bigger style Duplo bricks. He's been eyeing up a lot of the Lego City stuff, and asking for big boys Lego - on the boxes, the ages seem to be either 5-12, 6-12 or 7-12. DS will be 5.6 at Christmas. He's also the type of boy who is used to doing everything first go, and gets rather cross if he tries to build something and he gets stuck/doesn't turn out quite right. Am I asking for trouble if I get him some of these sets as they are just a bit beyond his dexterity and the instructions will go over his head? How old are your DCs who play with Lego City? (ps...please don't advise "maybe these will teach him to practice and concentrate and not lose his temper" I have no intention of a frustrated 5yr old on Christmas Day, or time that day to sit and build it with him either.)

Also, he has a lot of really nice little cars, and he's asked for a big garage to put them in. What is available that doesn't look Fisher Pricey, but more like a realistic multi story, maybe with a repair centre, car wash, lots of places to park. Nothing Hot Wheels-y either. Does anyone have anything like this that they can recommend?

Also, Trash Packs...do DCs actually play with these things?? They seem so gimmicky and don't seem to do anything. He has expressed an interest thinking they are "cool" but sort of has no concept of what they are. Neither do I!

Thank you :)

[skyeskyeskye]

Is this any good for the garage??

www.wonderlandmodels.com/search/products/?q=garage&submit=Search

There are three different ones, £45 to £58 so not cheap, but wooden and good quality

[PurpleCrazyHorse]

DD is 4yo and can follow the Lego instructions for the smaller sets (those priced around £10-£20). Anything with less than 20 steps or so. She simply gets bored if it takes too long to build. So if you're going with Lego, maybe buy a set with small items to build. The Creator sets are also good value and contain quite basic models.

I'm sure ours have been 5-12 sets. We tend to help her a little with just checking she has done all the parts for each step as sometimes it's tricky for her to see the difference between the two pictures. DD prefers the Friends variety and it's full of tiny little bits making up cutsy trees!!

[Marne]

My dd loves lego and anything which involves following instructions, we found Knex was brilliant at that age and she could build it without any help from me ( the big wheel and a few other sets ).

[SugarHut]

Soontobeslender, that link is great!! I saw the "unfinished wooden garage" at the bottom and thought perfect, then clicked on it and it doesn't come like that, you have to paint the damn thing yourself!!! Grrr.

Sure I can find something on there though....

I think I'm going to leave the big lego kits and just get some smaller packets as stocking fillers, I've bought him some of those LiteBrix light up kit, which are lego style. Think I'll leave lego for his birthday in the summer.