Lego help please?

[midori1999]

My son is 14 (today) and I want to get him a Lego thing for Christmas, but I've no idea what. He goes to a Lego robotics club at school and loves it. He just has 'basic' Lego at home so far. He likes Dr Who and Minecraft, but isn't into Star Wars etc. however, some of the Lego technic stuff is Star Wars and I wonder did any of that might still be suitable due to how it is out together/works, even though he's not a Star Wars fan.

I've seen the Mindstorm, but it would really mean blowing the budget and seems hard to get.

Any suggestions please?

How about the Lego architecture series. They're quite complex models

I would have said mindstorms, but yes they are expensive how technical is he? as he could be bright enough fro a raspbery pi? Can you ask the teachers at all as to what they cover in robotics club?

There is minecraft lego!

If you aren't entirely certain what to get then for under a tenner the Lego: Crazy Action Contraptions (Klutz) is very good value and acts as a good springboard for bigger projects.

How about a Lego Technics kit and then the 'motors' set to go with it.

I just saw this on the book people

www.thebookpeople.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/qs_product_tbp?productId=531789&storeId=10001&catalogId=10051&langId=100&searchTerm=Minecraft

It's a Minecraft programming book for 11-15 year olds

Thank you for that enderwoman, I've just ordered that book for DS1, when I showed him your link he said "That looks mintage!" then ran upstairs to get the cash out of his moneybox.

It's cheaper on Amazon

I know, that where I ordered it from, free p&p too

I'd get some technics and a motors set to go with it.

What about an annual subscription to Blocks Magazine... it's all about Lego! It is actually brilliant.

www.blocksmag.com

Possibly not in time for Christmas, but my son loved this book:

www.amazon.co.uk/Badass-LEGO-Guns-Building-Instructions/dp/1593272847

It uses a lot of Technic bits, but we ordered in any he didn't have from 2nd hand lego piece trading sites. he really enjoyed making stuff like this.

We also have mindstorms etc. I would probably ignore the "branded" lego sets if they aren't particular to his interests as you pay a premium for the fact it's Star Wars or Hobbit etc whereas actual plain lego sets are better value.

I'd definitely see if you can pick up a pile of Technic and take it from there.