Is normal Lego too difficult for a 4yo?

[PassTheTwiglets]

Standard Lego is supposed to be for 4+ but I've heard a few people say that it's too difficult for 4 year olds. Does everyone agree with this, or do any of you have 4yos who can do it easily?

my dd had it from 3.5 and she has a ball with it. keeps building gardens etc

disclaimer NOT the technical stuff.
I struggle with that

It's 4+ because littlies put it in their mouths, not because it's too difficult

Macaroona, things are labelled as 3+ for that reason, not 4+...

Ds has been able to manage it since just before 4. I don't mean building the individual sets, just enjoying making random models.

At 5, I have to say he is pretty awesome at designing lego spaceships!

no, it's not too difficult at all.
ds1 started getting proper lego for his 4th birthday and LOVED it (almost as much as me and dp)

i would say that some of the kits are maybe hard for a 4yr old to follow, and physically it can be a bit harder to get apart... but nothing major! certainly wouldn't put me off buying it

you're best off getting a big box of bricks anyway IME, and just letting them make what they want

Mine can't follow the instruction booklets to build helicoptors and the like but can easily build their own constructions.

I was planning on getting a big box of bricks and the box of wheels but a couple of people said that the pieces were too small for them to handle easily. Glad to hear that's not a standard thing then; think I will get some for him then. Thanks!

It's fine for free playing - building walls and towers and suchlike. But a 4 yr old would probably find following the instructions to build the specific models a bit difficult.

I found the starter boxes with just loads of different bricks in to be best at that age.

they very quickly learn to follow the instructions ime, one day they can't, the next they can! Go for the small sets to start so they aren't overwhelmed.

They used to do 3 in 1 sets for about £3-4 which mine started with about aged 4

I can barely follow Lego instructions. My 3 yo loves to play with our big mixed up box and making his own things, but would get incredibly frustrated with something with a specific design.

Most 4 year olds will be fine with it. Sometimes the smaller pieces can be difficult for them to pull apart but the kits that are advertised for 4+ don't usually include them anyway. You will probably need to help with following instructions for models to start with.

DS will be 5 next week. He had his first lot of 'big boy' lego on his birthday last yr. He's happily played with it since then, but I noticed recently that he is now able to follow the intructions on the simple kits.

He also has a younger sister so is still perfectly happy to play with the duplo too.

Mine is 4 in September so was planning on getting it for his birthday. Like I need another thing that can be strewn all over the house... :)

my 4y ds is quite good with lego, following the instructions anally very carefully at first but then free building.
it really drpends on the sets, some are quite fiddly so maybe start with small sets first. and of course it depends on the dc as well.

Mine is same age as you.

Just don't do it if you want any sanity at all!

DS has been in to Lego from before his third birthday. He is now a lego nut. He handles it lovely though and it is nice to see his creations and imaginative Play.

GS could follow the directions for 4+ when he just turned four. I was impressed. Now at 4.10 he can follow complicated directions. I'm still impressed!

DS (4) loves lego. The main problem is his concentration span with long instruction books rather than understanding them. Some pieces are quite fiddly and sometimes he does need a grown up to squish the blocks together. But he makes amazing spaceships from his imagination. It is really good for his fine motor control.

DD (2) has also just started to get into it. She prefers the big blocks and wants all the pink stuff. But they both spend hours with it.

We get most of ours from Ebay. You have to check your prices but we've got some great bargains. Does anyone else have any good Lego buying tips?

Yes, as I have bought way too much from ebay. Make sure it is real lego and not the fake stuff. I check out the Buy It Now on New Listings, so I can find any current bargains soon after they are listed, or I check All Auctions in Ending Soonest, that's always fun as bidding closes down. My best buy was probably a set of five or six Lego Juniors construction vehicles for around $25. I got those soon after listing using Buy It Now. I never buy one with 100 pieces, or any set number of pieces, because they show you a big pile and say you are going to get 100 pieces of said pile. I buy one where I see exactly what I'm buying OR so many pounds. My other hint is about cleaning them. I put them inside a lingerie sack, put in washing machine, use a strong cleaner (I use Lysol tile cleaner, it has a bleach smell), but with an extra rinse, and wash on gentle. Sometimes lego are sticky, what do they do to get it sticky?? I sort out the decal pieces and clear plastic ones and wash them more gently.