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Toys and games

From first toys to big kid favourites, share your best finds and recommendations. For the latest must-have toys loved by parents, sign up for Mumsnet Swears By emails.

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Original poster

Lego - Help I have no idea where to start!

24 replies

runtus · 18/04/2011 21:14

Obv I know what normal Lego is but as my DS is a bit of an academic (bless him) so we have no exp of the more exciting Lego sets! he has seen the Leog City ads on TV and wants some for his b'day..............someone tell me what it's all about pls.

He was talking about the space stuff, is that all ready made play stuff with Leog men or will he build it and then play with it? I ask cos we have tried to interest him in pre-made play stuff before and he was totally disinterested within hours and I'm loathe to spend the money if he is just going to ignore it. I think he thinks he gets to build it.............

Don't want to quash his interest if he is finally opening up to more than JUST puzzles and books!

OP posts:

MavisEnderby · 18/04/2011 21:17

how old is he?

You have to build the Lego,there are diagrammatic instructions!

Ds is really into Star Wars and Harry Potter Lego atm

Great toy,pricey though,but they play with for ages and can create their own Lego models etc with the different pieces

SarkyLady · 18/04/2011 21:17

IME lego city is a good first step after the generic blocks.

Space stuff is for building but is mostly more complex than the city stuff.

How old is he?
Budget?

BigChiefOrganiser · 18/04/2011 21:18

Take a look at the Lego site here Lego under products. You can see what series are available and the different kits. In my basic experience, you have to build everything up for Lego kits, well, I do, as my DS1 is only 3.5. We got him Lego Knights Castle the other day which he loves, comes with knights and horses and swords. He's also keen on Star Wars but we haven't started with that as he'd be breaking the ships apart all the time, for us to have to rebuild. Nightmare.

jimswifein1964 · 18/04/2011 21:20

Lego is great, except you have to be a master of storage to keep thr right parts of sets together

Clary · 18/04/2011 21:22

Lego is wonderful, really wonderful.

How old is yr DS. Because I do think it is underaged on the box. In our house it is a toy from age about 7yo.

DS1 loves his Lego still and he is almost 12.

Yes you get to build it; the themed film tie in stuff like Harry Potter and Star Wars is more expensive. Lego City and Creator is good. Ds1 builds endless starships for his (very rare and hard to find!!) Yoda minifig, and also has lots of Knights lego with skeleton knights and a king etc etc; Ds2 (8yo) makes houses and Atlantis models; DD loves some Spongebob Lego and makes up stories and playlets with it.

How much do you want to spend?

Original poster

runtus · 18/04/2011 21:24

He'll be 5 in May so maybe start with the City stuff......still not sure he'd actually play with it once built tho.

Might suggest it as a MIL present , esp if price is high!

OP posts:

MavisEnderby · 18/04/2011 21:30

ds started getting into Lego at about 5.Initially he needed some help with building it into something recognisable,but then he just got into it and off he went following the instructions,though we were both stumped by a larger Starwars model,it is a work in progress.Also if you get some generic pieces they can build their own creations (flying machines with gun turrets are esp popular here) from their imaginations.Smaller lego city stuff good for starters and maybe a box of the small bricks.

Word of warning,it is very easy to accidentally suck up some of the tinier pieces accidentally with hoover.

"Mum,have you seen Darth Vader's lightsaber??" (it is about 2mm long)

ermm "No ds!!" (guiltily recalls having probably accidentally hoovered it up the night before whilst in cleaning frenzy)

Original poster

runtus · 18/04/2011 21:35

We have a box of genreic lego bricks already and I think he's played with it err.........twice!

As I say, really not convinced he actually will use it but don't want to squash his enthusiasm.

Saw on the Lego site (thanks Big Chief!) there is a Cars set coming out in May and he loves the film so maybe get that if I can

OP posts:

Ingles2 · 18/04/2011 21:36

at thinly veiled brag. Can't be too academic for lego imo.
But if it doesn't float his boat, try playmobil

ruffletheanimal · 18/04/2011 21:36

i love lego
i bought a box the other day, for myself. it was half price in sainsbos.
then i hid from the children and made it myself

did you know you can get really massive intricate sets of the death star and millenium falcon from star wars and theyre, like, hundreds of quid?? bonkers. id freakin LOVE to be given that as a present.

MavisEnderby · 18/04/2011 21:40

I took ds to the Lego discovery centre and spent all day playing with Lego,Ruffle!Was fab

I think it is one of the best toys ever,it encourages children to use their imaginations,manual dexterity,building skills and is just really good fun unless you step on it in bare feet.

Did anyone see the James May programme where he built the Lego house to scale??That was brilliant.

I used to build Lego houses for my dolls,and stables and paddocks for my toy plastic horses (such a girlie emoticon)

Original poster

runtus · 18/04/2011 21:45

Ingles -whatever. Having spent 4+ yrs trying to broaden his interest into something more creative and imaginative I'm keen to follow his lead but don't want to waste £50 on something that will be relegated to the cupboard 2 days after his birthday. Tried Playmobil and thats exactly what happened.

I personally loved Lepo as a kid so would love him to get into it so I can play!

OP posts:

Mutt · 18/04/2011 21:53

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Ingles2 · 18/04/2011 21:55

well you'll be glad to hear it has excellent resale value then, as long as you keep the instructions and box.
Oh btw, that's why lego make the little 5 quid sets, so you don't have to spend 50 quid to find out they don't like it.

chicaguapa · 18/04/2011 21:58

I recommend joining the Lego Jr club. The joining form is on the back of the instruction booklets and it's free. DS gets so excited when his copy arrives and it really motivates his reading.

Original poster

runtus · 18/04/2011 22:00

Def going to go with City set after recommendations, thanks everyone.

Nice to see most are happy to offer help not criticism of an honest request. Goes to show not everyone is cynical.........

OP posts:

SarkyLady · 18/04/2011 22:20

If you buy on Amazon watch out for pricing.
Often much more expensive to get the more recent sets.

I'd start with some sort of vehicles. The fire engines etc are good.

Clary · 18/04/2011 22:28

rufletheanimal that's why Yoda is so precious! He is generally only available in the death star for £250 or so.

Actually now I look at it, even that doesn't have Yoda! Anyway, ours came from a minifig magnet set.

Original poster

runtus · 18/04/2011 22:44

Clary

OP posts:

chicaguapa · 18/04/2011 22:45

And if you go down the Lego Minifigures path, google them first as you can tell which one is in the bag by deciphering the code.

Clary · 18/04/2011 22:49

ooooh never knew that!

3rdnparty · 18/04/2011 22:53

Would definately recommend small sets and vehicles but not the police helicopter its rubbish and my ds and friends 5-6 are more into the minfigures/people really - will make the models then destroy/transform them into other things and they will never be rebuilt - not bitter me no

chicaguapa · 18/04/2011 22:54

You used to be able to tell with the barcode but the new series has tiny little dots on the bottom seal. It's a bit like reading braille, but not really.

I told DS as he was using his money to buy them and I didn't want him to waste it by getting duplicates.

ruffletheanimal · 18/04/2011 22:56

lol clary
i dont really care about it once its built. i just like opening all the bags and following the pictures to make whatever it is. i am clearly a simple soul.

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