Best Lego playsets for 5yo girl

[lisbapalea]

DD1 will be 5 in March and seems to be really enjoying Lego, after my mum bought her a small princess castle set for Christmas.

I'd like to get one or two extra sets for her, maybe slightly bigger ones, but don't just want to fall into this new sexist Lego trap, even though she has said she likes the Princessy stuff.

Any recommendations on which stuff is best? Is there a catch-all basic set that I could get along with a couple of girly ones to boost it?

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Just take her with you and let her chose one. Or go through a catalogue and see which ones she takes a shine too.

I think if I do that though, she will just choose the pink stuff, and dismiss the stuff that is more of a blank canvas. Plus I would quite like her present to be a suprise so I would rather sort it myself.

I do think the pink sets limit them to just doing fairy and princess stuff but maybe I am overthinking it!

The frozen castle set is out in the UK now, but might be a bit similar to the one she got for Christmas? Mine likes the sets with little animals in, however you can buy individual bits of the things they really like through the Lego website. So you could just get a basic set of blocks, then add ons according to what she likes?

I find mine have got too many sets, not enough basic blocks really for building amazing creations.

You are not overthinking it. The pink princess stuff definitely limits them. There are basic block sets you can get or go for some kind of farm/animal set maybe?

If that's the sort of stuff she'd chose then I'd get it for her. I think this sort of thing is really only an issue when the little girl wants the boys stuff but isn't bought it because people stick to gender stereotypes, preventing children from having an option. Or visa versa with the genders.

You don't need to force the issue and make a point of getting the other style just because society says she's not supposed to get it. I think the whole point is just getting her what she'd like - which we can't really judge. If she wanted the Avengers set, you'd get her that. But if you know she'd chose the more princessy types then I'd go for that.

There's a fab castle based set though that she might like, she could even combine her princess set

Wheels are always popular, ime. Some of the vehicle sets are quite good and come with instructions for 3 different models.

I would look at the house based creator sets, there was a tree house and a beach house last time I looked, they come with instructions for 3 different models and are not marketed at girls, but appeal to children who like pretend play, make up stories etc.

I think the Creative Box ones are the best for that age, they come in a few sizes.

They now come in a yellow box that I think says Classic on it, and they have lots of different coloured bricks, and a few windows, doors, wheels etc, and some instructions for building a few different things (we have an older version and it had instructions for very two or three simple houses and a couple of vehicles).

I really like the Creator range as well, but I think they are aimed at slightly older children, so the instructions are a bit more complicated, and she might need a bit of help. We have a lovely beach house and tree house from that range.

Is there a lego shop near you OP? They're brilliant to go and have a look in.

Buy a big Lego bucket and a base plate and go from there.

Really builds their creativity. My 3yo old had some for Xmas and despite her siblings having huge Lego sets they all want to play with it the most!

The house creator series is good, but I found the one I chose (because it had a male and female figure in it!) was actually too hard for her to put together, but she played with it a lot once made and made small changes etc.

From the city line be cautious of the police sets (on the boxes women are only victims or in desk jobs!) but there are a few good vehicles - the campervan set also includes a female figure.

In the Lego friends range there is a magician set and a laboratory set both of which are good for a 5yo, as simple build. I particularly like the magician set, it's a clever design.

I agree the boxes of basic blocks and a baseboard are great!

Annoyingly the buckets seem to not been in Argos anymore!

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LEGO-Creative-Bucket-10662-/360871348406

Beware of the Lego Friends stuff: someone did a box-for-box comparison (can't find it now) which found that they have fewer pieces and less complexity than regular lego. So, you aren't getting value, and the kid that gets the box is being shortchanged. (And that's aside from all the princessy crap.)

We loved the lego board games, but they do require that she has someone willing to play with her! (You have to build the board before you play, and when you are bored of the game - or lose half the pieces - you are still left with a box of lego, not a box of useless plastic. Genius.)

Wow - thanks for all these responses! I am going to have a look into a lot of these ideas now.

I like the idea of getting some basic bricks and base plates so she has a a generic set of stuff to make ANYthing she likes, and then I might get a smaller princess set, or ask other relatives to get those, to build it all up.

Bloody hell - it's 100 for a 'house set'. They do look lovely though...

I agree about the Lego Friends sets being less complicated and with fewer bricks for the price. My 4 year old can follow the instructions for them easily.
Also I hate the Lego Friends figures' skinny bodies. I ended up swapping them for normal minifigures.

But we have the Lego Friends magician set mentioned above, and it is brilliant! It is basically a proper magic trick that makes things disappear.

By the way - don't use just Amazon to check prices, if you are. Sometimes things cost way more than they should on Amazon (although of course sometimes they are cheaper). The proper Lego website gives you the RRP and then you can shop around to find it cheaper.

My 5 year-old DD is Lego crazy.

Sets that she has recently liked:

The Cinderella carriage - www.amazon.co.uk/LEGO-Disney-Princess-41053-Cinderellas/dp/B00F3B37BU

The Lego Friends Dolphin Cruiser - www.amazon.co.uk/LEGO-Friends-41015-Dolphin-Cruiser/dp/B00B06V6Y2

The Lego Research Institute (female scientists set) - www.amazon.co.uk/LEGO-6089507-Research-Institute-21110/dp/B00L2DL6N4/ref=pd_bxgy_k_h_b_cs_text_z

She also has some of the HP sets that we got from eBay. DH is also Lego crazy so there is a lot of encouragement and we make her build them all herself.

DD (total pink princess to our horror) adores Lego Friends. DH had the following conversation with her following a trip to the Lego shop and the dismissal of a lot of sets as 'boys stuff'.

DH - So, why is it you like Friends, more than the other stuff?

DD - Because they want to be Friends and look after each other.

DH - And Olivia in particular? (thinking so far so fluffy)

DD - It's the science daddy

DH - What?

DD - The science daddy. I'm learning all about science with Olivia

DH - hmmm

DD - For example yesterday she taught us invisible ink with lemon juice... (long detailed description of stages of the experiment, followed by another one with food colouring in it). Oh and they have fun jobs as doctors and vets and scientists.

There are Lego Friends videos on YouTube and DD has been watching them. I've had a look and some are v fluffy, but some are actually very educational and presented in a very accessible way. Not my taste but she loves them and Lego has started adding kits that aren't just pet grooming and ice-cream parlours.