Lego... were to start?

[Hailstorm]

I've always said that once the kids had their own rooms, I'd get lego, I've just recieved an email from Toys r us about a 20% off sale that they're having and there is so. much. lego!!!

Where do I begin? Do I get a set for them to build? or just random pieces for them to build their own stuff? how do you store it? how much is to much? how much is not enough? :blink

Any advice for a lego novice?

[Rinelle]

LOL. Depends on your kids really. A bit of a mixture of both is good. A kit or two, and some extra bricks and base plates are good. As for how much is too much, I think that's very individual :) We'd probably have about a 50L box full or so.

[jodiemiller]

We are drowning in lego here. I would start with any kit that has several non-descript people in it (ie, not necessarily the Star Wars or other themed sets). The vehicles are a great starting place because they lead to wonderful play and reconstruction. Then you can put the word out to friends and relatives for lego Xmas presents etc. Watch out, the collection is bound to grow! Can't believe you've avoided it until now!

[Hailstorm]

Thanks girls :great

I've been waiting til we had enough space for them to actually use it, now we have that space :hyper

[jodiemiller]

We keep ours in a big box, with a table-cloth-sized quilt inside. When we want to spread it out, we lift it all out inside the quilt and lay it flat. Then when it's time to put it away we can just sweep it onto the quilt and lift it back into the box.

[michelle_j_r]

we also keep ours wrapped in a sheet and placed in a box.
i think the regular non-themed stuff is called 'creator' (i think). but some of the themed sets can add some spice and help the imagination along too. I like the look of the Atlantis thing personally! but there are a heap of different things out there.

I would just take the kids to the lego aisle and see what takes their fancy with the add-on kits but get a big creator set to go with it.


i'd check the discounted Toys R Us price with the regular (or sale) Big W price if you have one there. Big W is usually still cheaper.

[Rinelle]

We have several of the 'city' kits. The house, the plane, a couple of vehicles, and probably some others. Other than the initial build though, none of them have been used to make their kits, they're just all in together, and often get used to make Prehistoric Park, or more recently, Indiana Jones. We have bought a few specialty bits off ebay (where you can buy individual items). Ours are stored in a selection of different boxes from Ikea. DH likes to keep the 'special' bits in their own seperated containers so he can find them, LOL. I don't think E really cares, until she can't find the piece she wants.

[Savannah]

Yeah a mix of both has worked for us too. I bought a base set of blocks and flat bits, a box of wheels and a few smaller sets. Then as Jodie said, put the word out and in they came. We have all sorts of different bits and pieces and the kids play with them literally daily.

[mama_bel]

Lego is huge here too. I bought some Creator buckets first - they are red buckets that look like a big lego block - they just had really basic building stuff in them. Added some base plate thingies - 2 green, 1 blue. That did the 3 girls for quite awhile. Then the boys got older and along came lego racers, Star Wars lego, etc.

We never seem to have enough Lego people (minifigs?) and they aren't cheap...

Oh, we store ours in a set of plastic drawers someone bought at Big W and a plastic storage box on wheels that goes under the bed. The sheet or quilt is a great idea! We have a carpet mat.

[Ethereal]

We're still on duplo here and we have a 50L box that is eroded over time because the blocks are used as food, money etc in non-lego building games :D. (The duplo is still as much fun for the 11yr old as the 2yr old).

Otherwise yeah, a mix as suggested above :).

Madi has the most amazing lego storage ever if you want another idea.

[boy wrangler]

We're still duplo too and I'm holding off moving on to lego for as long as I can! :2lol

[emd]

What is Madi's Lego storage? I need to know! :D

We got a couple of big boxes of bricks, and it's been added to with my garage sale purchases or gifts from extended family. A lot of it was given to all three kids to share, so there are fewer arguments over whose special bricks are whose.

My sister is a serious hardcore Lego collector, and so is her partner. Going to their house is fun. Lego everywhere!

[Hailstorm]

I used to work up the road from a lego store down here (this was many many years ago pre kids) and I always heard so much laughter coming from the doors.

My little nephew has one of those lego tables, with a drawer, it seems very small though....

[jodiemiller]

Best investment we ever made in the kids' lego was a whole kit of people and their accessories - scuba divers, dog walkers, doctors and nurses, old people, dogs, potted plants, and lots of different hats and helmets and things. We got it at a dedicated lego shop in the US but I reckon it would be on E-bay or similar.

[Madi]

Lego is life here :2lol

My advice would be to check Ebay or Gumtree and pick up a bulk lot of second hand lego. Our collection started with my DH's lego from his childhood, and it was a wonderful mix of bricks and flats, minifigs, doors, windows, wheels, etc. It's a great way to start and you get much more bang for your buck iykwim. A bulk lot from ebay might set you back $50 and you might get around 4kg of random pieces.

Our lego storage....... well it has evolved as more and more sets were bought/received. Hudson doesn't like to break the sets down once they're built, so we store them on large serving trays on shelves. (We have a Star Wars tray, a Harry Potter Tray etc) We keep the minifigs and set accessories on the tray as well. Our build centre storage is a shelving unit on its side with stacked containers. Here's a pic. Or two. 11721171

[michelle_j_r]

drool

[lizlea]

Madi I am still in awe of your lego storage.

[Rinelle]

Wow, looks great Madi. So a question, does Huddy put the pieces back into the right boxes, or do you and/or DH do that?

[Hailstorm]

Is there a box there for just random pieces Madi? or are they in that head?

That is my dream lego storage system.... We actually have a little nook that would be perfect for something like that, but it will eventually become part of my kitchen/fridge cavity/ pantry...damn renos :2lol

[jodiemiller]

OMG nooooo! That's too much for me, but I'm in awe that you care enough to do that Madi.

[Madi]

Wow, looks great Madi. So a question, does Huddy put the pieces back into the right boxes, or do you and/or DH do that?

We have little basket that acts as our lego filing tray, so unless it needs to be left as it is, mid creation, he packs (chucks!) most of it in there at the end of the day. On the weekend he and James put them into their boxes, because they have marathon building sessions every weekend. It suits Huddy because he likes to make the exact thing he pictures in his mind and it annoys him when he can't find the piece. Our system really emerged from his frustration more than anything.

Good luck with starting your lego journey Hails!

[Madi]

Is there a box there for just random pieces Madi? or are they in that head?

Small piece storage (I usually maintain this every few weeks or so) and an example of the trays where we keep the sets.

1174117511761177

ETA : Hope this is helpful Kyls and not freaking you out. :2lol

[Rinelle]

You have so much cool lego Madi. (Or rather, Hudson does!) I'm jealous. I love lego, but while E plays with it, she's nowhere near as obsessed with it as DH and I would be!

[Bron]

I don't think we have a single piece of Lego here :) We do have a few duplo or something blocks, from when Niccola was a toddler. I'm considering getting Justin a Harry Potter set for xmas.

[Savannah]

OMG Madi - that's so awesome. My two are standing here drooling as well. DS said, 'Mum, that is like heaven' lol.

[michelle_j_r]

Jordy is actually (seriously) in tears here at the moment because he saw the spacship and today he chose not to buy a lego set but to get a dragon universe egg. He tells me now that he changed his mind and he really really really wanted the spaceship! LOL! I told him maybe for xmas. he's not happy. :2lol
:confused1 (Jordy just chose this smilie)
:rofl( and Darcy chose this one)

[jodiemiller]

Love it when the kids get involved! :2lol

[Hailstorm]

Definately helpful Madi!! I LOVE those sistema containers I have tonnes and tonnes of them :2lol

I think I'm gonna start off buying this (http://catalogues.toysrus.com.au/portal/offerdetails/lego-bricks-and-more-set/13173364480404?CatalogueID=13169920627677&Ns=OfferOnPage%7C0&tab=list&N=4294924703+4294965955&source=productlist) set first and then expand from there :great

Then I'll sort out a storage solution :hyper Is it sad that I'm really excited about my kids getting Lego?

[Ethereal]

I love a great lego session :D.