LNC Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 We can't have sets bc of my 12yo son with autism struggles so much with them. It is just bad, bad ! But, I would like my 8yos to play imaginatively with just a pile of legos. My 8yos has just about every other kind of building toy imaginable. He is great at building complicated Zoobs, Erector sets, Knex etc. We do keep them in a storage closet to play when my special son is at school. So, all of that explanation to ask does anyone have children that just play imaginatively with basic legos and never get sets? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greta Lea Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 My boys did, especially at the age of 8yo and younger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OLG Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 Absolutely! Our ds would get the sets, make them once, break them down and then play creatively with the pieces. That was a delight for me since just completing the instructions is far from being the most educational part of Legos. They are wonderful toys! Having said that, if a kid has never used them before there might be some advantage in "seeing" what can be done with them with adult assistance. The Lego Advent calendar is a great sampling of small toys you make from a few pieces and could be a great way to get started! Have fun! Mary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan in SC Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 (edited) All of our legos are now "just legos." They used to be sets, but...they didn't stay that way for long. My boys, 7, 8, and 9, love freeplay with legos! ETA- If you can buy a few small set with vehicles, then when he is rebuilding he has the wheels, too! Edited December 6, 2009 by Jan in SC more info Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daisy Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 All of our legos are now "just legos." They used to be sets, but...they didn't stay that way for long. My boys, 7, 8, and 9, love freeplay with legos! My kids just want the sets so they can have more wheels, guns, steering wheels, wings, darker colored bricks, etc. They do have a set of the colorful bricks but are disappointed by the lack of variety. So I'd go either of two routes. 1. Buy the normal colorful bricks. 2. Buy sets, go ahead and mix up the bricks, and ditch the box & instructions ahead of time. Put them in their own special container. My DS uses a huge tackle box because he likes the compartments on top. Cheap, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trixie Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 Same here. Sets don't stay sets for more than the time it takes to put them together to see how they're "supposed" to look. After that, they're redesigned endlessly to improve upon them. ;) I like the idea of buying a few sets, mixing the pieces in with a "generic" set, and ditching the boxes and instructions from the kits. That way, you get the quirkier pieces of the pre-fab kits along with all of the standard bricks, wheels, etc. from the "generic" sets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nestof3 Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 We've always bought sets and also those large tubs of Legos, but after building a set and keeping it displayed for a while, Aaron would break it down and create his own. The most fun for him was creating his own stuff. He actually made one with the boys' Legos yesterday. The boys keep their Legos in drawers according to color, so once they take them apart, they become regular Legos too. The Lego City sets are great because they can be several different things, and the pieces are very versatile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smrtmama Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 We bought the giant bin of blocks only and one set that builds cars just so we could have wheels and doors, which has since been broken up and scrambled into the block bin. Captain Science builds centaurs and Titans, not cars, anyway. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corraleno Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 I've bought a ton of mixed lego lots on ebay. You can get huge boxes of the stuff (usually a mom is selling up after her kids outgrow them) for much less than new, and they usually include lots of "set parts" but without the instructions. Last year for Christmas I put together a big tub of pink & purple "girly" lego for DD7, combining lots of used/partial Belleville castle sets, and she was thrilled. And I gave my son a HUGE box of mixed Bionicle parts ~ I think it was over 15 lbs worth of parts, bought on ebay for about $25. Best bargain EVER for a Christmas present! I've also bought stuff from Bricklink; you can buy individual pieces like wheels, wings, minifigs, castle pieces, etc., as well as bulk lots of just bricks: http://www.bricklink.com/ Jackie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtb1999 Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 My boys don't keep their sets together for long. My 5 year old tries to keep the sets together in their bags (I keep sets in ziploc bags with the instruction booklet they come with), but my 6 year old always goes through them to take parts he likes. I have pretty much given up trying to keep the sets together. Same with their Playmobil. They also take playmobil people and use them with Legos and Lincoln logs. It's all good. ;) I agree with a PP that you can find some really good deals on ebay for mixed lots. I have also had luck with craigslist and garage sales for large lots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommyto3 Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 We buy sets because the boys like the Star Wars pieces and characters. The set may be built once, but then they get mixed in the big box and the kids make their own creations. Mainly, they design their own ships to use with the little people so they can play Star Wars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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