Inexpensive Lego source? Please need lots for a new addict

[3littlekeets]

My 10 y.o. has just gotten addicted, and will sit for hours putting them together, and he wants tons more. But, they are pricey! Those who have built large collections, did you buy all retail sets-- or is there a source for cheaper ones? He has several Indiana Jones sets and they are what set off this addiction! Thanks.

[Jen500]

I've bought most of our (huge) lego collection from their website. I don't think it's inexpensive though. But I prefer to buy the larger sets of building stuff, and some specialty pieces like wheels, rather than the kits that build specific models. I usually get them for birthdays and Christmas.

[3littlekeets]

Okay, so do your boys like playing without specific design and model to follow? Are there plans for the large kits online, or do they create their own? As you can see, I know nothing about legos! LOL

[Retired]

has all kinds of collections. This is the only toys he has. He has bookshelves full of Lego's. The floor in his room is covered in Lego's.

 

The largest set my son built was the 1000 piece Star Destroyer. He finished it that broke it down and rebuilt it.

 

Go to Lego's website and order the free catalog. My son loves it and carries the magazine with him everywhere. He also post on the Lego forum and does product reviews. Oh and my ds just turned 11.

 

If you want PM me with the sets your son is looking for and I'll see if Dds wants to sell. He was just asking me to list some on Ebay. He wants to make room for more sets.

 

Most of his sets where purchased new but he did win some auctions on ebay.

[Jen500]

Well, we have some kits for specific cars, the ferris wheel, etc. What happens is that they build it the first time (fun!) and they play with it, and it starts getting...wrecked. (I have 3 boys) The pieces start getting mixed in with all the other lego, and they can no longer find the exact special pieces they need to rebuild. It just turns out to be not as fun for them in the long run as when they just start with a pile of lego and build their own stuff.

The larger sets I've gotten had plans to build houses I think. Dh built a wonderful house w/the boys and it sat on the bookcase building up dust.

I guess everyone is different. I know some kids really like the building kits.

[Confuzzled]

Most of ours came from garage sales. My boys weren't into building the models though.

[tinag]

Sometimes they go on sale at Target and Walmart. Also, ToysRUs will have their buy one get one 50% off.

We love Legos here!

[Tarheel Heather]

Ebay has them, sometimes by the pound. If he just wants the bricks. Also my 10 ds just discoverd lego creator at the Lego website. He built a model and you can order the peices and they ship it in a lego box. He thought that was very cool. have fun with Legos!

[mom2abcd]

Ds18 loves Legos and is now headed to college to study Civil Engineering! (And if he doesn't take any Legos with him, I will tell you that if I buy him a set and leave it in his dorm room, he will have it put together the first day!)

 

I don't think there is an "inexpensive" way to buy Legos, unfortunately. Probably your best bet is sales at the discount stores like Walmart, Kmart, etc. It used to be you could sometimes get new sets half price, but now 25% off is about as good as you can get. You can watch the coupon boards like fishingfordeasl.com and you'll sometimes get a great ToysRUs coupon. Before Christmas, Lego.com offers free shipping. Garage sales and ebay are options, but in my experience, they're rare at garage sales and almost-retail price on ebay.

 

Do call the 800 number and ask to get the catalog and free magazine if you haven't yet. They can provide hours of fun!

 

As far as buckets or sets.... Most of the bulk Lego buckets, etc. that you can buy are the brightly colored blocks. These are good for a different sort of creativity. Ds prefers the sets, which often come with unique pieces such as gears, moveable parts, etc. He can be much more creative with those pieces.

 

Ds used to keep his sets pretty much separate and he's always saved the instructions. Then he'd go through a phase where he'd mix them all up to build something creative and mix the pieces up when he took those creations apart. He can now mix and separate easily-- he knows the sets and which pieces go with them. I guess you grow into it. They are all mixed now in 2-3 large under-the-bed tubs.

 

Ds loves to develop his own designs. He's made a Nativity Scene for Grandma and not hesitated to give those pieces away. But he will buy a set just for one piece. (It helps a lot when they're old enough to have a job and buy their own sets;o)

 

Reading this, it sounds like we are rich and we are not by any means. Most of ds's Legos he received as gifts. The next largest amount he bought himself.

 

Finally, here is a link to Lego art that your son might be interested in. Ds hs done some of this, but he prefers the gears and things that he can use to *do* something. http://www.brickartist.com/allgallery.html

 

Here's another site with neat pics (though some questionable stuff, too-- check this site out first!) http://www.thebricktestament.com/

 

Lego Periodic Table

http://mrsec.wisc.edu/Edetc/LEGO/LEGO%20PT%20final.html

 

Movies

http://www.brickfilms.com/films/830

 

http://nostarch.com/frameset.php?startat=flego_extras

 

 

I think Legos are a fantastic toy and I wish our younger son was interested in them. We spoke with a Master Builder from Lego and he said he believes that playing with Legos massages the part of your brain that engineers need to use the most. He sees A LOT of engineers that loved Legos. Germany has the highest per capita amount of engineers and also sells the most Legos per capita! Too bad they are so expensive anymore. If anyone has a source of inexpensive Legos, I'd love to hear it!

[ClassicMom]

Sometimes they go on sale at Target and Walmart. Also, ToysRUs will have their buy one get one 50% off.

We love Legos here!

 

Do you know what time of year that sale is??

[asta]

Usually, in the back of the store (I don't know if you have a store near you), they have "baggies" that come from sets where the box was crushed during shipping. They basically have taken everything from the box, put it in a big ziplock, tossed in the instructions, and marked it 50% off.

 

They also put other stuff on 25% to 75% off on the back wall of the store. Usually, this is stuff they have too much of for the shelves, isn't selling as well as they hoped, is the last one in the store, or is from "last season". For the "must have the newest" kid, that isn't helpful, but for the new collector, it's a great buy.

 

Obviously, what is on the back wall varies greatly.

 

We have so many Lego at this point that I have placed a moratorium on purchases until a more thorough sorting occurs. Seriously. He has been actively collecting now for 11 years. If you ever go to LegoLand and look at the Master Builders through the glass window at their bins and bins of Lego... my house is starting to look like a small version of that.

 

 

asta

[langfam]

Years ago we bought lots of legos from a teacher resource catalog. I don't have it anymore. Try these websites:

https://www.tdbestprice.com/search.asp?SKW=TD2_J%40&CAT=LEGO

 

http://www.teachersparadise.com/c/index.php/manufacturers_id/157

[tinag]

I don't. I know they were on sale at ToysRUs right before Christmas, and just a month or two ago some were on sale at Walmart and Target. Not all of them but one of the lego sets my ds wanted.

[Paula in PA]

They have a decent selection, including bulk sets. They also have the building plates for the cheapest price, especially if you have enough for free shipping. Dd loves those. :001_smile:

 

http://www.rainbowresource.com/search.php?sid=1215630987-169887

[BritAnnia]

That's interesting. My younger ds(13) loves lego and just a few days ago declared he wants to be an engineer.

Hmm.. perhaps I should make sure dh and I support his 'habit' :D

Thanks for sharing the links, my ds is going to just love the lego gallery site.

[3littlekeets]

Ds18 loves Legos and is now headed to college to study Civil Engineering! (And if he doesn't take any Legos with him, I will tell you that if I buy him a set and leave it in his dorm room, he will have it put together the first day!)

 

I don't think there is an "inexpensive" way to buy Legos, unfortunately. Probably your best bet is sales at the discount stores like Walmart, Kmart, etc. It used to be you could sometimes get new sets half price, but now 25% off is about as good as you can get. You can watch the coupon boards like fishingfordeasl.com and you'll sometimes get a great ToysRUs coupon. Before Christmas, Lego.com offers free shipping. Garage sales and ebay are options, but in my experience, they're rare at garage sales and almost-retail price on ebay.

 

Do call the 800 number and ask to get the catalog and free magazine if you haven't yet. They can provide hours of fun!

 

As far as buckets or sets.... Most of the bulk Lego buckets, etc. that you can buy are the brightly colored blocks. These are good for a different sort of creativity. Ds prefers the sets, which often come with unique pieces such as gears, moveable parts, etc. He can be much more creative with those pieces.

 

Ds used to keep his sets pretty much separate and he's always saved the instructions. Then he'd go through a phase where he'd mix them all up to build something creative and mix the pieces up when he took those creations apart. He can now mix and separate easily-- he knows the sets and which pieces go with them. I guess you grow into it. They are all mixed now in 2-3 large under-the-bed tubs.

 

Ds loves to develop his own designs. He's made a Nativity Scene for Grandma and not hesitated to give those pieces away. But he will buy a set just for one piece. (It helps a lot when they're old enough to have a job and buy their own sets;o)

 

Reading this, it sounds like we are rich and we are not by any means. Most of ds's Legos he received as gifts. The next largest amount he bought himself.

 

Finally, here is a link to Lego art that your son might be interested in. Ds hs done some of this, but he prefers the gears and things that he can use to *do* something. http://www.brickartist.com/allgallery.html

 

Here's another site with neat pics (though some questionable stuff, too-- check this site out first!) http://www.thebricktestament.com/

 

Lego Periodic Table

http://mrsec.wisc.edu/Edetc/LEGO/LEGO%20PT%20final.html

 

Movies

http://www.brickfilms.com/films/830

 

http://nostarch.com/frameset.php?startat=flego_extras

 

 

I think Legos are a fantastic toy and I wish our younger son was interested in them. We spoke with a Master Builder from Lego and he said he believes that playing with Legos massages the part of your brain that engineers need to use the most. He sees A LOT of engineers that loved Legos. Germany has the highest per capita amount of engineers and also sells the most Legos per capita! Too bad they are so expensive anymore. If anyone has a source of inexpensive Legos, I'd love to hear it!

 

 

Thank you, thank you, thank you. DS just read all of this and was thrilled. Now, he wants to hit the sites, so I need to get off. Thanks for the detailed reply and encouragement!

[Brenda in FL]

You can also check the sales and deals link at Lego.com (Shop at Home). They won't have any of the new sets, but as things go on clearance they will list them there.

 

I don't know any way of getting the new sets (Indiana Jones) at a discount.

[mom2abcd]

Thank you, thank you, thank you. DS just read all of this and was thrilled. Now, he wants to hit the sites, so I need to get off. Thanks for the detailed reply and encouragement!

 

You're very welcome!

 

I also wanted to point out that Lego has EXCELLENT customer service! We had a set once with a little cat and the cat disappeared and it was very upsetting. LOL I helped ds (then about 8 or 9yo) call Lego Cust. Service and ask if he could buy a replacement cat. They sent him one free!