Toocrazy!! Posted September 17, 2012 Share Posted September 17, 2012 DS10 loves legos - well at least he did until 3 months ago when Minecraft took over as his obsession. The Legos have been left behind. I can see the attraction of Minecraft - he really spends most of his time building things, trying to re-design houses and structures he sees in real life. But it's a lot of screen time and I'm not thrilled about that. He was so into Legos for so long I really feel we've exhausted the Lego resources. He has been to 2 camps, we tried the Mindstorms, but to him that was too much computer, not enough building. We have the Lego education Simple Machine kit, but it never quite took off with him. He had a great year searching out youtube videos and using them for inspiration. He loved building the rubix cube, the puzzle box etc. He definitely is attracted to the engineering part - it moves, it does something - rather than just the artistic part of it. He doesn't want a set currently in the catalog - and he has thousands and thousands of Legos available for free. Does anyone know any great resources for older kids who are advanced builders and would love to still build Legos but can't quite find the inspiration? THANKS!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amo_mea_filiis. Posted September 17, 2012 Share Posted September 17, 2012 Go google some complex design instructions and build it. This helps me when i get bored. Eta: ask him to build something and create the instructions for it, or make a stop motion video of it getting put together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted September 17, 2012 Share Posted September 17, 2012 Go to an AFOL public event. (Adult fan of lego) or a Lego Master Builder event (but I prefer the amateur ones, simply because there's more variety) If he doesn't get ideas from THAT and start building, start working through the sets and sell them on Ebay (Legos as SETS have great resale value. As "big box of pieces...not so much). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted September 17, 2012 Share Posted September 17, 2012 You may have to prepare yourself for the possibility that he's outgrown them. ::ducking:: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toocrazy!! Posted September 18, 2012 Author Share Posted September 18, 2012 You may have to prepare yourself for the possibility that he's outgrown them. ::ducking:: HA! Yes I had thought about that but I'd like to give it one more try! :tongue_smilie: Actually yesterday he and a friend built Lego cars and experimented with gears. So it might not be gone yet! I like the idea of seeing if he could make his own directions for something. That would be an interesting challenge I think he would like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wintermom Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 HA! Yes I had thought about that but I'd like to give it one more try! :tongue_smilie: Actually yesterday he and a friend built Lego cars and experimented with gears. So it might not be gone yet! I like the idea of seeing if he could make his own directions for something. That would be an interesting challenge I think he would like. My teen-aged nephews are into the LEGO technic with gears. I think these may appeal to the older kids who aren't into characters as much. My gang still love the sets with characters (e.g., Ninjago, Lord of the Rings). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 Power functions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truscifi Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 Ds8 has recently gotten into Minecraft as well, and it is taking over as his main obsession - Pokemon and Ninjago have been totally forgotten, and Legos only resurface when he is not allowed any more screen time. We do have daily limits on screen time though, so he still plays with the Legos pretty regularly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 There is a lego minecraft set :). I think it may be a VIP only item, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jen3kids Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 There is a lego minecraft set :). I think it may be a VIP only item, though. Yep, Minecraft Lego - ds was thrilled! Too me, it doesn't look so hot, but I'm not 11... It is only available on their website, but should be in stores by next fall, according to the guy at our nearby lego store. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3 Only Children Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 This is good to know as my ds(12) wants Minecraft for Christmas. We are going to start a Lego club next month, every Friday, boys are going to come over and build something. Their first idea is to make something and I will take their picture standing by their creation and send it in and see if they can get a picture of themselves in the Lego magazine. Also my son tells me that they have regular competitions and they would like to enter one, same idea, you make it and then send in the photo. This is their motivation and after reading this, I think we will try a no games rule during the club time :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CyndiLJ Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 I totally empathize with you. We have one Lego Fanatic at our house, who is 13 and at about age 8 his skills were too advanced for the kids, nor could we afford the most difficult kids like the Taj Majal or the Star Wars stuff. This was at 7 1/2 with no adult help and built in about 2 hours: Thus far he still shows no interest in mindstorms or technics. I was thrilled when he took off on his own, building without plans or kits, because I was the one not ready to be done with Legos~!~! Now he builds things like this without plans: https://picasaweb.google.com/CyndiLJ/LAJOYFAMILY03?authkey=Gv1sRgCI-xmcjk3dKVsAE#5565159917692172914 and this with three different rubber bands both internal and external to create a very good working trigger system that thrusts legos about 30': https://picasaweb.google.com/CyndiLJ/LAJOYFAMILY04?authkey=Gv1sRgCK7UwP3gqqeOOA#5786663613641090258 We had a definite gap in time though, when he stopped Legoing for awhile, and then moved on to the creation of his own things. Sort of like he had to hit a new developmental level before he could make that leap without directions. Good luck! As much as I hate stepping on Legos, I sure will miss them when they are gone :) Cindy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CyndiLJ Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 I totally empathize with you. We have one Lego Fanatic at our house, who is 13 and at about age 8 his skills were too advanced for the kids, nor could we afford the most difficult kids like the Taj Majal or the Star Wars stuff. This was at 7 1/2 with no adult help and built in about 2 hours: https://picasaweb.google.com/CyndiLJ/LaJoyFamily#5021588564907979970[/img] Thus far he still shows no interest in mindstorms or technics. I was thrilled when he took off on his own, building without plans or kits, because I was the one not ready to be done with Legos~!~! Now he builds things like this without plans: https://picasaweb.google.com/CyndiLJ/LAJOYFAMILY03?authkey=Gv1sRgCI-xmcjk3dKVsAE#5565159917692172914 and this with three different rubber bands both internal and external to create a very good working trigger system that thrusts legos about 30': https://picasaweb.google.com/CyndiLJ/LAJOYFAMILY04?authkey=Gv1sRgCK7UwP3gqqeOOA#5786663613641090258 We had a definite gap in time though, when he stopped Legoing for awhile, and then moved on to the creation of his own things. Sort of like he had to hit a new developmental level before he could make that leap without directions. Good luck! As much as I hate stepping on Legos, I sure will miss them when they are gone :) Cindy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toocrazy!! Posted September 18, 2012 Author Share Posted September 18, 2012 Yep, Minecraft Lego - ds was thrilled! Too me, it doesn't look so hot, but I'm not 11... It is only available on their website, but should be in stores by next fall, according to the guy at our nearby lego store. Yes - it's been sold out for months though. Hoping it comes back before Christmas. He does want that one. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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