Cara4497 Posted February 25, 2016 Share Posted February 25, 2016 Our son loves to build, but is getting bored with Lego, Zoob, etc. He prefers to build his own creations with parts that move instead of just making a building following the directions. He likes to make pulleys, use rubber bands to make parts snap into place, or chain reaction type machines. His favorite thing is making marble races out of Legos. We got him some snap circuits but again he doesn't want to follow the plans so I don't think he has the maturity for those yet. Any ideas on toys we get him that allow him to make moving parts safely? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapiti Posted February 25, 2016 Share Posted February 25, 2016 (edited) Has he already done lego simple machines? e.g. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lego-Dacta-Technic-I-Simple-Machines-Set-1030-with-cards-1031-/182034034655?hash=item2a6212efdf:g:mMkAAOSw~OVWzQwH (ETA, that's an old version. There are newer versions that can get pricey) Edited February 25, 2016 by wapiti 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted February 25, 2016 Share Posted February 25, 2016 my ds loved Lego simple machines so much he ended up with four sets. He then got Lego we-do. Does he have a marble run? We have a cheap plastic one which has been well loved. There is also cuboro, which is a wooden block-based set that is pricey but useful for many years. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wintermom Posted February 25, 2016 Share Posted February 25, 2016 (edited) Keva planks (or similar) are excellent for free building, though not moving parts. You can purchase inexpensive wooden marble runs, and/or use wooden planks to make pathways for balls of all sorts. But firstly, why not let him just play with the LEGO blocks and ignore the preconceived plans? My dc love doing this. They almost feel obligated to build the "set" but once that's done they rip it apart and make things they create themselves. Edited February 27, 2016 by wintermom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin Posted February 25, 2016 Share Posted February 25, 2016 I'm still trying to figure out how he could already be bored with lego, unless you mean duplos? There are lots of lego kits with moving parts. My DS puts them together according to the directions when he first gets a kit, then starts making his own creations with the pieces. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackie Posted February 25, 2016 Share Posted February 25, 2016 The Lego Chain Reactions is another cheap way to start with some moving parts: http://www.amazon.com/Klutz-LEGO-Chain-Reactions-Craft/dp/0545703301/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1456437618&sr=8-1&keywords=Lego+chain+reactions Lego Education has some great kits, though definitely pricey. We're working our way through the Early Simple Machines kit. It uses Duplo and is aimed at kindy and 1st grade. There are 8-10 projects that walk you through a build and some testing to learn about gears, pulleys, etc, then four challenge builds where it gives you a problem and the child has to use what they've learned to create a build. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cara4497 Posted February 26, 2016 Author Share Posted February 26, 2016 (edited) We will look into the ones that make simple machines and the educational ones. I didn't know they were out there. I bet he will like that. Thanks. We don't care if he follows the directions or not, with the Legos anyway. He has been using the regular small Legos for a couple of years now. In fact, he went into the Lego store still in diapers. The guy who worked there told DH "Oh no, he's too little for those. His age stuff is over there," pointing to Duplo. They looked over and DS had built a car complete with driver's seat from the little ones. We think he is bored now because my husband took him to Toys R Us the other day, and he started crying because "There's nothing for me here!" So they went to a specialty toy shop and DS insisted on the snap circuits. DH tried to talk him into another marble race or Legos. DS said "I have plenty of marbles. I know how those work. I have plenty of Legos. I know how those work. I don't know how electricity works. I need to know how electricity works." After they did the first couple of projects he didn't want to follow the book anymore or the safety rules. While I don't think the snap circuits can really hurt him, I don't really like the idea of him getting used to the idea that he can just 'see what happens' when he touches random wires to things in real life. Edited February 26, 2016 by Cara4497 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin Posted February 26, 2016 Share Posted February 26, 2016 It sounds like you need to find resources for him to be able to experiment a little more freely within some safety ground rules, regardless of what it's with. Not following rote directions is one thing, not following safety rules is another. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Have kids -- will travel Posted February 26, 2016 Share Posted February 26, 2016 Put the lego in the closet for a month and take it out again. He'll be un-bored with lego. We have about half our lego at any time in the closet. Same goes with general toys, by the way. Instant boredom relief when the closet comes open (and then what's put out goes back in the closet, ready to become new again). 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barb_ Posted February 26, 2016 Share Posted February 26, 2016 It sounds like toy fatigue to me. There's no reason he can't learn about how electricity works AND find new things to build with Lego. Another vote for putting away most of his toys and pulling out a small selection. Also, snap circuits are perfectly safe to put together in random combinations. I'm not sure a child who is developmentally four regardless of his intelligence would be able to understand that snap circuits and wires work the same way. They are solidly concrete thinkers at that age and snap circuits have nothing visually in common with exposed wiring. I also think that while snap circuits are fun and harmless, they aren't terribly helpful in understanding how electricity actually works. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barb_ Posted February 26, 2016 Share Posted February 26, 2016 (edited) We will look into the ones that make simple machines and the educational ones. I didn't know they were out there. I bet he will like that. Thanks. We don't care if he follows the directions or not, with the Legos anyway. He has been using the regular small Legos for a couple of years now. In fact, he went into the Lego store still in diapers. The guy who worked there told DH "Oh no, he's too little for those. His age stuff is over there," pointing to Duplo. They looked over and DS had built a car complete with driver's seat from the little ones. We think he is bored now because my husband took him to Toys R Us the other day, and he started crying because "There's nothing for me here!" So they went to a specialty toy shop and DS insisted on the snap circuits. DH tried to talk him into another marble race or Legos. DS said "I have plenty of marbles. I know how those work. I have plenty of Legos. I know how those work. I don't know how electricity works. I need to know how electricity works." After they did the first couple of projects he didn't want to follow the book anymore or the safety rules. While I don't think the snap circuits can really hurt him, I don't really like the idea of him getting used to the idea that he can just 'see what happens' when he touches random wires to things in real life. So when he wailed that he knows how Legos and marbles work, it sounds more like he's saying, "I already have those things! I don't want to play with the same old thing anymore! I NEED something exciting to figure out and play with that I don't already have!" But he's a bright kid. He's learned to use the language that works with the parents he has, lol Except snap circuits aren't too exciting after a while either. He's a smart kid and a typical four year old :) It just manifests itself a little differently. Try not to read so much into it. Edited February 26, 2016 by Barb_ 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThoughtfulMama Posted February 26, 2016 Share Posted February 26, 2016 (edited) Look at Gears, Gears, Gears. There are both manual and electric versions, but it sounds like exactly what he is looking for. They are durable enough for a kid to do alone. My 3.5-year-old likes them, and my 7-year-old can build some cool machines. Edited February 26, 2016 by ThoughtfulMama Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YsgolYGair Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 (edited) nm.. lol. Edited February 27, 2016 by YsgolYGair Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah0000 Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 Maybe you can show him how to use random things from around the house for free building and exploration? We spent some time on simple machines and for awhile afterwards DS would do lots of experimenting with random things. Like using a broomstick to lift chairs and such. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frances Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 Have you tried K'nex? My son always preferred them to Legos and he designed and made all sorts of things with moving parts. Sometimes they were made to run manually and other times he hooked them up to the small K'nex motors. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desertflower Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 I don't know how you feel about exposure to computer games, but my children love minecraft. It's a creative way to build. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Targhee Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 We gave DS a box for his projects. Into the box went odds and ends pieces of this and that - the lid from a strawed reusable cup, the controller of a defunct game console, a small spool of bailing wire, foam pipe insulation, twist ties and rubber bands, etc. We would add things into his box instead of throwing them out. He would tinker with these odds and ends and create his own things. It was low-cost, open-ended, and helped him see the benefit from actually learning how to build things with instructions. He still needed to mature into that though. About 5 or 6 he was building more complicated Legos from both instructions and imagination. Later, near 8, he was ready for following the directions of short projects that weren't so visual, like in the snap circuits book. At 9 he was doing mini-weapons of mass destruction and on a Lego robotics team. All the tinkering outside of the instructions helped him in designing the robot and in creatively solving the puzzles. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
908874 Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 If he has the motor skills you could try Strawbees. They can be a little tricky to attach to the straws for a little one. My 5 year old managed it after a couple of tries. They are plastic parts that can attach straws together. You can make hinges or corners that are stiff depending on how you use the pieces. And you can join straws and cardboard together. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B017PQKJU2?ref_=cm_cr-mr-title Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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