Sharing your LEGO with your kids

[Sid Sidious]

You should let the kids play with them. LEGO is really a children's toy, and you don't want your kids to look back at their childhood memories of LEGO as "the toy daddy wouldn't let me play with".

[Erdbeereis]

I'll move this to General Discussion where it might get more attention since it isn't just about Pirates.

[LEGO Guy Bri]

I too have many old/rare sets and hundreds others in near mint condition. Though I don't have any children now, I have always wanted a couple. As a collector, I am very particular about my things, or is that OCD? Either way, I'm pretty sure they will not be having play time in that particular room but, they will have their own. Probably have a lock on the door so they won't know it's there

[Seluryar]

If I were to have kids, i would keep them away from my collection until they reach their teens(12-13).

But to be fair, all I have are Technic sets.

But don't worry, I would start him/her on themed sets.

[brickmack]

I don't have any kids, but if I did, I probably would let them (though if they break anything of mine that took more than an hour to make, or permanently destroy any rare parts, there might be a problem). Also they would have to demonstrate a knowledge of my sorting system first, so I don't spend a week re-sorting every time they build something.

[Nightshroud99]

I would probably buy them their own sets and I would let them play with my own. I'm not crazy about properly sorted pieces and the rarity of pieces so I'd let them have fun. It is a toy after all.

However I can understand that collectors with old sets and misb sets, you probably don't want your kids playing with them.

[AkumaMax]

I can see your Dilemma. I now have an 8month old son and just recently got back into Legos. I'm looking to possibly purchase every Lego Sail ship out there. However I will be keeping them from my child until he grows older. This way he will be able to respect what they are and what value they hold. I still have plenty of other Legos that he can play with when the time comes. as of right now for his first Christmas I will be getting him some Very Large Duplo blocks to help tied him over till he can move onto the next stage. Will my son become a LEGO MANIAC like I once was. I hope someday.

[SkaForHire]

I am currently away from my main collection (which includes most of the first wave pirates and the castle sets of the same period), but it is stored at my Mom's house where my nieces (3 and 5) frequent often. My rule is they can play with anything they want that does not have sails (I would not want them to get icky or ripped) and no mini figures that are not space or town (I don't really care about those themes but I do have a lot). They mostly want to play with the bricks anyway and build structures, and I have no problem with that. I have a MISB collection, but they are not getting into those. I play with the girls when I go home twice a year, they are pretty creative and give some fun ideas for possible MOCs (of course not building techniques, but just ideas). I have a godson that is too young now, but I plan on dumping lego on him over the years. I think playing with kids and Lego is a great use of time.

[charlieboy]

My 7yr old son and I play Lego together almost everyday! We have quite some collection though so he is spoilt for choice when it comes to deciding what we play with. My own collection of classic space sets lives in a display unit in our living room along with my collection of collectible minifigs and Batman figs. He knows he can play with those but only when im there and he has to look after them, the rest of our collection is fairgame

[Cutty]

It's most unlikely I'll ever procreate so the question is a little off for me, yet I did make up my mind loooong ago about it:

My children would get Playmobil to play with exlusively. (exception below)

Once I assessed their maturity provides them a certain level of understanding and carefulness I might invite them to build with me, though. Unless they won't show the same level of care and reverence (yeah, it's a bit of an exaggeration, I know ;-) ) for the bricks I own(ed before they were around!), they do not deserve access to the collection. No compromise.

I might get the little ones some sets of their own, though. And if only for observing their handling of the bricks.

If that sounds harsh to you, well, you ARE entitled to your own opinion as I am perfectly entitled not to care about the concern I hear ^^ My bricks, my rules, end of story.

Be well all!

Cutty

edit: rectified my logic...

Edited November 16, 2011 by Cutty

[Mr Benn]

I positively look forward to when I can eventually share my Lego hobby with my (as yet unborn!) child... I even foresee a weaning onto the brick via Duplo (which for small children is a wonderful little toy in itself, gutted they don't have the Thomas the Tank Engine licence anymore though!)

I appreciate that any resolution that you create prior to being a parent flies out the window as soon as you have children, but I would foresee that my nice buildings and SW ships aren't to be taken apart - but can be played with (in a fun roleplaying way, not a petulant bashy-bashy sense) - as well as the trains which are likely to be the most fun. My brick inventory is fair game - if you've ever seen how excited kids get in Lego stores, and just how pleased they are when they're making something, or how they want to show off what they've made - in 10 years time this will definitely be a hobby shared!

Chewing on bricks will however NOT be tolerated...

My Transformers collection however - that's staying off-limits for a LONG time!!

Edited November 16, 2011 by Mr Benn

[lorax]

My daughter is a tornado of destruction... and I still let her play with the Lego.

I have a teenage son, who has only ever had a passing interest in Lego, so I am just excited that my daughter loves Lego and she has only needed to learn the lesson once, 1x1 round bricks might be the perfect shape to fit in the nostril, but that is not where we store them.

And my son brought me out of my first dark age, so for me the Lego has always been around them, and it has always been about playing and fun for us, not collecting.

Mama build, Abi play by tikitikitembo, on Flickr

[DaddyWhale]

I've got two boys, 6 and 3. They have their sets, which they've chosen, and I have my sets. Generally, their sets end up as a heap of bricks, which is usually not a problem as they like making their own things.

I let them play with my sets including a limited amount of creative destruction, but only when I'm supervising them. They boys can do an enormous amount of damage in very little time. Before I decided to supervise them, they'd destroyed my Grand Carousel, Imperial Flagship and Emerald Night, which all took a while to rebuild.

A few things I've noticed.

1. One young child with lego does much less damage than two young children. The boys can get worked up about sharing and deciding what kind of games they want to play, which sometimes leads to meltdowns.

2. I'm pretty tolerant of them taking apart sets. But I make sure that they do this in a place where it's relatively easy to ensure that elements don't go missing. For instance, I let them take my IFS into the tub for bath time, where it's easy to keep track of pieces.

3. Trains are great because their focus often shifts to building track layouts and stations, etc. I.e. less damage to the trains themselves.

4. It's good to have a positive attitude about the chaos children create. It gives me a chance to rebuild things, which saves on money I would spend on new sets

5. When assisted, children learn about respecting other people's things, sharing, organizing, etc. But you've got to give them some freedom. Otherwise they don't have fun.

[happymark]

totally agree with that! LEGO is for play (well)!

of course, if I have the golden C3PO, I would keep it in closet :)

sometime my son invites some kids for playdate also.. but I am fine with it. I am glad he has something he can showoff :)

You should let the kids play with them. LEGO is really a children's toy, and you don't want your kids to look back at their childhood memories of LEGO as "the toy daddy wouldn't let me play with".

[sharky]

If you have some rare/old sets I would put them away for a time so they won't be tempted to play with them until they are older. Anything new I buy I let my child play with. Generally speaking, she has her own sets and I have mine. I'm just glad that we can share this common interest.

[Toadtorrent]

totally agree with that! LEGO is for play (well)!

of course, if I have the golden C3PO, I would keep it in closet :)

sometime my son invites some kids for playdate also.. but I am fine with it. I am glad he has something he can showoff :)

I think this is part of sharing the joy of building. One of my son's best friends has a pretty large Star Wars collection...but broken apart and unsorted, and they want to come to our place all the time to play, as everything is sorted and they can build knowing where to find the pieces they need. It validates the effort I put into the sorting.

It's such a great feeling to see their building skills improving, and watching the vignettes they put together having more depth and complication.

HOWEVER, it drives me NUTS that they do scenes all the time of dismemberment, and I can't find the arms of the rare giant trolls, or parts from the rarer minifigs...and I want them to be neat, and tidy up...but I don't trust them to tidy up as they know the system enough to find things, but not well enough to put things away.

So...I have to constantly remind myself to take a few breaths...and let it go...and remind myself that they are having fun...and have helped stoke my own Lego fire. It's so funny when I get to school with the kids, that their friends all call me the Lego Master.

It's funny that my daughter gets annoyed that most of the building is with minifigs that are boys, and she wants more princesses and girls. The solution? I have a lot of pink bricks in the selection now...and a $100 in girl minifigs on the way...plus all the girl CMF!!

HAH.

[tedbeard]

You might find this thread helpful: http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=59164

[happymark]

and maybe this link:

http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=48621

You might find this thread helpful: http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=59164

[Lutin]

My son is still young, nearly 2, and even if I see the envy in his eyes when he look at my collection, that stay off limit for him. However he has a big growing collection of Duplo that we play together. When he will be old enough to play with Lego System he will have access to my pieces under supervision until I decide it's safe enough to leave him alone when I don't have time to play with him.

Lego are there for playing and if I can share this with my son it's even better.

That being said my displayed sets will stay off limits. "You can see but never touch daddy's Star Wars."

[fred67]

If they are interested, you can buy your kids their own LEGO (that's what I did). My kids are only moderately interested in LEGO. Sometimes they're in the mood, sometimes not.

For my LEGO, depending on the set, we sometimes have family builds... but after it's built, it's in my collection of LEGO to display.

Some things they obviously get to play with, like when we set up my trains. If one of them wanted a train to play with constantly, I'd get them a set.

They can do whatever they want with my parts collections, just not my set collection.

[Xyver]

Having kids interested in Lego is great. I got my daughter into Duplo first, then started buying the normal sets once she was old enough to not put them where they don't belong.

Any special sets get put up high so she can't get them but most get played with. I build, she plays, it works great.

The nephews on the other hand act like Godzilla whenever they come over to play.

[wokajablocka]

I have alot of Star Wars thats worth money so I dont let my son plat too much with it. Now he is 10 he is a litle light handed now but has pritty much broke and or lost parts from nearly every set. I have too much no to have fun putting them back together as its just too frustrating trying to look for missing parts.

Ive bought him thousands of dollars woth of Lego but he is a kid and cant help touching and playing with any Lego that comes into the house new or old. I tell him I bought you so much Lego but you still need to play with all my Lego. That makes me angry, when hes told not to paly with it and he cant help himself. If there is anything I want untouched I need to pack it away.

Over all I dont mind kids palying with the Lego as long as it doesnt leave the house and they look after it.

[nicoga3000]

Once my fiance and I are married with kids, I fully intend to expose them to the LEGO hobby! If they bite and enjoy it, more power to them (and more fun for us)! That being said, specific stuff will probably be "off limits", but only until they're older and have a little more respect for it.

[Zeon]

I'm walking in your (half) shoes. I do have a classic town layout (most of them from 80-82) and a 4yo son. You have to make some decisions and keep that direction:

- If they are toys that (no matter how expensive or rare) can be played with, then let them play with it and don't get angry if some parts get lost/broken. In the happy age of Bricklink it's not that hard to replace a missing/broken part.

- Are the sets for display? If so, you CAN and should draw a line for your child not to touch them. (Well, to be fair you should't display them on a place where it tempts them all the time.) They have to learn some rules.

My rules and "principles" are:

- Since I never intented to have mint/pristine sets, I don't consider them to be that expensive (put that maersk truck or unicef van away). I'm do let my son to play with them. However, I do have an eye on him when he is playing around with it and he is not allowed to take the parts/sets out of the room or mix with "his" lego.

- I'm glad to let him play with the sets, he fills the town with life and imagination. To tell you the truth, I wouldn't even touch those sets. Of course, he makes some rumble (lamp posts, trees beware) but that's easy to fix. Finding a bad-behaving doctor in jail or a mechanic sleeping over in a friend's cottage always makes me smile :)

[horizon]

Hi,

kids (4&7) are collecting Ninjago, well, they completed what they wanted and my old '80's LEGO is widely available to them to build & play with.

LEGO is for fun & play. In my opinion.

They want to build, let them build. They want to play, let them play.

Lego is generally durable enough to withstand extensive play.