lego 7-12 set question

[nicknack]

Are these okay for younger kids? By younger, I mean just about to turn 5. Do they say 7-12 just because there are more pieces and therefore harder to put together? Or is there some other reason?

DS is desperately wanting the Batman/Joker set and I'm sure we'll get it anyway, but I just wanted to be sure there wasn't some other reason involved. I'm sure DH will help him put it together anyway...

[Tondi G]

He'll be fine. I think the age rating is because it might be a little more difficult to build, so if Daddy is helping then it's all good. My now 7 year old had a lot of sets that were out of his "age range" but his Dad always built them and he "helped"!

Welcome to the world of LEGO... they have taken over my home!!!

[ErinMC]

My son is 4.5 and he's had a couple of the 7-12 Lego sets since his 4th birthday. He does get a bit more frustrated with all the tiny pieces, since inevitably the ships (ours are Star Wars) break often, but it really hasn't been too much of an issue. Plus, I think it's really helped his dexterity putting the little pieces together. Have fun!

[SnuggleBuggles]

With some help it should be fine. :)

Btw, I always put ds1 to work sorting the pieces by color if it is a big set. He does that while I build. Actualy, now adays he doesthe sorting and building all by himself. He has gotten to be quite good! (If the bags are numbered keep them seperate rather than color sorting the lot of them to start.)

Beth

[new_mommy25]

I think he'll be okay. They are a little more difficult because they are harder to build but with a parent helping he'll be just fine. My DS just turned 5 and has a few toys rated 7-12 and 8-12. They are harder to build (I was cursing one Star Wars Naboo fighter jet) but well worth it in the end.

[nicknack]

With some help it should be fine. :)

Btw, I always put ds1 to work sorting the pieces by color if it is a big set. He does that while I build. Actualy, now adays he doesthe sorting and building all by himself. He has gotten to be quite good! (If the bags are numbered keep them seperate rather than color sorting the lot of them to start.)

Beth

Ooh, great suggestion, thanks!

[kboyle]

he'll be fine. we got charlie some teeny $5 sets of vehicles over the summer and he did fine with my assistance on how to build.

i'm debating getting an Indiana JOnes & Batman set for them for xmas, but i don't know what to do with them once built...if out and about for play it's too hard as i don't want them to scatter, or ds3 to eat them. but we have nowhere to actually store them...maybe we'll hang a shelf, one for each type of set.

[SnuggleBuggles]

he'll be fine. we got charlie some teeny $5 sets of vehicles over the summer and he did fine with my assistance on how to build.

i'm debating getting an Indiana JOnes & Batman set for them for xmas, but i don't know what to do with them once built...if out and about for play it's too hard as i don't want them to scatter, or ds3 to eat them. but we have nowhere to actually store them...maybe we'll hang a shelf, one for each type of set.

My rule is that if it takes a long time to build then it has to stay in tact for a certain amount of time then he is free to dismantle, tweak, rebuild, whatever. I figure we always have the directions and can rebuild. We keep all of our pieces organized by color so it makes it somewhat easier to find the pieces and start over. Legos must stay in ds's room or on the dining room table to keep ds3 from eating them. We've had success with that so far.

We :love5: Legos. :)

Beth

[new_mommy25]

he'll be fine. we got charlie some teeny $5 sets of vehicles over the summer and he did fine with my assistance on how to build.

i'm debating getting an Indiana JOnes & Batman set for them for xmas, but i don't know what to do with them once built...if out and about for play it's too hard as i don't want them to scatter, or ds3 to eat them. but we have nowhere to actually store them...maybe we'll hang a shelf, one for each type of set.

My DS usually likes to build them and play, but dismantles almost immediately after. He really likes to mix sets. He has Indiana Jones, Batman, Star Wars, etc. and uses them all interchangeably. I don't think there is any wrong way to play with legos and I encourage his creativity.

We keep the Legos in the train table in DS's room. Trains have been mostly packed away. We have a few large shoe boxes that DS uses for sets. He is in the midst of building the Indiana Jones Crystal Skull set which is huge, and those pieces are sorted and stored in tupperware.

My DD is 2 so I don't worry too much about the choking hazard. That's way I only started allowing little Legos recently. If your DS3 is younger I definitely understand your reservations.

[o_mom]

DS1 just got two of these for his birthday and put them together with minimal help. I must say that I think the Lego building has helped his fine motor skills immensely.

We are pretty strict on where the Legos are kept. He works at a high table on a tray that has an edge (to minimize dropped pieces). If I find them on the floor or the baby gets them they go up for a day. We also bought some nice organizers at Lowes so that we can sort them by color and put them all away/