Harry Potter Legos - Opinions please

[bumbershoot]

Curse you Budget Board!!!! I just bought The Burrows and Hogwarts Express from Amazon.

I was forced to get a "buy it now" The Burrow. Just couldn't resist getting Molly and Ginny.

We're only in the beginning of reading #5 to DS, so he won't even be SEEING the set for ages, but I know what happens to those sets once discontinued...

 

[Colleen1011]

Thanks for all the replies. I think I have a better understanding of where to look and @ how much to spend. I think this could turn into a expensive hobby.

 

[bumbershoot]

I think this could turn into a expensive hobby.

That's for sure!

But...with some kids the love for Legos will never go away. My half-brothers, especially the younger of the two, still play with theirs and they are 29 and 27. And if you keep everything, all parts and the instructions, you can sell them later if needed (with your child's permission of course, says the person whose MIL threw away possessions withOUT asking and in doing so destroyed a VERY valuable comic book that DH had been holding onto (even had it insured) for more than a decade).

In addition, many if not most engineers, and professions like that, played with legos as a kid, it really stimulates the senses and learning abilities...really gets the thoughts going on how things work, how they go together.

It can be the gift that keeps on giving.

 

[AllesonWonderland]

Wal-Mart and Target have many on clearence right now. I bought The Burrow for $30 and the Hogwarts train for $40 at Wal Mart last week. Of course, they aren't very easy to find in stock. Target has the castle at 30% off right now, but keep in mind Target clearance prices vary store-by-store.

Wish I had been thinking sooner and scooped up the train! I had it on DS's wish list, but the relative I thought would buy it for him didn't. Now it appears to be sold out everywhere near me. I did pick up a Burrows this morning.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

Just picked up the burrow for $39.99 at Shopko.

 

[tinkermom23]

We built a lego table, pretty cheaply. We got the idea here but didn't add the lights. Just make sure the base is large enough to build on or you'll find legos all over the floor anyway.

http://www.ohdeedoh.com/ohdeedoh/how-to/how-to-build-a-lego-table-059189[/URL]

As far as lego sets, our boys must be odd because they like to mix sets. They build it as per directions right away, play for a few hours, then rebuild it adding their own thing.
They love the HP "potion" pieces and use them in the Star wars ship. They have battles between Storm troopers and City workers and Knights. I suggest your DS look at a few sets and you'll get an idea of what he values.
When DS was young he HAD to have any set that had handcuffs and a bank safe. They've been known to mix them with playmobil and Polly's too!

 

[DisneyCrazyX5]

My son loves loves loves the sets he got for Christmas. We designed a Lego table for him and added storage to his room this Christmas as well. Each lego set has it's own bin with a picture of the set on the front. All manuals are stored in a Binder with plastic sleeves. We keep the boxes as well. The whole idea behind this was for a few reasons.
1. A great space to play
2. The pieces won't get all mixed up, lost and spread all over the house making him unable to build the sets
3. Once he's older and tiring of the Harry Potter stuff, we can use something like Craigslist to make some of the money back towards a new series (Starwars or whatever). He doesn't have to sell them. Just if he gets bored with them.

This whole idea was a way to take the sting out of what amounts to hundreds of dollars (if not more) for a hobby.

So far it is working perfectly.
I am in Canada but live close to the border. Before Christmas Target had the best prices I could find ANYWHERE on the castle. I paid just under a hundred for it with a sale and a coupon. It was 150 almost everywhere here. So look there first.
The sets have been well worth it. We have Hogwarts, Hogwarts add on, Quidditch Match, Forbidden Forest, The Burrow, and the Hogwarts Express. The next big one he will want is Diagon Alley. That was sold out everywhere around Christmas though.

Great storage ideas. I have made my twin keep all their boxed and books, but they like to keep their sets up to play with. Storage is a problem for me.