Son wants a $400 Lego set

[Pinkpony]

I was just coming back on to say this very thing!!! When I said it was for older Lego fans to display it I meant that in more ways than just cost.

You do realize this set has 3,800 + pieces!! That is almost 4000 pieces.
It will take hours just to sort them out to start putting it together. there is probably 2 books of instructions. There is no way a 7 yr old will do this without a tremendous amount of parental help. And it will take hours and hours of building. And also not simple building but the frustrating got to get it just right and hold it just so till you add the next piece building. And then when it is built he is going to have to be careful with it because who wants to start putting 4,000 pieces back together and sometimes when a certain section is disturbed you do have to go way back to fix it.

so if you do get it expect to spend a lot of hours putting 4,000 pieces together with him.

But that's half the fun of the challenge of Legos!

I've got great memories of watching DS master his Lego sets bit by bit.

Would you really want a $400 toy that was "finished" in a day? Think of the organizing skills you learn at that age by the sorting, the knowledge that is gained by learning to read instructions (they're very kid-friendly with examples), the patience that is learned, the pride one feels as a section is completed.

We had a formal dining room table that we rarely used for dinners, so that was usually the "project table." It's ideal to have a spot designated for it so that it's not disturbed and can be worked on piecemeal.

My DS put his first "large" project together at the age of 8. I was shocked at how well he handled it, so I think he could have handled it at 7 also. But everyone knows their own kid and what they are able to tolerate, so that's something you have to judge for yourself.

I agree, he needs to be a Lego freak to warrant it. I always knew what section of Toys R Us I could find my DS.

 

[PRmamiDEdos]

I have to say, they have some wild friends, and they have never touched them.

Many are up high. Some are suspended from the ceiling. Most are sprayed, so they can't be taken apart anyway.

I would be upset too if somebody took apart my Legos

What do you spray them with? What if it has moving pieces, like the track for the cart in the Indiana Jones sets? DS still likes to play with them, he just doesn't want them pulled apart.

 

[eeyoremum]

I was just coming back on to say this very thing!!! When I said it was for older Lego fans to display it I meant that in more ways than just cost.

You do realize this set has 3,800 + pieces!! That is almost 4000 pieces.
It will take hours just to sort them out to start putting it together. there is probably 2 books of instructions. There is no way a 7 yr old will do this without a tremendous amount of parental help. And it will take hours and hours of building. And also not simple building but the frustrating got to get it just right and hold it just so till you add the next piece building. And then when it is built he is going to have to be careful with it because who wants to start putting 4,000 pieces back together and sometimes when a certain section is disturbed you do have to go way back to fix it.

so if you do get it expect to spend a lot of hours putting 4,000 pieces together with him.

Think of the quality time this would be. Yes it will be hard but it is making memories of the time you spent putting it together.....priceless.

I would buy it but Christmas is always over the top at my house. I have always gotten my guys what they want + never went into debt to do it and never apologized to those who think it was obnoxious. So says she who is taking the kids on a cruise this Christmas if you can afford it go for it.

 

[hentob]

What do you spray them with? What if it has moving pieces, like the track for the cart in the Indiana Jones sets? DS still likes to play with them, he just doesn't want them pulled apart.

Spray adhesive (purchased at craft store). You can also glue each brick as you place it. Very tedious, but one of my sons has done it. Moving pieces (like the at-at Walker) take more time and not all pieces get glued.

 

[hentob]

Think of the quality time this would be. Yes it will be hard but it is making memories of the time you spent putting it together.....priceless.

I would buy it but Christmas is always over the top at my house. I have always gotten my guys what they want + never went into debt to do it and never apologized to those who think it was obnoxious. So says she who is taking the kids on a cruise this Christmas if you can afford it go for it.

I agree

As long as your bills are paid and you are comfortable with your retirement and savings, go for it!!

The minute the kids become bratty or start expecting it, no way But, for now, they are appreciative and gracious

 

[ilovejack02]

Well, the more I think about it, maybe I SHOULD wait a little bit. The last thing I want is to pay a FORTUNE for something and he ends up getting frustrated because he can't finish it. Maybe I'll get him one on e-bay after someone else gets tired of it.
Oh, well, I have a few more weeks to decide. DH kinda freaked when I mentioned it, so that's another roadblock.

I was going to come back and mention the same thing : ).

When DS8 asks for something that far out of his age range, I always point out the age range and let him know he needs to wait a little longer. Depending on how he does the next cpl of years with the Legos , that might be one I make him wait until he is 10 or 11 years old for. Santa also doesn't buy toys out of age range, I have always told DS.

 

[Oh Kay!]

My DS got one last Christmas; he was 9. He finished it in 3 days all by himself. He could have done it in 2 but he started to lose interest by the second day. Was he thrilled to have received it? Yes. Was I and DH happy to get it for him? Yes. Will I buy something like that again? Probably not. At the end, it really turned out to be a piece of decoration. He's now more interested in the Architecture series. I am just glad that Taj Mahal is no longer available!

 

[eeyoremum]

I agree

As long as your bills are paid and you are comfortable with your retirement and savings, go for it!!

The minute the kids become bratty or start expecting it, no way But, for now, they are appreciative and gracious

I agree wholeheartedly with this. Luckily so far my kids are grateful and appreciative

 

[Carlyzmom]

Really cool Lego set?? YES

Worth it for Christmas?? NO!

Could you help him save up for it? Maybe see if there are people at church or your work (or spouse/partner/family's work) that may need help with odd jobs through the winter (shovelling snow, cleaning off windshields of cars, etc.) and then again in the summer (pulling weeds, help carry groceries). For something of that size, I think it would mean more for him if he earns it. Even at 7, you could provide a great financial/life lesson here.

We barely spend $400 on our WHOLE Christmas, let alone 1 gift. But your finances aren't ours. If you can afford it and you want to do it, by all means, go for it. But I still believe that something to this magnitude should be earned.

Thank you for the wise words. I do agree with you. It may mean more if he saves for it. But, of course, only being 7, it may take a while! I did chuckle at the "snow shoveling" idea! We live in TEXAS, LOL. But, yes, I totally get your point.
As some other folks have pointed out, it would drive me NUTS to walk by a $400 toy and see it in shambles or with lost pieces!! Gah!!

 

[kwitcherkicken99]

Thank you for the wise words. I do agree with you. It may mean more if he saves for it. But, of course, only being 7, it may take a while! I did chuckle at the "snow shoveling" idea! We live in TEXAS, LOL. But, yes, I totally get your point.

[sorry, didn't see that... ] Stranger things have happened...

FWIW, there has to be something he could do for some extra cash! Too bad you don't live here in the snow belt!

As for it taking awhile - it'll be more worthwhile to him! Maybe see if some family members want to throw him GCs for birthdays/Christmas/special occasions to help the pile grow.

Heck, my cousin's daughter (would that make her my 2nd cousin?? I can't keep it straight...) recycled aluminum cans to raise money for a horse. She really wanted one, but there was no way the family was going to just get it for her. She had to earn it. My aunt put up an initial "investment" of $200 towards her total and the rest was earned through saving up cans. It took her a couple of years, but now, that horse is everything to her! The whole family chipped in to help her reach her goal!

ETA: she keeps the horse on my aunt's farm. She is the "sole" caregiver and comes out daily to take care of her. She also shows the horse for 4-H and has done so for the past 5-6 years. It's been a great thing for her!

 

[golfgal]

Keep an eye on the Black Friday sales and other Christmas sales. I remember back when DS18 wanted all the big Lego sets that often they would go on sale during Christmas. When the Star Destroyer was the big deal-it was in the $300+ range and we ended up getting it for $99 or so. It was almost like they had two versions of the Star Destroyer-the one on the Lego site never came down in price but we ended up getting his at Walmart (I think) for that price.

 

[Carlyzmom]

I was going to come back and mention the same thing : ).

When DS8 asks for something that far out of his age range, I always point out the age range and let him know he needs to wait a little longer. Depending on how he does the next cpl of years with the Legos , that might be one I make him wait until he is 10 or 11 years old for. Santa also doesn't buy toys out of age range, I have always told DS.

That's a VERY good idea! I didn't even notice the age range. I could easily blame it on Santa!!

 

[Carlyzmom]

[sorry, didn't see that... ] Stranger things have happened...

FWIW, there has to be something he could do for some extra cash! Too bad you don't live here in the snow belt!

As for it taking awhile - it'll be more worthwhile to him! Maybe see if some family members want to throw him GCs for birthdays/Christmas/special occasions to help the pile grow.

Heck, my cousin's daughter (would that make her my 2nd cousin?? I can't keep it straight...) recycled aluminum cans to raise money for a horse. She really wanted one, but there was no way the family was going to just get it for her. She had to earn it. My aunt put up an initial "investment" of $200 towards her total and the rest was earned through saving up cans. It took her a couple of years, but now, that horse is everything to her! The whole family chipped in to help her reach her goal!

ETA: she keeps the horse on my aunt's farm. She is the "sole" caregiver and comes out daily to take care of her. She also shows the horse for 4-H and has done so for the past 5-6 years. It's been a great thing for her!

Ha ha! Yeah, I will be 39 tomorrow and it has only snowed THREE times in my whole life!! And by snow, I mean about 2 or 3 inches. But it is a BIG DEAL here when it does! People skip work, school, etc. to play in the snow!

I do like the saving up idea. My DD recently bought her own $300 video camera. She is SO proud of it and LOVES it!

 

[Geoff_M]

Our kids have really liked Legos, and we own "gallons" of Lego pieces and just finally sold a ton of Duplos (the youngest child is 11) at a recent garage sale. However, we stopped buying expensive Lego "sets" when the oldest son was about 11. I realized that we were paying a steep premium for such sets, only to find the specialty pieces (from Star Wars sets mainly) scattered among the "general population" a few months later. Understandably, he'd build the set and later decide to make something else with the pieces and tear it apart. I decided that he could be just a creative with the "cheaper" regular pieces.

 

[LPZ_Stitch!]

I'm getting in a little late to this one, but here's my opinion.

As a kid, I was *hugely* into both Legos and Star Wars and this set would have been a dream-come-true for me!

First off; if you can afford it, and if he *really* likes Legos and Star Wars, I'd say get it.

*BUT* make sure that he understands that it will be *the* gift ... there won't also be extra games for his Wii and an iPod Touch and ... (you get the picture).

The Death Star, and some other small items, would be *it*! If *he's* cool with that, then I'd say go for it. If he *really* wants it, he's old enough to "sacrifice" other potential gifts to get the really big one. If he's just "meh" about it, you'll end up wasting $400!

 

[BeenHereB4]

Hey there. A little late to the party, but my son asked for this too. He is 10. He was told that if in fact he did get it, it would probably be all he got besides his stocking so that he shouldn't put it on his list unless he REALLY wanted it bad. Well, his list now does NOT contain the Death Star. He wanted the 20 mini figures, not so much the set.

Anyway, about the age, my son has always put together the older age lego sets. Until 2 Christmases ago when I got him that London ferris wheel thing. Well, he got so frustrated after hours and hours on it that he threw it down the stairs. LOL (yes, it was bratty and he did get in trouble, but ). We never did find all the pieces I don't think, but since then I don't get him anything that's too far beyond his actual age.

 

[pigletgirl]

Wow, I actually had to google this lego set because I almost didnt believe it!

Honestly, if you think your son could handle it, I see why not. Its definitely better than those awful xbox360 games, plus its a good challenge for him as well. He'll be so proud of himself when/if he finished it.

GL on deciding!

 

[Carlyzmom]

I'm getting in a little late to this one, but here's my opinion.

As a kid, I was *hugely* into both Legos and Star Wars and this set would have been a dream-come-true for me!

First off; if you can afford it, and if he *really* likes Legos and Star Wars, I'd say get it.

*BUT* make sure that he understands that it will be *the* gift ... there won't also be extra games for his Wii and an iPod Touch and ... (you get the picture).

The Death Star, and some other small items, would be *it*! If *he's* cool with that, then I'd say go for it. If he *really* wants it, he's old enough to "sacrifice" other potential gifts to get the really big one. If he's just "meh" about it, you'll end up wasting $400!

Well, he would freak out.....BUT he is only 7 and from what I am reading it may be a bit too much for him. Granted, he can easily put together hard sets. But 4000 pieces? If he got frustrated and gave up on it, I would be furious!!!

I like ideas I have heard to tell him Santa won't bring him gifts that are out of his age range. I think I may stick to that idea. AND when he gets older and still wants it, he can save up for it!

 

[Carlyzmom]

Hey there. A little late to the party, but my son asked for this too. He is 10. He was told that if in fact he did get it, it would probably be all he got besides his stocking so that he shouldn't put it on his list unless he REALLY wanted it bad. Well, his list now does NOT contain the Death Star. He wanted the 20 mini figures, not so much the set.

Anyway, about the age, my son has always put together the older age lego sets. Until 2 Christmases ago when I got him that London ferris wheel thing. Well, he got so frustrated after hours and hours on it that he threw it down the stairs. LOL (yes, it was bratty and he did get in trouble, but ). We never did find all the pieces I don't think, but since then I don't get him anything that's too far beyond his actual age.

I can honestly relate to your story! I would be so ticked if I spent the $$ and he was mad because he couldn't get it put together!

 

[LPZ_Stitch!]

I like ideas I have heard to tell him Santa won't bring him gifts that are out of his age range. I think I may stick to that idea. AND when he gets older and still wants it, he can save up for it!

My only concern would be; are you sure it will still be available when he's "age appropriate" for it? Sometimes these things aren't produced for long....

But, I totally get the whole problem with giving him something this special/expensive only to have it end up in a pile on the floor because it's "too hard" to build.

Honestly, only you know your son well enough to answer this question. It really depends on his affinity for Legos and Star Wars. Even at 7, I don't think that anything in the world could have prevented me from building this!