Used Legos for a Christmas gift

[rusty4]

I found some great Legos at a Thrift store today. I have no idea what sets they are yet (haven't had time to go through them yet) though I could tell one was basketball themed. Has anyone given used sets for a gift and if so how did you package it? Last year DS received used GI Joe's and it was his favorite gift besides the lego sets he got. For the GI Joes I separated the outfits and accessories into a fishing tackle box. I don't think that would work for all of these lego pieces though.

 

[CajunMomof3]

How about the pieces wrapped up with a Lego idea book? My son loves his idea book and reuses alot of the pieces he has from old sets...

 

[zoemurr]

for years.. until they got older and the lists were too specific. I had many friends ask if the kids missed the packaging.. nope, they never did. It was also much easier to play with toys when we weren't pulling all those stupid ties off.

I would just put them in a small rubbermaid box. You can always make a Lego decal for the side of it to make it fancy. My son has always preferred mixed boxes of lego to kits (and so does my wallet) so it was never an issue.

My DD is a huge reader and I would get stacks of books at garage and church sales for her to open at Christmas. She was always thrilled.

Great job on your find!

 

[LJSquishy]

Once you get them all separated out (if you decide to), you can purchase inexpensive clear plastic bins and even decorate the bins with special paint markers from a craft store with the child's name, or just simple designs like stars or dots. I don't know how many legos you have, but I would think the shoe box sized bins would work well. I'm not a lego buff so I don't know how large different sets are. You would still be able to either gift wrap the bins or put them in a huge gift bag.

 

[littlebit0863]

Can I have them? DS (3) is just getting into Legos and I have been searching for any NOT full price. I know they sell Lego sorters that sort your Legos from small, medium, and large. Maybe buy one of those and put the Legos in them?

 

[thebeesknees]

Walmart and Target sell Lego-themed clear colored boxes on their Lego aisle. They stack beautifully and come with a base plate. I think we've gotten about 4 now and they work great for my son to keep his sets separated. Star Wars goes in one, Hero Factory in another, etc. I believe they retail for about $10 each, but the baseplate alone is worth at least $5, so it's a decent deal.

 

[mymeme]

I think the Legos would be a great gift! I have bought so much at a thrift store for my grandson. I got hundreds of dollars of Thomas the Train stuff(engines, cars, tracks, houses) for just a few dollars. Also lots of Legos. It's just a matter of happening in right after they put it out.
Any of that kind of thing I get there that doesn't have batteries in them I put in soapy water with little bleach.

meme

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

Walmart and Target sell Lego-themed clear colored boxes on their Lego aisle. They stack beautifully and come with a base plate. I think we've gotten about 4 now and they work great for my son to keep his sets separated. Star Wars goes in one, Hero Factory in another, etc. I believe they retail for about $10 each, but the baseplate alone is worth at least $5, so it's a decent deal.

I was going to suggest this as well. They also have them at Toys R Us in various sizes/colors.

 

[luvmy3]

To my boys, and Legos are good Legos!
I would get those bins with the base plate and put them in those.

 

[funkychunkymonkey]

Time to go to the craft store and get a cubby thing.
http://images.search.yahoo.com/imag...b=13h02hhch&sigi=12hg9btob&.crumb=l6DvfBzRUlr
You could paint it all cool like and sort them by catorgies or colors or whatever! you could fill each seprate drawer and wrap it by itself too if you want to make your gift more to open. could also give him stickers to use to label the drawers. Perk for you: legos would have a home other than the floor/table/dresser/counter

 

[akcire]

I think the Legos would be a great gift! I have bought so much at a thrift store for my grandson. I got hundreds of dollars of Thomas the Train stuff(engines, cars, tracks, houses) for just a few dollars. Also lots of Legos. It's just a matter of happening in right after they put it out.
Any of that kind of thing I get there that doesn't have batteries in them I put in soapy water with little bleach.

meme

When I buy used Duplos (Legos are too small yet) for my daughter I put the Duplos in a lingerie bag and run them through the top rack of my dish washer. I am not sure how I learned to do this, but is has been highly effective. My friend uses panty hose to do the same thing with small legos.

I never gave "used" legos as a true gift, but years ago I was in the goodwill and I bought a 35 gallon rubbermaid tub full of legos and dozens of instruction sets for $1.99. We were new in our house and I knew the little boy two houses over liked legos. I was at the goodwill to pick up a few books to read. I did not do anything to the box. I even left the price tag on the box. I just walked them down to the neighbor kid and plopped them on his front step. He was the happiest kid ever. Seriously 8 years later he is in high school and still has the legos, and still talks about the day I gave him the tub. I am sure it helped that it was the beginning of summer and he had all summer to play with the legos. His mom said the tub weighed as much as he did.

If a kid is into legos, I don't think they will care if they are new or used. You could get one of the giant Lego, Lego containers that are sold at the Container Store. They are expensive, but cool. I have two of them to store the different Duplo worlds I have gotten for my daughter.

 

[rusty4]

Thank you for the wonderful ideas! I like the dishwasher cleaning idea as well. I have down the tub cleaning before. Alot of these have the stickers on them already so I wonder how to clean those without ruining the stickers. Maybe just spray those with lysol?

 

[okeydokey]

I would give away good used things that I had to others with younger kids, but I would never buy used toys and give them as actual gifts.

 

[tzeitel]

I would give them to DD as a gift but not other kids - DD & I could care less but we have some family members who are not into thrift stores as I am

 

[princesspwrhr]

My oldest is 14 and for her birthday last month one of her closest guy friends gave her his used lego sets that he "had no use for" anymore. She was thrilled!! He just tossed them in a shoe box and duct taped the heck out of it because it was funny.

For a nicer presentation you can get a box like everyone is talking about. You can add a lego book from the book store or you can download untold numbers of generic (and set) instructions free from the internet and print off your own idea book.

Personally, I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to find *any* legos at the Goodwill. I have 3 girls who play with them daily and I have never seen them in local thrift stores. :-( Of course our libraries have lego clubs and there are at least a dozen Lego leagues in our area so I'm sure other people are beating me to the goods if they ever show up!

 

[sarah4770]

i don't think I would give them as a Christmas gift. I would just give them now as a toy.

 

[a1tinkfans]

I found some great Legos at a Thrift store today. I have no idea what sets they are yet (haven't had time to go through them yet) though I could tell one was basketball themed. Has anyone given used sets for a gift and if so how did you package it? Last year DS received used GI Joe's and it was his favorite gift besides the lego sets he got. For the GI Joes I separated the outfits and accessories into a fishing tackle box. I don't think that would work for all of these lego pieces though.

ya know what...if this is for your own family member, I think you have more flexibility...many years ago, a friend of mine was going thru a rough patch...I remember very distinctly that she wold save the little toys from the kids meals (before it was taboo and you were guilted into getting fruit instead I digress) anyway, it was painful for me to watch...BUT that was what she could afford at the time, her kids LOVED those little toys and she basically sewed and crafted everything else...talking talent here and heartfelt gift giving....it was something that always stayed with me...she made it to good times again cheer2 part of that was moving away but it was Right for HER family and today her kids are just as well adjusted and HAPPY as everyone elses...
so OP, if you were lucky enough to find something that you can package up and present to someone that would love it, I say Why not!
have a great Holiday, and reUse, rePurpose away!

 

[Mom_Rides]

We always stored my DSSs Legos in a Rubbermaid tote. What a great find for you! My boys wouldn't have cares one bit if their Legos were new, used or tossed in someone elses trash so long as they could play with them!

 

[rusty4]

i don't think I would give them as a Christmas gift. I would just give them now as a toy.

They are for my son and I know that he will be thrilled with them. He loves to go to thrift stores and look for legos and GI Joes. I only bought them because they are parts of sets I know that he does not have and will be thrilled with.

Thanks to all for all of the wonderful ideas. I know that this will be the highlight of his gifts.

 

[swilshire]

We have always given gently used toys as gifts within our immediate family. I have no regrets because the kids got things we could have never afforded new.

I would personally much rather receive a repurposed gift than have my kids spend a lot of money on me. My 26yo daughter collects the Coke "red lids" for the reward points and gives me a box every Christmas. It's the annual chuckle every Christmas morning since she disguises them differently every year. I'd be disappointed if they weren't there. Last year for Christmas my husband took a painted seashell that we got at a yard sale and made a driftwood base to display it. Very inexpensive, but a nice surprise. The only one we haven't persuaded to stop spending money on us it the new SIL. We're working on him.

Sheila