Used Legos for a Christmas gift

[MrJavArmy]

If you have a large enough collection of random Legos, I would suggest a sorter. My son has a set and my daughter will likely get a set for birthday. The Lego store makes a large sorter that holds as much as most Lego boxes. That's what I'll be pushing for if they get any more Legos since it will make it easier for them and they are less likely to dump them looking for specific small Legos.

 

[luvsmickeymouse]

What a great gift that will be for him! I love the way that you did the G I Joe gift as well, with a tackle box for the accessories.

 

[kayrosek]

I think it's a great idea and I love the idea of boxesor bins to seperate them out. If they are in complete sets I would get individual boxes for each set and then print a picture of that completed set off the internet and glue it on the lid. Withplastic boxes you have apermanent storage place and just like with the original packaging the picture tells your son what he's receiving (not to mention where to put it away). I have no problem with thrift store gifts for my children. There have been many years that they have gotten books of that brand name hoodie that I found at a thrift store. This yearI bought some kids whole footbal card collection (boxes worth) for 10 dollars at a yard sale. I put a few of them in his Easter basket and have given him some when he's gone to the hospita bur one of his big christmas gifts this year will be a whole bunch of them sorted into clear page protectors for cards and put in a large three ring binder that I decorate. Im also on the lookout for a like new Cheifs sweatshirt to package with a new football for another one of his Christmas gifts. I figure if I had to spend 50 or 60 dollars to get that same sweatshirt he'd get less for Christmas and at least with my son he'd rather have more of the things he wants than to have them all new.

 

[DisneyCrazyX5]

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.

My boys love the boxes too. The boys use them to hold the pieces of the set they are working on.
http://www.toysrus.com/product/inde..._clickid=710e791e-6ece-7bc8-1309-00005e6d8149

 

[undertheradar]

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.

 

[undertheradar]

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

 

[3boymthr]

I would definitely have give them to my kids when they were younger. I'd not try to give them as sets though unless you have all the instructions and want to build them yourself before gifting as there is a very good chance one or more pieces is missing (I can't tell you the number of times I've sucked up one of the teeny tiny pieces in the vacuum - even when I've thought they were all off the floor). Instead I'd sort them into small chinese food type containers by color - similar to what you get at the Lego Store when you buy the pieces in bulk.

 

[uscgmouse]

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.

What about a large tupperware or a box they could be stored in. You could paint it all up with "LEGO" on the side or something. I don't think the kids miss the packaging to the items. It is less of a mess and faster to get to the gift if it doesn't have to be removed from the cardboard box.

I buy used all the time. Last year I bought ALL of my sons Christmas gifts at a consignment sale. I already snagged a used train table for this Christmas.

 

[englishteacha]

I gave my nephews gently used Lincoln Logs several years ago. I washed them in HOT water with a bit of bleach in the bathtub, and got a nice Rubbermaid bin to put them in. They weren't any type of set, just the logs. Now they're older, I'm scouting for Legos and other types of building toys gently used. If you know the sets are complete, you could put each set into a heavy-duty Ziploc, then put all the Ziplocs into a bin of some kind.

 

[jedijill]

My brother and SIL hunt for big ticket items on Craigslist and then refurbish them and give them to my niece and nephew for birthdays/Christmas. They've found a Barbie Jeep and John Deere Gator for much less than retail (plus lots of other stuff!)...the kids don't care, they just enjoy playing with them! I see no reason why you can't give "used" stuff for gifts...I bet the kids don't care where they came from!

Jill in CO

 

[FLmomof6]

Our collection of Lego's began 16 years ago. Most of the sets are now mixed in with the MANY tubs of bulk Legos we have purchased or the kids received as gifts. My kids wouldn't care if they were new or used. I have never had the opportunity to purchase them used, but I wouldn't hesitate to do so. As soon as your child plays with a new set, it is used anyway. Just use a little bleach in hot water, rinse them using a colander and dry on a towel on the counter top OR dry them using a blow dryer over a handful at a time in the colander, so water left in them won't create mold inside.

One thing I did purchase used was a train table on Craigslist for $35. I refurbished it, then filled the drawers with Lego's, placed the remaining Lego's in tubs that are stored under the table. My 8 daughter and 10 year old son spend hours creating and building at that table. (10 year old is getting pretty good, he has designed working vending/candy machines, water dispenser, mini trash compacter and "guns" that shoot his sisters hair scrunchies across the living room )