please tell me at what age your children really got into small lego? Playmobil? Dolls house? ...and sugest ideas for 4 year old boy birthday.

[Astrophe]

I mean really into them,not just dabbling for 10 minutes a day.

See its DS's 4th birthday soon. We have lots of 'house' playmobil in the dollshouse, ad well as a car and campervan, and we have lots of lego. I'd beein thinking we'd get him a few more bits to add to those sets - maybe playmobil pirate or castle type things. But now I'm thinking about it more, I realise he doesn't actually play with lego ot playmobil that much. He likes them, but they don't really grab and absorb his attention.

So my question is, is this they year he will really get into these things? Or does the fact that he (and DD, age 5, for that matter) hasn't really got into them yet mean they will always be slow burners and I should opt for something else?

Other sugestions? I'm vaguely thinking of garage, but my parents have one the DC can play with at their house, so not sure its the best use of money either.

Thanks

[SofaQueen]

DS1 started paying with small lego at 4, but really got mad about them more towards 5 years old. Judging from the rest of the boys in his class. it was more towards 5 that they got into Lego also. If he doesn't - it doesn't mean that he's a slow burner, just not that into Lego.

You might just have missed the garage age (for DS, it was more 2-4), so you might not get much use out of it.

DS and his friends were into rockets, power rangers, scootering, ben 10, and star wars (starting). Popular Playmobil toys (which continue to be played with) are the airplane/airport, pirate ship, and castle.

Go with the interests of your son - is there something he really enjoys right now?

[Astrophe]

thanks sofa...good to know that maybe lego will have its day some time soon . just to clarify - was saying that the lego and playmobil might be 'slow burners' (as in, never hugely popular), not my ds and dd!

DS currenty like dinosaurs (but has a few of the shleich ones already - he makes caves for them in the sand pit), and likes matchbox cars. I have bought him a car mat from DD. Apart from that he also likes scootering, football, drawing...was thinking maybe an easel but we don't really have the space.

So playmobil starts being popular when?

[Astrophe]

oh and thanks for the headfs up re the garage - might give it a miss then as they are pretty dear.

[SnowMuchToBits]

My ds started getting into small Lego and Playmobil at about 4 - 5. The other thing he had when he was 4 which he played with quite a bit was a large wooden fire engine with firemen and accessories. But now (he is 9) he doesn't play with it, but still plays with Lego and Playmobil (especially Playmobil) all the time.

[Seeline]

My DS was really into Playmobile from 4 and still loves it (now 8) really loved firestation and police, as well as pirates. Lego has also always been popular - he has always mixed the two things together, and rarely keeps the Lego kits as they 'should' be! It drives me mad but keeps him happy!! At that age he also really enjoyed the Kiddi K'nex sets, and has now progressed to the more advanced sets here

[Astrophe]

k'nex - thanks will look at them.

any thoughts re meccano?

[MrsJohnDeere]

Ds1 is just getting into small Lego at 3.8. He needs help with some of the fiddly pieces.

Playmobil he dabbled with at 2.5, but only really started playing with it properly at 3yo.

He seems to have outgrown the garage phase. I bought him one for Christmas, joint present with ds2, and he's barely touched it (thankfully ds2 does like it). 2-3 yo seems to be the key age for these ime.

They're all different though. My nephew (nearly 6yo) was very keen on trains and cars and not much else until recently, but is just now getting into Lego in a big way.

[Astrophe]

and what about dolls houses? When did your DCs get into them?

[SofaQueen]

Not meccano! DS1's godfather purchased the robot for him for his 4th birthday, and I spent hours building the blasted thing, only for DS to have no interest in it. Part of the problem was that it was for a much older age group. Another friend purchased an age appropriate meccano set which DS1 as never even touched. I think meccano is just not as user friendly as Lego.

[Astrophe]

so not even this kiddie meccano you think?

www.yogee.com.au/meccano-build-play-plane-p-2874.html

[Astrophe]

little bump - any other thoughts?

[worzella]

my ds loved the age 4 meccano - and then at 5 could build it really quite independently. A big Playmobil hit was Blackbeard's pirate ship!

[Pluto]

My DS really started to enjoy his Brio at around the age of 4. Before then he needed a lot of help with constructing the track but once he got to school age he was much more confident in doing more complex layouts himself. I don't think he really started on little lego until he was closer to 6 (some time in Y1). He never liked Playmobil.

Dr Who will probably be the next big thing for little boys, what with the new Doctor and new series starting. But maybe not 4 year olds.

[Francagoestohollywood]

Dd is 5 and a half and getting into playmobil, sylvanian families now.
Ds is 7.5 and still not that into lego. He plays playmobil and sylvanian with his sister, but he still prefers playing with his knights and wooden castle, which he got into when he was 4.

[Astrophe]

thanks heaps everyone.

Looks as though Playmobil might come into its own closer to 5 years then, so maybe will leave that for next Christmas or b'day.

Looks like we are a bit too late for a garage!

Might get him a 4 year olds meccano set and will look at k'nex next time I'm at the shops (don't really know what they are)