Castle and Girls

[Solipsisto]

When I was growing up, I wanted a LEGO castle for Christmas every year. (Sadly, I never got one, but I did buy one with my own money one year.) My brother and I had always planned on passing our LEGO collection on to our own children some day, but our giant tub of LEGO was stolen by visitors to my parent's house when we were away at university.

After the birth of my niece two years ago, I've thought about starting a new collection, but I don't know what theme to focus on. I want something that my niece will enjoy, but something that boys will also like in case my brother or I have a son. I guess I could just wait, but I want to buy a Medieval Market Village now if castle sets would appeal to girls, as it is 1) completely awesome and 2) probably going to cost $1,000 on eBay in a couple of years.

So . . . do girls like the Castle theme?

[Sandy]

So . . . do girls like the Castle theme?

Of course we do! Next to Harry Potter and Orient Expedition, the "Fantasy Era" Castle theme is one of my favorites. Even as a kid, I always wanted one of those big castles, but we were too poor to get one back then. I've made up for that in the recent years, though.

And the Medieval Market Village is especially good for girls, because it depicts a civilian village, rather than one of those boring old battle-scenes. There's a large variety of minifigs, a whole horde of great accessories, and the buildings are enchanting too. It's not a little kids' set, though, the build is quite challenging and all the little pieces get lost so easily.

[Orcasek]

Well, I'm pretty sure girls can like anything a boy can like so yeah. And someone just stole your LEGO bricks? That's like a death penalty in my house.

[Stiel]

My wife also likes MMV a lot. So yeah, you are not alone with that.

If you want something less expensive, look out for this year's advent calendar. It's like a mini-village (without the buildings).

[Follows Closely]

The MMV was the first set I bought my two girls, ages 7 and 6 at the time. They very much enjoy it. They played with it for a long time as a doll house before it was taken apart and used as supplies to build the "Life Star" (The good guys Death Star). Now they are into Star Wars, well... and Toy Story, and castle, and pirate, oh, and town. Most themes have been enjoyed by my girls.

Buy the MMV and keep it in box for now. If you change your mind you can sell that for double your investment in 4 or 5 years.

[vynsane]

We got my 3.5 y/o daughter the small $10 'Bricks and More' sets from 2009, which are comprised of Fire Fighter Building Set, Pirate Building Set and Castle Building Set as well as the 2010 House Building Set, which I think gives her a pretty good feel for some of the mainstays of LEGO themes. She likes to play with my Space Police 3, Indiana Jones, Star Wars, Classic Space, Adventurers and World Racers sets as well.

While she loves the figures from all of them (it's awesome to see a knight, firefighter, alien, stormtrooper and pirate just chillin' with each other or chasing each other around in the roadster from 'Shanghai Chase', Luke's Landspeeder, and the bad guy's car from 'Wreckage Road') it seems like the castle was her favorite actual building, as it's the only one still standing. She's into Disney princesses like crazy somehow, even though we avoid watching those movies that often. Of course, she asks why Princess Leia isn't on the princess backpacks and stuff, so at least it's not a complete brainwash ;)

[fred67]

My daughter is 8, and on a recent day home sick (I had a holiday that wasn't a school holiday, for some reason), she actually came to me and asked if we could build a castle.

So... I'd say yes. She had also previously gotten some Belleville castle, too.

[Omega 8]

My daughters (almost 10 and almost 3) both love castle stuff... Like many above me in this thread, I have the MMV and they both enjoy the dollhouse aspects of the civillian buildings and the girls in dresses.

My youngest will routinely build a massive stack of duplo 2x2 bricks and carry it around calling it her "castle"

I think the nature of castle really lends itself to femine imagination.

Edited July 26, 2010 by Omega 8

[Muha83]

Yes. Some of my black falcon spent there holidays at my sisters Paradisa villa.

[Cammy]

I have only recently begun collecting Kingdoms LEGO and love it! I have the smaller sets at the moment, but I'd love to get the castle and the fort too. I have a few of those yellow castle building sets they just stopped bringing out, so I have a few extra knight minifigs to join my new Kingdoms ones. At the moment all these Kingdoms sets are going to be part of a medieval attraction in LEGO City, because I don't want to have to build another table. I really wish I had picked up my layby of the Medieval Market Village before it ran out, I'm in love with that set and I may never have it now.

[Zanki]

Yes, I always wanted one when I was younger, but when my mum eventually said she had the money to get me one, that lego football was all we could find in Legoland, so I didn't get one until I was 14/15. I think my oriental castle is my favourite set and I really want to get a medievil castle just to have something for them to fight with. Aliens and robots just aren't that good but still they are fun.