Introduction to Lego Technic

[slungshot]

Hi all, I was looking at the new themes that came out this year other than Technic and I looked into the Nexo Knights. When further looking into this theme I saw that there are many Technic elements in these sets and it got me thinking on how Lego introduces Technic sets into younger kids. Going from the bricks but slowly introducing Technic pieces into the sets, allowing the kids( or adults) to learn about a more advanced building system. This got me thinking and wondering how everyone went from the classic bricks into a more advanced system of Legos.

For me it was Exo-Force that did the transitioning between bricks to Technic pieces, and later that year when 8275 came out Technic had taken over and got me hooked to where I am today.

[Aqualize]

I got my first Technic sometime in the early-mid 90ies. I guess I just got some as a present. Some of the space lego used technic elements but mostly only for coupling different things. Yes I noticed that in later years the themes have much more technic elements. Guess it is smart decision so that kids will be aware of and good at transitioning to Technic when they get older. I'm not such a big fan of the cheapest Technic sets today so if the other themes gradually get kids hooked I like it.

Still remember when mom and I went to buy the 8868 Air Tech Claw Rig, my first and only big Technic set as a youngster. I was so afraid that the store would deny mom from buying it because I was a few years younger than the age recommendation (in my mind: strict limit) so I hid away far from the cashier.

[Lipko]

Young kids can handle Technic just fine, I don't think they need to be introduced slowly.

BTW I don't remember which was my first Technic set, but I got 8865 at the age of 7 and 8880 at the age of 9 and I could build it just fine. I built the 8837 on a bus (on the way from Italy or France to Hungary, I can't remember) at the age of 6 or 7.

[syclone]

My first set was a Technic one - the 8281 tractor,I was 4 years old and I still enjoying it

[Smurfs]

This is my first post here as I just joined couple of days ago (from across the pond). This is a good post for me as I was thinking how I can better transition my son from basic Lego brick building to technic. He loves free play with the bricks and he is 8. I started him off this Christmas with the 42029 (Pick-up Truck). This set was a little advanced for him. He did OK building it and following instructions but didn’t get the gear switching right. I also helped him automate it so he can remote control the truck around the house. I felt he got what we were doing and with some practice, he will get it. However, I feel I should have started him off with something a little more basis like 42037. That unit is probably easier to modify (something he can do). The pick-up truck is big and has lot more pieces. I was thinking about undoing the pick-up truck and have him make whatever he wants out of it (MOC is it?). I think with some practice and encouragement the sets can be completed by kids under the recommended age.

Now, I must say I have enjoyed reading some of the reviews and seeing what some of you do with “free play”. I will not tell you how many sets I have purchased over the past few weeks (a lot) but I plan on starting 42043 shortly and seeing if my son can help me. A way to get him interested in something BIG.

If anyone has ideas on how to best engage or foster creativity from a young one, please do share.

[keroro]

Mmmm...i think my first set was Lego 2129...A sort of Drag, but the L-joint broke in the next weeks. I remember a lot of gaming with 8244, very nice set with a lot of options.....it's incredible but it's 20 years ago....

[RohanBeckett]

Since that's what *I* played with.. my son pretty much started straight into technic.. (after a year or so of Duplo)

he loved clicking the pins together.. and messing with axles and wheels.. and eventually at age 4 or so.. was able to build most of this set:

I'd find all the parts for each step, and he'd do the building... He honestly did around 90% of this truck himself, with my guidance - occasionally pointing out orientation of a part, or assembly, which wasn't clear on the instructions..

He's now almost 6, and of course, plays with regular lego.. but it's rare to see a construction of his that doesn't have at least a couple of axles, and gears...

Edited February 8, 2016 by RohanBeckett

[Aqualize]

Young kids can handle Technic just fine, I don't think they need to be introduced slowly.

BTW I don't remember which was my first Technic set, but I got 8865 at the age of 7 and 8880 at the age of 9 and I could build it just fine. I built the 8837 on a bus (on the way from Italy or France to Hungary, I can't remember) at the age of 6 or 7.

I wasn't thinking of if they can handle it or not, more that if the product lines are kept strictly separate perhaps many kids don't get any technic sets because they get the regular studded lego and then goes into their dark age.

[andrewganschow]

My first ever lego set was 42009, I had a bucket for random standard bricks when I was little, but that whole bucket disappeared. I saw 42009 in Google images while doing research for class. I fell in love with technic and never looked back.

[dr_spock]

I got my first Technic set after I returned from the Dark Ages. I think the Technic elements in younger kid sets are there to enhance playability and structural integrity. Not so much to get them interested in Technics. My daughter could follow instructions and assemble Technic sets when she was in elementary school. She wasn't interested in Technics. She is more of a Ninjago girl. classic:

[JGW3000]

My kid, now 8, had no trouble with technic from age 6, but since I only gave him smaller sets, wasn't much of an issue. With the parts from his Technic sets plus Technic parts available from other themes he has made some fairly nifty designs. Some of his friends, however, are not interesting in MOCs but just build according to the directions. I think that how a child takes to any type of toy or device or sport, for that matter, is highly dependant on the child's interests and influences (I'm a engineer in product development and prototyping, so guess what my kid likes to do - we don't let him near the burners, yet). However, his sister is more into system builds and working with bricks, not Technic, so go figure...

[Matt The Tuba Guy]

My introduction to Technic was Bionicle. I started collecting around 2002. In 2004, I started to get the larger Bionicles, which has a lot of Technic beams and other generic Technic parts (this was before Bionicle started moving towards sets consisting of large complex parts)

I think it was the end of 2004 (boxing day sales probably), I got 8434 (the black and dark silver airplane), and 8386 (the Ferrari 1:10 F1 car)

Bionicle is pretty much an extension of Technic anyway, so it is not too surprising that I moved to Technic!

My first flagship Technic set was 8421, the big mobile crane.

After this, I continued to get Technic and Racers sets. I continued to collect Bionicles until 2006 (according to Bricklink, I have 72 unique Bionicle sets, with quite a few doubles, so the total is over 100)

My 'dark age' would have been the year of 2007. The only Technic set I got that year was 8271. (still my only Technic set from that year)

From then on, I have got most of the Technic sets from each year.

It wasn't until 2014 that I started collecting sets other than Technic.

In the local brick show that year, I won the engineering prize for building an (almost) 10m high tower out of Technic. (one of the reasons I built the tower was because, the previous year, Ryan McNaught displayed his 5.5m high Saturn V rocket, which was the 'tallest Lego Structure in the Southern Hemisphere' so of curse I had to beat it!)

The prize was 60026 Town Square, a city set. Henrik Andersen, the designer of that set was there, so I now have a signed set, which is pretty sweet!

Since then, I have collected quite a lot of Creator Expert (modulars and the Architectural models). The building techniques are very different to Technic, although there is a surprising amount of Technic in some of those sets!

I still collect Technic because I have invested so much into it so far, I have to keep updated with the latest parts (the new huge turntable in the BWE will come in useful for example!)

[racedees]

My introduction to technic was the 8020. Since then I was hooked. I saved all the money I got to buy other sets. After buying the 8862 I somehow lost interest, and the darkages started.

But somewhere in 2013 I bought the 9391, a very nice set. Soon after i bought the 9391 I saw the 8043 for cheap at a store for only € 125,-. Couldn't resist and that's where virus returned harder then ever before. Since that set many followed. On this day I own 29 studless tecnic sets and 7 studded technic sets from the time before my darkages.

Probably many will follow in the future.

[emielroumen]

Hi there!

I've picked up Lego over a year ago again when I bought myself the 42009 set (as a present).

The set before that crane was the 8880 Super Car back in 1994, almost 21 years ago. I own the Test Car, Car Chassis, Robot, original Control Center and more of the original brick sets.

I did buy the 8479 Barcode truck as a X-mas present in '97 but had not actually used it since.

The excellent GMK 6400 MOC on EuroBricks triggered me and I manage to buy enough parts - and found enough time - to make a good copy of that crane (without suspension). I'll post photos of the beast later once my brickself account is good.

To date I did construct the following MOCs: 42009 ultimate, 42009 Model D Mr. Tekneex, 42009 Model C Designer Han, GMK6400 (without suspension) and Jurgen's Backhoe V2.

I already bought 42009 Model C and 42030 Model C Mr. Tekneex, and the Articulated Hauler by Designer Han. When I have enough time - and money - I will also have a go at Jurgen's Manitou Telehandler although in different colors.

Thanks for having me here :)!

Added:

Backhoe V2: bricksafe.com/pages/emielr/backhoe-v2

GMK6400: bricksafe.com/pages/emielr/gmk6400

Edited March 6, 2016 by emielroumen