how many of AFOLs play with their kids

[happymark]

I know many AFOLs even do not let their kids (sons/grandsons) touch their collection.

because kids (especially little ones) won't sort well after swoosh..

[CorneliusMurdock]

You just have to set some aside if you're to worried about sorting. I set a bunch of bricks aside and then let my daughter play with them and maybe a small thing like an airplane. Proper supervision is the key especially for the younger kids..

[Omega 8]

I let my kids play with all my stuff. No worries, it can be rebuilt (That's part of the fun!!)

[fred67]

I let them do whatever they want... sometimes they don't clean up (put away) up to my standards, but I'll never not let them play with the LEGO.

[def]

Why would I let my child play with my Lego?

[Izzy]

Hahaha Def!

I let my daughter (3) play with my Lego, it is easier for me to get some building time when she is playing along side me. She has a few of her own figs and such that she plays with by herself. But 99% of mine is open for her too. If she starts to touch something I am currently working on I just guide her to something else. "Look, here is a horse/pig/dragon."

[carnybaby]

Our lego collection is technically my daughters (aged six) who is helped by her little sister (aged 3) when it comes to making things.

The older girl likes little 'challenges' where i give her an idea and she makes it, after which we look at how to improve the design.

I make the odd thing on my own which she helps with, the latest being a lego optimus prime variant as ive always loved the idea of making one.

We have actually managed to finish a prototype model which works well but after seeing some of the amazing models people have posted online we know we can improve it alot!

Having two girls was also a good excuse for getting two of each of the daily mirror models recently (we ended up with as many as 4 of some as our tokens werent taken on collection so my mother in law used to fetch more! )

[Skafte]

My 2 year old son and I play every day with his Duplo, but that wasn't the question...

When I build in my LEGO space and he is there as well, he plays with a few Kingdom sets I got him. It is mostly putting swords and shields in hands of minifigs so far. However, since I currently work with a big Kingdoms display, I don't build with him present for the moment. If he wants to, he is allowed to handle other LEGO as well, I know he wont eat it or something...

[davee123]

I think it would really depend on how much LEGO you have-- if you've only got a 50,000 piece collection, it's not that big of a deal to let your kids play with it. But if you've got 500,000 pieces all nicely sorted and organized, you're not going to want your kids to have free reign. My friends with large LEGO collections seem to pretty much have rules about what their kids can do and what they can't do-- like, "Dad must be present if you want to play with the LEGO", or "You can do whatever you want with these unsorted bins".

DaveE

[Walter Kovacs]

I let my kids play with anything that is built. They are not allowed to pull out random pieces and build on their own. That's why they have their own LEGO.

My son loves to play with my Bionicle and Exo-Force sets. My duaghter doesn't seem to care for LEGO that much.

[Follows Closely]

I have 5 kids ages 9,7,5,4 and 4. We have about 1/3 of our pieces sorted, these are out of bounds to the youngest three. However, my oldest two have complete access to the sorted collection. We then have a tub of unsorted that we all, including the youngest can build from.

Some other Rules:

1. You can not break what you did not build.
   
2. You can not use the sorted until you have sorted.
   
3. Each kid has his/her own shelf to place their works in progress.
   
4. No biting.
   
5. No throwing.
   
6. LEGO stays in the basement. (It was taking over the house at one point.)
   

[Admiral Ron]

Some other Rules:

1. You can not break what you did not build.
   
2. You can not use the sorted until you have sorted.
   
3. Each kid has his/her own shelf to place their works in progress.
   
4. No biting.
   
5. No throwing.
   
6. LEGO stays in the basement. (It was taking over the house at one point.)
   

Sounds like the beginning of the Ten Commandments!

[charlieboy]

We are lucky enough to have a Lego room that my six year old son and I share. We have lots of sets out on dispaly -Atlantis, Powerminers, Star Wars, Castle, Exo Force etc...... up on shelving units, i have countless sorted boxes and draws that he knows to ask to play with as these are daddie's 'special' parts. Mostly though he is content to play with either the large town we have built or what we call "the big Lego!" It's a 4 foot by 2 foot chest full to the brim with 1000's of pieces. We tip the whole thing out onto a kingsize bedsheet and dive in! Its great fun playing Lego with my boy, can get frustrating when he has the parts I want however

[happymark]

Thanks all! Yes. I see some very good points.

It really pissed me off one day when I came back home and saw almost all starwars ships were broken (that's after a 3 boys playdate - 7 years old by the way)

I believe they had fun to swoosh and break them - that's the 'War', isn't it?. but fixing them is not. well maybe somebody think it is.

I think I need to set some rules and will let them play. I will ask them to put things back and help to sort..

I have 5 kids ages 9,7,5,4 and 4. We have about 1/3 of our pieces sorted, these are out of bounds to the youngest three. However, my oldest two have complete access to the sorted collection. We then have a tub of unsorted that we all, including the youngest can build from.

Some other Rules:

1. You can not break what you did not build.
   
2. You can not use the sorted until you have sorted.
   
3. Each kid has his/her own shelf to place their works in progress.
   
4. No biting.
   
5. No throwing.
   
6. LEGO stays in the basement. (It was taking over the house at one point.)
   

[brickzone]

I let my older nephew (3 and a half) play with some of my Lego while supervised - he loves playing with the RC trains. He also helped build some of Hogwarts Castle great hall (mostly placing ordinary bricks) which was a real treat for him!

The younger guy is a bit more crazy (and I mean more than the other nephew was when he was younger), but when he's a bit older I'm sure he can be supervised playing with some Lego. I won't be letting them loose on some things. Plus all Lego is stored out of reach though and anything lying around safely stowed away before a visit. Also for them to free-build (unsupervised and breaking/building rather than just play), I'll buy a nice big box of basic (they have Duplo for that when they visit at the moment, and they like to use all the bricks!) The new basic sets are fantastic value, bright colours and the added extras kids want like wheels, minifigs, etc. Perfect for early Lego building.

I look forward to sharing my Lego with kids of my own, but I'd hope to buy them their own Lego and mostly keep mine separate, having it for supervised play. Probably parting with extra bricks/minifigs too though.

Ultimately though it's just stuff and people are more important.

[Izzy]

Some other Rules:

No biting.

Good rule. No one wants their pieces to end up like this poor guy.

My daughter has asked to have a picnic using Lego cups, she pretends to drink out of them, but I drew the line when she wanted to try to put real tea in it. Even if it can only hold one drop!

[dr_spock]

After my kids touched to my Lego, I get to rebuild...

[Gryphon Ink]

I play with my 9YO. That was what started me on Legos in the first place, looking for an activity that we could share because I felt she was not getting as much attention anymore since our second daughter was born. It's good for both of us, I think. Mind you, I just started with this, and my entire collection is maybe ten sets. I am completely staggered by those here who have entire rooms full of bricks and full-sized towns.

I also build Duplo monstrosities with the 2YO, but those are her bricks, not mine.