groovybug

Thank you everyone for your input. 1.I'm thinking of how to help him find pieces quickly, rather than being tidy, because sometimes it takes him a long time just to find a hinge. But I can see that being over-organised is hard to maintain for a child. I'm trying to find the right balance. Maybe just a few main categories, but not sure what those should be. 3. Are second hand sets always cheaper though, especially when they have been retired? I can see some retired Ninjago sets being sold for higher than retail. So I'm still trying to figure out should I accumulate sets when they are still being sold (at retailers with discount), or its okay to buy them later whenever a birthday/holiday comes up.

My 6 year old son really gets into his Lego lately, and I have found it so enjoyable playing Lego with him. I can see countless amount of money and time spending in the years to come. I'm trying to do some research, however would much appreciate your advice how to start with Lego on the right foot: What is the best way to sort out bricks? I can see many experienced builders sort bricks by colour. But is this also the best way for beginners? We are not seasoned MOC builders. We are starting with a dozen small/medium sets, he likes to build it up, play for a while and then break them all up and try to make something of his own. I'm thinking sorting by brick types (standard, slope/curve, hinge/joint, jump, decorative ..) might be more helpful? Related question: Are all parts available from Pick A Brick or some we can get only from buying certain sets? Are things generally cheaper used? (I don't mean to talk about highly collectible sets, just common sets). There are many sets available now that we like (for example the Ninjago Movie sets). However I don't want to buy all at once for him, but afraid that once they are retired, the price might shoot up. Especially most of the current sets are available at some discount (20-30% on Amazon or Smyths). What is your advice on this? Care to share some of your most favourite starting sets? Any advice, experience to share for beginners, and how to help children learn all much appreciated. Thank you!