Sarah

Being told they "Should" like the set doesn't seem to have helped Belville or Paradisa succeed. To some extent, isn't it belittling of a girl's choices to imply they can't make their own choices, but only do what someone else says they should? While accepting that kids that choose regular Lego ARE making their own choices? Like I said, I had Lego growing up. Hot Wheels (I wish they still had sets like the ones I had. It seems like it folded up and had a few things for the cars to do, as well as run them around the track up and down.) I had a whole shoe box of them. I played with Star Wars figures at a friend's house but never had any of my own (didn't desire any either, though I certainly jumped on the Space Lego set when I had the money for it. OTOH I didn't see the movies until they came out on TV). I had a magic set, Erector sets, as well as my dolls. I had the entire range of toys except for not army men/guns. I don't recall being interested in those. I had a 100-in-1 Radio Shack Electronics set, a chemistry set, and still use the voltmeter that I made from a kit with my dad. All of these were my choices. Both of the dolls I played with and the science toys and the cars and the Legos. It was all my choice. I did NOT run around outdoors. That was not my choice. I prefered staying indoors and reading. About the only kind of outside play I enjoyed to any great extent was swimming. -- we did LOTS of that in the summer.

I am not sure I agree with "as many fans as Star Wars" I know quite a few fans of Star Wars that are not fans of the Simpsons but I can't think of any of the opposite offhand. Though this might be a factor in the circles I run in. However, I can see how, if they make a nuclear power plant, or a monorail, it would appeal to folks who don't care much for the Simpsons aspect.

Zula: That's great -- for the girls who liked the existing Lego sets. But evidently there's a huge market of girls who were NOT that interested in the existing set but like the new line. If they can have different lines of Lego for those who like Star Wars, LoTR, superheroes, etc. Why not have some to appeal to a different untapped market? Even if their existing sets already appeal to some girls? Certainly the Friends sets seem to have a market of its own because they are selling VERY well. Even if it is just selling VERY well to folks who would have bought other Lego sets -- they are obviously choosing to buy these sets instead. Growing up, I bought some Lego sets like a fire station, space ship, etc. But if I'd had the choice? I would have preferred these sets. Sets that have the roleplay potential mixed together with the ability to make minor modifications to make them fit what you want. I bought what was available but that would not have prevented me from buying THESE instead if they had been what was available. I was lured into Lego using the Farm set (190?) and the Homemaker Kitchen and Bathroom and even now, all these days later, those are the sets with the most memories attached. I built the sets and then played inside of them. Later on, what I remember better is using the Lego minifigs as dolls in my dollhouses and Barbie doll (Size. We weren't allowed to have actual Barbies but had Skipper, Jenny, and other dolls) play. So evidently Lego is right in a way, even for this girl who actually had quite the collection as a kid.

Which sets are you talking about where the minifigs were the same size? The homemaker sets? Paradisa and Belville evidently didn't do very well.

Well... in July I drove 45 minutes across town to the nearest Lego store and spent 90 minutes there with my 2 year old to figure out how to get my total to $75 for the hot dog stand. (Oh and I bought the SUperhero set for $5 more at the Lego store instead of Amazon)

What is the difference between a grocery and a supermarket? I would like to see more food. A supermarket/grocery could give an opportunity to put lots of different kinds of food in. Also a cart I'd also like to see the Kindergarten/Daycare just to get smaller Minidolls. (Otherwise... I am wondering if minifigs might substitute for little kids in the Friends world. They are rather big though...) The friends are just the right size/age for babysitting after all. And taking care of younger siblings. And once you have younger kids, you can branch out to car seats and playgrounds and a nursery and putting the little kids in the grocery carts. Instead of a zoo, I'd almost rather see separate sets for the different animals, over time. Then you can gather the animals you want in your zoo and make it as large or small as you'd like. Something to bring more bicycles in would be good too. A library. They really need a library for kids to check out books and hang out at. :) No mall needed. They have lots of individual shops already. Maybe a large department store then let folks put existing sets together to make their own mall. Definitely a hospital -- not for the gift shop and such. But beds that can be used for patients, tools, etc. in Friends scale. Don't forget the hospital nursery/NICU for babies! And a doctor's office for more mundane issues. Is there a hairdresser/haircut salon yet? Costume party! One thing I really miss in minidolls is there is no way to "change their clothes" -- For this reason I'm not even sure how a clothing shop would work. Fancy hats would though.

My son is turning 6 and we were looking for birthday gifts for him. I picked up this set as his second Star Wars set. 1. He's not seen the movies yet. He just thinks the Star Wars sets look the coolest. 2. I wanted to be sure he got a ship that was in the age 7+ category, NOT 8+ because these will be his first regular Lego sets -- everything else has been Duplo. I ended up with this set over the A-wing because 1. It was on sale for just $3 more than that ship 2. The droid figure I also think my son is going to love the two alien looking figures as well. but I wanted him to have a mech and decided to go with the Desert Skif for the other set over the Droid escape so this gives that. I think he's going to LOVE the cockpit ejector aspect though!

Fantastic to hear. My son is turning 6. He's never seen the movies, but after looking at all the themes, declared he likes Star Wars I picked up this set because I think he's really going to enjoy having minifigures be dropped dwon into the jaws, and then they click shut over them!

All of the CMFs have these neat plates that can be used to display any figure you want. But if a figure comes on a motorcycle, is "iconic" with a bicycle/motorcycle, how would you display that?

I LOVE the dead soldiers in the Pirate Ship set! And I do love the scene. I think its the first real acceptance Aragorn showed of being KING. I wish those dead soldiers were in a less expensive set though!

When we were looking around for names for our daughter, I noticed that an awful lot of the girl names we liked ended with the "a" sound, even if spelled different (like my own -ah) Many of those that didn't, were "ie/y" at the end (And this is the way our own Ruth's nickname goes - -Ruthie)

I've recently seen a rash of posts about older houses that have a restroom right off the kitchen too. So long as there is a door, it doesn't bother me :)

I've got my Homemaker figs. I need my Homemaker minifigs -- the kids! The little girl with the blue and black hair and the red haired little girl in white. And btw, these sets have PLENTY of studs -- they just cover them up with tile afterward. There are lots of 1x pieces in these sets. Even some really long ones. But really? The firehouse? Same thing. Less tiles but lots of 1x bricks

Those Minifigure Collection sets are really cool. You say those were out just last year?!!! Wow. In any case, I was convinced my son needed minifigures. And I, at least, need my Homemaker minifigures in particular. They have a special place in my heart. So I've used Bricklink and am waiting on invoices. Thank you! I'd never have found that site on my own. (and I was able to find them for prices I was willing to pay. If the Homemaker figures had been $10 each, I might have got just them. For any more, special place or not I'd have had to make do with the abundance that is out there now)

Good to know caperberry, I LOVE the Homemaker sets. They (and set 190) were my gateway into loving Lego. Lots of roleplay potential.

Also known as: I discovered my old Lego box has NONE of the minifigures in it. What do I do now? My son's main gift from us for his birthday this year (Age 6) is my old Legos. I got to wondering "What if they molded in all these years (more than 10) I haven't had them open. What happens if they are slimy, or in other ways unusable. " So last night I opened them up and enjoyed the memories. There are lots and lots of pieces there. Most of the instruction manuals (The kitchen manual, at least, is missing. But I found that one online). I don't know if all the pieces are there because I didn't start to put them together. The old homemaker figures are there. (The ones you put together 2x4s and other blocks) But I don't have any of the minifigs! Not the kids in the Bathroom and Kitchen sets. Not the firemen and not the space men neither. I know why. It's my fault. I used the minifigs with my Barbies and my doll house play. So they got stored away from the Lego. Who knows where. By now they may even have been given away. But I am bummed and trying to figure out what to do for figures for my son. Maybe he won't need any? Buy current day figures -- but for some of these I need KIDS, not adults. Try to scrounge stuff up off ebay? (Set 190 is fine because it has no minifigures, just the build them up kind)

Has anyone used the LEgo suitcase-like boxes for storages of a small amount of LEgos? My son is getting his first Legos for his birthday (age 6) and I'm trying to make the storage solution something he can handle. The wooden box my dad made for me as a kid will be too heavy for him to handle. But I'm seeing many of these plastic Lego suitcases on ebay for affordable prices. But I am not finding reviews. (Lego Set 190 Farm Set, 6382 Fire Station, and two modern day Super Hero sets that I know of for sure. Minus the old minifigures because they weren't in the box with my old Legos. Maybe the Kitchen and Bathroom (269 and 261) sets too. Any suggestions are welcome. Thank you.

How are the capes holding up, especially if you have Legos that you let younger kids play with. Do I need to be concerned about them tearing at the head hole?

Can I squee! here? I LOVE so many of these! The bag from Grandma is the same mold they are using in the Friends line! I want the Bavarian lady (With the Pretzel) and I guess I'll need to find the guy to go with her now too. And Gingerbread Boy. And the elf with teddy bear. And the Mountain Climber (for a rope for Samwise, as mentioned). And the Lady Scientist! And Grandma. And maybe the robot if I decide she really could have been made by Olivia. Not the Scarecrow though :( I had high hopes when I first read about him but this picture doesn't fit them. Not sure about the waitress. Maybe for the roller skates and the ice cream and the platter. I'm not so fond of her though.

I saw a few "make your own" advent calendars in the threads here from last year. Perhaps folks who want the Hobbit one could do that? I'm considering if I can do something like that with Duplo for my youngest since I'm thinking of getting a Lego calendar for the oldest and age 2 is just a mite young for the Friends calendar.

DS's name is Theodore He was born just a couple of weeks after the last Harry Potter book was released... in which "Teddy" was born. (Teddy being a common nickname for Theodore) Truthfully, he was not named for the HP character. We had the name picked out already. But we certainly didn't mind the connection. And so far, though he's been asked many times if he was named for the Chipmunk, no one has ever said anything about HP (OTOH he isn't to the age where they read that series either) DD has no fandom connections in her name despite our geekiness. She does have a close-age friend whose name is Aurora though (in that case the little girl was named after a Canadian brand of tire, evidently)

Thank you. I had no idea there was so much bad blood between the two licenses :( I'll have to go back and watch the end of the third movie then because other than remembering that it is vastly different than the books, I don't recall it off hand. Maybe I can get the Hobbit Bag End and put together my own end set.

Which sets was Samwise Gamgee available in? Anything other than the Battle with Shelob? did they do any sets for the end of the books -- the rebuilding of Hobbiton -- and which version of LoTR are they going with? the books or the movies?

When do Lego Advent Calendars start coming out? I know they sell out fast and want to be sure I get one early for DS this year. Do you think there is going to be a Chima calendar? Chima is his favorite theme, with Superheroes a close second. I know there will be a City and a Friends calendar, at least, and probably Star Wars from what I remember in the past.