Buddy, my older son is obsessed with two things – cars and LEGOs. When the free LEGO Jr. magazine shows up at the door, you would have thought the kid won the lottery if you had seen his reaction. This month was a bonus month because he also received the new LEGO store catalog in the mail – both magazines are currently sleeping in bed with him every night.
Side note: have you ever shopped at the LEGO online store? I swear, it is the best customer service ever, and many of their prices beat other big retailers, which was surprising to me.
Buddy has a birthday coming up and he has asked for some specific LEGO sets. The one he is absolutely pining over is “Olivia’s House”
So what’s the dilemma?
He wants this house so badly…it has a toilet, kitchen, grill, lawnmower, TV room, bedroom – the whole shebang. When Buddy plays with LEGOs he plays house – so the little LEGO guys go visit each other at each other’s abodes (the most random abodes you will ever see – a castle, surfer’s house, and space station), but the places aren’t furnished like the beautiful house Olivia lives in.
So why not just buy him the house?
He says he doesn’t want the pink blocks.
What’s a mom to do? Does she find spare blocks to replace the blocks that are not gender neutral? What would you do as a mom of boys?
I love that LEGO has created sets that encourage domestic play. While I do wish the colors were more gender neutral or that sets were available in the Friends colors and then a neutral color, I understand the marketing of the line to girls – I get it.
But when little boys would rather act out “families” and “home life” what do they do when the lines that are geared toward them all contain robbers, heroes, monsters, and aliens?
My four year old boy wants to play house – and I want him to – as this is the type of play that will help him develop the skills needed to become a good husband, good father, and good role model.
I want to know – what are you doing to encourage domestic role playing with your little boys? What can I do better here?
I wish legos were more gender neutral as well– I don’t understand why they have to be all pink or all robbers/cowboys. There’s no ‘in between’, and as a mom of both a boy and a girl I’m loathe to purchase two sets just for the colors. You are doing great by encouraging role playing. If he really wants the set, go for it– and if the pink blocks really bother him, perhaps consider using other colors. I know that means more money out of your pocket, but I think it’s fantastic he wants that set to begin with! In terms of raising kids to be great adults he’s well on his way, mama!
Thanks, Carrie! I can’t imagine the dilemma of buying 2 sets for your little ones because of the colors – I hadn’t even thought of that. Thanks for the encouragement…
Heather recently posted…Lego Love {and a 4 Year Old Boy Dilemma}
Have you seen the lego creator sets they are awesome with working lights. I would say they are gender neutral. I just saw them at the toy fair. My son 12 and my daughter 7 both plays with legos so we have both “boy” and “girl” sets in our home.. the kids do cross over. The challenge is how not to get my son to build all my daughters sets he loves any thing legos. If he loves this set buy it building is building regardless of colors. The set he want is fantastic when built.
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Thanks for the tip! I have not seen the Creator sets with the working lights…off to check them out now!!!
Heather recently posted…Lego Love {and a 4 Year Old Boy Dilemma}
They really do need to make things more gender neutral – though it doesn’t seem to bother either Princess Nagger or Little Dude – PN is a tomboy and prefers the ‘boyish’ colors and toys, whereas LD loves pink so he’s good with either. 🙂
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My son has played with these with his girl cousin and LOVES them! He has asked for them as well. Maybe try the one that’s a tree house? Less pink but still so fun!
carrie recently posted…Operation: FreeMom – Comparison is the Root of Evil
lots of things!
-We have a costume trunk with LOTS of gender neutral and gender specific costumes.
-Melissa & Doug sells fabulous blue castles that duplicate as houses
-Target sells inexpensive blue kitchens
-you help your kids create houses out of regular legos
-we LOVE these cardboard houses (you can buy at Michaels or AC Moore) that the kids can color and paint whatever colors they want. They last a few weeks and EVERYONE loves them. http://julieverse.com/2012/11/20/pretend-play-gift-guide/
-Playmobile makes a gender neutral house (looks like the one I’ve featured in the past is currently unavailable, but I’d definitely look at their offerings)
Julie recently posted…Beyond the Julieverse: February 2013
Do they sell any of the house items separately? We have a ton of the duplo sets and our daughter plays with all of them. Much like her mother, she seems content with any type of Lego. But I agree with Julie about the play sets that he has listed above. Or build a giant sized Lego house and he can construct his own appliances and furnishings.
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Thanks for all of these tips, Julie! We have a huge dress up center, a kitchen, tool center, M & D castle, and a cardboard house I made from a PBK box 2 years ago and still is going strong! I am going to look at the Playmobile items…that (like the M & D castle) might satisfy his craving for “doll house” like play.