Do You Love Legos?

I love legos and we have duplos right now for my 3 year old.
However, I do get your problem. I never thought I wouldn't be into it, but I have a really hard time helping her with her imaginative play (dress up, pretent, that stuff) my DH is much better at it and it was hard for me to accept that I just really don't want to play pretend with her.
I on the other hand love doing crafts with her, I have her help me cooking and we do puzzles and games...
It's ok not to be into everything your child is into... I find if they really enjoy it they will find someone other to play with or just enjoy it by themselves.
Good luck.

4 moms found this helpful

Just pretend and do it! I was just thinking a few minutes ago, as my 21 year old left with his girlfriend, that I wish I had played games with him more often when I had the chance.

Don't be in my shoes! Enjoy that time now! You will miss it later.

2 moms found this helpful

I have the opposite problem! I LOVE LEGOS! I wish my daughter loved them more. I don't like doing tparties and dolly things! Yes, I am a mom, but would much prefer Legos over dolls! lol! I just had a baby boy, so we'll see if his interest could be Legos! I do understand what you mean though... I have a super girly girl (I really don't understand where it comes from)... she loves dresses and frilly things and everything girly (sooo not me). I struggle with joining in with her play too. Hang in there. I would suggest that maybe you get a new lego set where you can follow directions on how to actually make something... and all of the pieces will be in that box (start with a small one). I find that pretty entertaining! lol Good luck :-)

2 moms found this helpful

I have a daughter who could pretend play all day and I just can't stand it. It drives me nuts. I know that makes me sound horrible, but my husband is just so much better at it. So, as a compromise, I will pretend play with her for about 20 minutes at a time and then I try to get her interested in something else. This usually isn't a problem since she's only 3.5 and her attention span isn't that long. I figure everyone has strengths and weaknesses, and pretend play is mine. I have found though, that in the past few months what she wants to pretend has changed, and I find these new pretend games much more fun to play! So, maybe try doing it for a few minutes every day, and maybe you'll get into it. Kids interests are constantly changing, so you may find his Lego phase ends and he moves into something that you enjoy more. Good luck!

1 mom found this helpful

best toy created. so much better than all the complex electronic creativity-stifling toys most kids are buried in.
but don't pretend to love them. it's an excellent skill for children to learn to entertain themselves. i didn't play legos, trucks or teenage mutant ninja turtles with my boys either. i'd do parallel stuff and cheerlead (and supervise and referee) from the sidelines.
kids always know when they're being BSed.
khairete
S.

1 mom found this helpful

Both of my boys loved legos. I had to learn to build some stuff whether I liked it or not. Some days it was fun. I always liked it when I bought them the actual kits that had to be put together. Using your imagination and random lego building takes a lot of patience...... my boys would play for hours, I sucked at it. Their dad would build cool stuff with them tho... thank God since I was lame in that area :)

1 mom found this helpful

Don't try to fake it if you really hate legos, he will be able to tell. Someone suggested getting a different legos set, my son has one that can build a house, and it comes with flowers and things to "decorate" with. Also if he likes building things, try a different type of construction toy. My son is also really into train sets, and I have just as much fun as he does setting up the tracks with bridges and tunnels and loops. Plus your son will probably enjoy it more if you are genuinely having fun playing with him.

1 mom found this helpful

seriously??? Yes, I love legos! they're are super fun, have you seen the new sets like Harry Potter, Indiana Jones or Star Wars? those are amazing.
My daughter and I are lego freaks and have a lot of the lego city sets and Harry potter sets. We actually finished buiding the Harry Potter castle before New Year and it looks great.
They're great for both girls and boys and fun to build so don't think that because your daughter is a girl she will not enjoy it.
I recommend you try out a set since you can choose from the picture in the box what you'll build instead of having to create something if that's boring to you. I also saw some that look like a dollhouse,just google lego beach house or lego house and you'll see how cute they are.

1 mom found this helpful

I have a HUGE problem relating to my boys when it comes to playing boy things. Argh! It is just not fun to me. I must admit though that if I had to play anything, I like the legos overall. I just suck it up and do it. I wish I had an easier way to plow through cars, Bionicles, and other such boy things but I just don't. You can't make yourself enjoy something that just isn't fun for you.

All that being said, I have found a few things that I can do with my boys that we all enjoy. We all like to play Play Dough, do crafts, and cook together, so that helps. = )

Good luck!

1 mom found this helpful

I love them and enjoy building with them. I guess it's good that I had boys, because -although I really enjoyed Barbies and dolls as a girl -I have no desire to play with them now! I love the building toys, trucks, sand toys, garages and Nerf guns! However, if I did have a girl, I would just kind of suck it up and play with her a little bit. I don't always want to or have time to sit down and build with Legos or Lincoln Logs or play with Hot Wheels, but I try to at least take a few minutes to pay attention to what they think is really important and what they want to show me. You don't REALLY have to be interested in it -but sometimes we have to fake it! Kind of like when my husband starts dragging on about some big deal at work. I couldn't really care less, but he needs to tell me and he wants to tell me, so I just smile and murmur and nod and drink some more wine ;-) You don't have to spend hours building amazing projects -your son will just remember that you stopped when he asked and payed attention sometime.

You may also want to try to find something you both DO enjoy. Do you like to run or bike or play any sports that you could start getting him into? What about painting or pottery, jigsaw puzzles or hiking? There are lots of things you may both enjoy together.

1 mom found this helpful

Personally I love legos, but then again I also majored in math and have a mild puzzle addiction. On the other hand, I don't get the tea party and princess thing my daughter is into.

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I have a boy and a girl.
Both love Legos.
For playing with my 'boy'... well, you just have to do it. Meaning, even if you are not a boy and maybe don't connect with his toys/play style... well, they just really do LOVE when their Mommy plays with them. Maybe just ask your son.... what he wants you to do.... when playing with him?
That's what I do sometimes.
Kids... like to 'choreograph' their Mommy anyway, and 'tell' her what to do... when playing often times.

Or, you can do cooking with him. My son, loves to cook. I have been 'cooking' with him, since he was about 2-3 years old. He can now... cook his own scrambled eggs. With my supervision of course. Or do gardening with your son.
Or... fix things in the house...

1 mom found this helpful

yes it can be hard. my son likes board games too and I find them boring. But I do it for him not me. Remember he is little for so long and then they become independent and don't want you around or not as much. Enjoy this while you can.

1 mom found this helpful

I like the legos that don't come with a picture of what it is supposed to be.
It is boring to me too. Can you add in cars or people to the Legos so you have interaction with him, like adollhouse has?

1 mom found this helpful

My son and I both love Legos more than my husband. I was the one to introduce them to him and the first few things we built together till he learned how to follow the instructions. He's such a great engineer now he can build anything he puts his mind to.
I've always enjoyed building/boy toys much more than girl toys. I was the girl who spent time with the neighborhood boys playing with tonka trucks in the dirt pile rather than playing tea party.
Although you don't have to like everything your son plays with, you should find something where you have some common ground. Many boys love helping baking cookies just as much as girls. Or maybe all the kids can help with washing/vacuuming/cleaning the car next time the weather is warm. There are LOTS of ways to play.

1 mom found this helpful

my second child was a son, after a first daughter. I also felt at a loss for a long time - I grew up with two sisters! At age 6 he adored Legos, cars, drawing, card games, Pokemon, thomas the tank engine, and now at age 11 he still likes Legos, cars, drawing and card games. So I have learned to play these things with him and I get pleasure from watching him and his enjoyment - I would be perfectly happy never to play Legos again, but he gets such joy out of building things and showing them to me! So focus on him, not the toy and perhaps that will help.

1 mom found this helpful

Try the "City" Lego series. Maybe building houses,etc. will be more engaging for you than Star Wars, etc.

i hate legos! my 16mnth old is already really into the megablock legos, but me and my husband promised that we would never buy the little (regular size) legos, by brother had them and they get all over the house and hurt alot when u step on them (plus my brother and i use to shoot them at each other with rubber bands while hiding behind are matresses) and my son already carries the megablocks all over and we find them everywhere

Legos I don't mind. Pretend play I dislike. I'm just not good at it. Apparently I left my imagination in my childhood. Games, puzzles, crafts....those I love and could do with dd all day. I'm glad she's getting older so we can do those more, but I don't want to take pretend away from her either.

I like legos. I like to build stuff, so it's fun. A lot of times we start with me making a base boring building and my daughter adds fun stuff to it, like a tower, or whatever. And we tell stories with it. She has a lot of little people and other figurines, so they fit right in.

Both my boys love legos. My oldest could just think of something and make it, I couldn't make anything much more than a box without a diagram. We really made it a joke. When we would play, we would decide on what to build and then get a good laugh at my version when done. I couldn't do it for long periods of time....so when he asked me to play legos I would just say ok for 20 minutes.

He is 19 and still has a huge bin of legos and when he was still home in the fall, would still play with them from time to time. Usually when he thought no one was home.

I haven't read the other responses but I wanted to respond before heading out the door....
I think you are a very good mom to show concern for this. You don't have to enjoy what he enjoys but it's good that you still do it with him regardless. It's important for kids ...everyone for that matter... to know that everyone likes different things but it's good to support each other!!
Why not try incorporating it?? Have him make doll beds for your daughter or tables for your daughters dolls to have tea. Also look into other building activities... perhaps games like Don't Break The Ice, or Jinga where there is some building and playing. Just a few thoughts...

Again I want to point out that it's ok to like different things but still support!

My husband does the lego thing with the kids. I just can't stand it. But then again I would rather play with play-doh and color.

I hate Legos and, thankfully, so does my son. But if I have to throw the football one more time......grrrrrr....it's always something.

OMG I LOVE Legos so much! I've played with them forever. I still have all my original sets at my mom's house. My brother and I got sets every year in our stockings. My kids have tubs of Legos and I love to play with them sometimes. We haven't introduced the small ones yet (just the Duplos for now)- for my older boys as they have shown an inability to keep them cleaned up and away from their baby sister and the cats (they've gotten a couple small sets in kids meals and in party goodie bags).
I've got some of the super big Star Wars sets for when the kids are older and I can work on putting them together.
Legos are so not just boy toys!
It's all about how you looks at things. Pay less attention to the "boy toys" aspect and watch him and his enjoyment.

I have 3 boys (5, 2, and 5 months), so Legos are all over my house! I like the Lego Duplos--and I've gotten pretty good at building things. My 5 year old is just getting into the small legos and I hate them:) My hubby and 5 y.o. are obsessed and it's good bonding time for them.

I personally don't like them nor Tinker toys & Lincoln Logs mostly because it leaves a mess you loose a few then they get steped on & damn that hurts especially while prego & can't see your feet..However I let him have them he has a large set from when he was 1 then it goes up from there this Christmas I did buy him the fire truck he is working on building it all by himself per directions..
It is hard for me to get into play mode when I have other things to do i'm always busy doing this & that but when I do it is fun

Hi M.,

To answer your question, yes, I LIKE building and playing with Legos. I don't LOVE it like my 9 yr. old son has for the last 5 yrs. What I really LOVE about it is knowing that this type of play is so beneficial to his brain! When a person follows the plans and builds the Lego creation, in the end they will get an end result that teaches them to pay attention to details and follow directions. If a person creates their own Lego creation without plans, that too is very good for the brain, as it stregthens the creativity part of the brain. Think of all this Lego building as baby steps toward a future engineer, architect, etc....

I think it's okay that your son knows that you don't LOVE Legos like him, but I still would encourage you to build with him sometimes and show enthusiasm .... even if you have to pretend to do that! Do you have an Lego enthusiasts in the family or would a neighborhood boy who's a few years older like to come over once in awhile to build/encourage your son?
Or have you ever considered a "Mother's Helper" to play Legos with him while you attend to your other kids or some cleaning? I still rec. that you interact with him when he goes for the Legos, but maybe someone else too such as a neighborhood kid, older nephew, older niece, etc... would be good too. My 9 yr. old son now teaches/encourages his younger cousins to build with Legos and he has also increased my daughter's interest in Legos.

There are so many different series to chose from in Legos. Maybe you'd like it more if you were building different things. Go on Lego website and see if anything would interest both of you.

I loved playing pretend play with my kids when they were younger. You mentioned that you love tea parties, dolls, etc... I'd suggest changing it up a bit to include your son. He might like pretend play too if you invite him to bring his stuffed animals, action figures, etc... to the table for "restaurant time." I used to be the waitress and my daughter would bring her dolls to the "restaurant" and my son would bring his stuffed animals, Lego figures, etc... to the "restaurant". I would change the name of the restaurant and change my name when we played. I could get them their lunch served while still playing with them and it felt good that they enjoyed it so much AND I was instilling an opportunity to increase their creativity because they told me so much about the character they were pretending to be. As the waitress, I asked them many questions about them. (They had different names too. lol!)
I would suggest reading about the left and right hemispheres of the brain as that information might direct you to ideas for play that you AND your son could actually enjoy.

I hope this has helped some.
J.