Biplane

Dalton requested another (different) plane last week. Here's the biplane I put together for him.

Fish

Here's a fish we built some time ago. Dalton picked out the 6 inch Buzz Lightyear model last night to purchase with some of his birthday money. It's a cool set. Buzz even has ankle joints.

Firetruck

Dalton requested a firetruck two nights ago. I spent a little over an hour putting this together, a fair amount of that time spent looking for parts. As a result, I was feeling very sleepy at the end and forgot the piece for the windshield. It is a clear 2x4 brick.

I was quite proud of this one although a bit concerned that it was too difficult for my four year old. While disappointed, I was not surprised when he declared that it was "too hard" the next morning and turned his attention to other things.

Last night, he requested a shark bigger than the previous fish (not yet posted). Mind you, he doesn't want me to take anything apart, but wants a BIG shark. Sometimes it seems we need to buy and IV drip of Legos for our house. My wife, bless her heart, pointed out to him that I was disappointed that he hadn't put the firetruck together and that maybe he should try it again in the morning. He worked on it this morning with help from the both of us and he has it roughly half assembled.

In looking for pieces to add detail, I was appreciating the trips my wife has made to various Lego stores. I'm going to have to fill myself a cup from the pick a brick wall next time we find ourself there.

Laptop

Dalton requested a computer last night at bedtime. He then got up and was talking to me about hinges. I finally realized that he meant a laptop. I left the keyboard portion blank so he could see how the second layer was put together. He told me this morning that this one was "very easier" compared to the others I have made for him.

Dragster

We had a few down days with my parents in town for Dalton's birthday. He has also received a few Toy Story Lego sets that have held his attention. Last night he requested a race car. As usual, I remembered his request when I was getting to bed. I need to start these earlier.

We're back...for a little while at least.

Dalton has entered another sensitive period for Legos. I built this space shuttle a month or two ago and got it out last night when he had run out of sets to build. We'll see how long this lasts.

Robot Parade

Robot parade! Robot parade! Wave the flag that the robots made!

Dalton enjoyed this one although he had trouble with the hands. I asked him what he would like for tomorrow and he requested a Space Shuttle. Hmm....

Red car

Here's a car that my son and I put together the other day. The front bumper is only held on by two studs and it comes off on moderate impacts. Dalton found the detachable bumper to be hilarious and repeated caused it to release by running the car down a steep ramp.

Airplane

Here's an airplane. My son had some trouble with it not sitting flat. The propeller propped it up and this made it more difficult to press pieces together. It came apart and had to be reassembled several times during the build. Otherwise it was a great project. We flew the planes around the house when he finished building.

Red bug

Here's a bug I made for Dalton. This is where I first learned that hiding Legos on the inside of a project can be problematic. The two flats on the back covered the seam between the buried bricks. He had difficulty figuring out how to get the body of the bug together.

I realize that some of the parts are difficult to see in these images. I'll work on getting better pictures of future designs.

Things I have learned designing for a 3-5 year old

The following is a list of observations about building with a 3-5 year old.

1. Don't design a project that has pieces that aren't easily viewed from the outside. This is mostly relevant if you are going to provide a finished product and ask your son or daughter to copy it from an identical set of parts.

2. Fragile designs can be fun. My son has a blast with cars that lose a few pieces when they crash at the end of a ramp.

3. Designs that do not sit flat can be difficult to build. Wheels and propellers can be culprits here.

4. Be patient. Yes, your son or daughter will likely mix together the bags of carefully matched Legos.

5. Be flexible. Following the rules of the game aren't important. Your child may decide to make up a new set of rules. Remember that this is about having fun.

Why I created this blog

My son loves to build with Legos. However, his attention span is not suitable to larger projects. Originally, my wife bought him a couple Lego advent calendars. He delighted in these and they were the first thing he did on waking every day. When they ran out, I started looking for designs on the internet that would be appropriate for small children. Not finding many, I have been creating my own. The purpose of this blog is to post my designsand the games we play for other parents with children having a similar interests.

I realize that a blog is not the best format for this type of web site. I'm using it because it is what I know. I have included a search box below and I will make sure to tag my posts with relevant key words.