s/o Frozen Lego Castle - a vent (PIP)

[runforrest]

The Frozen Lego castle is cute, but...is it just me, or are some of those Lego Friends sets WAY less complicated than corresponding regular Lego sets (i.e., the ones marketed to boys)?

Case in point:  Frozen Lego castle next to a Lego castle,although the Lego one is recommended for ages 7-12:






See also:


vs.



I know that girls are not prohibited from buying the regular Lego stuff, and we have some of it, but damn it if their marketing of purple boxes and "girly" colored blocks and designs doesn't work on my daughter and nieces.  I saw the Cinderella castle and it looks a bit more complex, but having boy/girl twins, I have really noticed the disparity in the sets my son wants versus the ones my daughter wants.

I will try and get it if she wants it, but it kind of irritates me.

[McGavin]

Totally agree. I've been looking at the sets for girls and there's hardly any pieces! It's a huge solid piece that you just add a few extra pieces to. Lame.

[cville]

They absolutely are.

[my4girls]

wow the piece count on the first two is wildly different! 292 vs 996! that's a huge difference!

[runforrest]

Glad I'm not the only one.

The castle in Frozen is just so elaborate, that it would have been nice if they had made it a bit more complicated.

Also, I am irritated that all of the Lego Friends have names, and are more shapely or whatever than the normal Lego brick people.

I thought I read somewhere that they were going to come out with more science-themed sets, but then I fear it will just be "Olivia's make-up lab" or something, instead of "Marie's Physics Lab".

Grrr.

[Deleted]

that's some bullshit Lego!

[Marle]

Ugh this really irritates me.

[thebuddhagouda]

Dec 19, 2014 9:29:22 GMT -5 Lucy Honeychurch said:

I'm so irritated that they have now separated Legos into GIRL TOYS versus BOY TOYS that I can't get past that simple fact.

This times 100. I will never move past this enough to weigh the virtues of the various sets. 

[EloiseWeenie]

Yes. It's insulting. My daughter, who just turned 3, built this yesterday by herself. She's not ready for the Frozen castle, but I do think the age range is off. 

[KKD]

Dec 19, 2014 9:18:04 GMT -5 my4girls said:

wow the piece count on the first two is wildly different! 292 vs 996! that's a huge difference!

Well, I don't think it's fair to compare those two castles for that very reason. The Cinderella castle would be a better comparison. I originally got the Cinderella castle for my 4 y.o. but returned it for the Frozen castle because she will like it better, and since she's younger, fewer pieces are easier for her. Plus it was $20 cheaper.

We have a few of the bigger sets – the dolphin cruiser, stables, pool – and I wouldn't say they're not complicated. My 7 y.o. can build them on her own (which is what I want!) but my 4 y.o. needs help. We don't have any "boy" Legos, so I can't compare the level of difficulty. All I know is my girls love the Friends and Princess sets, so I would only be bothered if the 200-piece princess castle is being sold for the same price as the 1000-piece king's castle.

[my4girls]

Dec 19, 2014 9:43:53 GMT -5 KKD said:

Dec 19, 2014 9:18:04 GMT -5 my4girls said:

wow the piece count on the first two is wildly different! 292 vs 996! that's a huge difference!

Well, I don't think it's fair to compare those two castles for that very reason. The Cinderella castle would be a better comparison. I originally got the Cinderella castle for my 4 y.o. but returned it for the Frozen castle because she will like it better, and since she's younger, fewer pieces are easier for her. Plus it was $20 cheaper.

We have a few of the bigger sets – the dolphin cruiser, stables, pool – and I wouldn't say they're not complicated. My 7 y.o. can build them on her own (which is what I want!) but my 4 y.o. needs help. We don't have any "boy" Legos, so I can't compare the level of difficulty. All I know is my girls love the Friends and Princess sets, so I would only be bothered if the 200-piece princess castle is being sold for the same price as the 1000-piece king's castle.

you're right, I wasn't even thinking that way, just looking at these two side by side, the kings castle is closer to $100

[Deleted]

And this is part of the reason I bought two of the boring ole lego sets. They aren't to build anything in particular. Just a bunch of colored legos in different colors where my kids can use their little imaginations to build their own crap. Because, honestly, that's what they end up doing with them anyway after they build the darn set the first time and then lose 147 of the original pieces that I only find in the middle of the night with my bare feet.

stupid legos

[roxysoxy]

Dec 19, 2014 9:33:45 GMT -5 toledo said:

Lego does have this:
shop.lego.com/en-US/Research-Institute-21110

It features a paleontologist, a chemist and an astronomer. All female, no cutesy names as far as I can tell.

But it's impossible to find, as it sells out instantly. WHAT DOES THAT TELL YOU, LEGO? MORE LIKE THIS.

DH was super excited that he was able to get that set. DD is getting it for Christmas.

I agree about the Lego Friends sets being so much easier than the sets marketed toward boys. She loves all the pink packaging, but she could definitely use more of a challenge. 

[candreco]

Dec 19, 2014 9:29:22 GMT -5 Lucy Honeychurch said:

I'm so irritated that they have now separated Legos into GIRL TOYS versus BOY TOYS that I can't get past that simple fact.

Really.  Boys like diners, beaches, and houses.  Girls like trucks, superheroes, and treehouses.  All the pieces end up mixed together eventually anyway.

[Redpoppy]

Dec 19, 2014 9:33:45 GMT -5 toledo said:

Lego does have this:
shop.lego.com/en-US/Research-Institute-21110

It features a paleontologist, a chemist and an astronomer. All female, no cutesy names as far as I can tell.

But it's impossible to find, as it sells out instantly. WHAT DOES THAT TELL YOU, LEGO? MORE LIKE THIS.

This was just re-released last Friday, online with stores getting them soon.  It sold out online quickly, but the stores are just getting the stock now.  I was able to get one yesterday from the Lego store and they had several left.  It's limit one per household.


ETA: I wish Lego stores where stand alone.  It's pretty much the only reason I go to a mall.  The employees recognize me when I come in.

[thebuddhagouda]

E's getting a castle set and another superhero set for Christmas. I don't know why we spend the money though. All he really wants are the minifigs. He just plays with those like action figures and builds random things with the bricks.

[karmasabiotch]

Totally true. I got J a Skylanders castle and it came with 7 instruction books. I need to hire someone to do it.

[runforrest]

I want that science set.

[papie]

I see what you are saying, but my 7yo DD hates Legos because it is "too much work", so the girly ones are perfect because she doesn't lose interest.  Maybe boys are just more into it?

[shell24]

Dec 19, 2014 9:33:45 GMT -5 toledo said:

Lego does have this:
shop.lego.com/en-US/Research-Institute-21110

It features a paleontologist, a chemist and an astronomer. All female, no cutesy names as far as I can tell.

But it's impossible to find, as it sells out instantly. WHAT DOES THAT TELL YOU, LEGO? MORE LIKE THIS.

And Lego didn't even think this up. The Ideas line is stuff regular people design and build and submit pictures of. Then people vote and Lego produces the favorite.

But I agree, they should produce more-the demand is obviously there!

[marcyiam]

Dec 19, 2014 9:55:58 GMT -5 thebuddhagouda said:

E's getting a castle set and another superhero set for Christmas. I don't know why we spend the money though. All he really wants are the minifigs. He just plays with those like action figures and builds random things with the bricks.

Same thing here. Although I have given in to buying the sets since it's cheaper to buy the set with the minifigurines in them tha the figurines separately. Although I have bought some of the mystery figurine packs at at Target. He lovs seeing which one is inside.

[papie]

Dec 19, 2014 10:43:51 GMT -5 cjoy said:

Dec 19, 2014 10:19:20 GMT -5 papie said:

I see what you are saying, but my 7yo DD hates Legos because it is "too much work", so the girly ones are perfect because she doesn't lose interest.  Maybe boys are just more into it?

The penis is a very effective building tool.

LOL I realize how stupid it sounds.  FINE.  MY GIRL IS LAZY. 

[readyin07]

Dec 19, 2014 10:53:28 GMT -5 papie said:

Dec 19, 2014 10:43:51 GMT -5 cjoy said:

The penis is a very effective building tool.

LOL I realize how stupid it sounds.  FINE.  MY GIRL IS LAZY. 

My boy is lazy.  He has no interest in the big sets which is fine with me bc those things are $$$$$. He is not engineer material which he gets from me and H. I was actual,y thinking he might like the frozen set bc it looks a little simpler. Do they not have "girl" sets that are more complicated? Idk if you can compare apples to apples here. I am guessing the frozen set was meant to appeal to a younger child.

[ProfessorArtNerd]

The difference in style between the regular minifigs and the friends minifigs bugs me. Even though, historically, women in sculpture have way more frequently been shown in a more naturalistic style than men have been shown. blah blah blah art history blah.

[Deleted]

Yes! And the other irritating thing is that they are so simple because it is always composed of big pieces, that are specific to the set. So it is harder for them to be creative and dismantle into other things because, well it's made of like 5 big pieces and then all decorative pieces instead of bricks!

[Marle]

Funny enough, I just saw this on FB. m.imgur.com/ylojwrC

[DotAndBuzz]

Yeah, it makes me crazy. It's bs and it sucks that Lego seems to think girls just want to build flat walls and decorate flower beds.

[mslhb]

Yep totally agree. We have the Rapunzel castle one and it is the same deal. I also hate how the pieces are a very specific shape that really can't be used well for general building. Certainly not the lego sets of my day!

[KKD]

Clearly I (and my girls) are their target market, because my girls love them, and I love that they do. They aren't interested in superhero or even basic Legos. I mean, sometimes, very rarely, they'll build towers or houses with the bricks, but really what they love is building the sets and playing with them like dolls. The gender stereotyping or disparity doesn't bother me because it gets my girls playing and building with Legos when otherwise they wouldn't. Sorry to the rest of you for being the very reason Lego Friends exist. eta:

[shell24]

Dec 19, 2014 12:55:42 GMT -5 KKD said:

Clearly I (and my girls) are their target market, because my girls love them, and I love that they do. They aren't interested in superhero or even basic Legos. I mean, sometimes, very rarely, they'll build towers or houses with the bricks, but really what they love is building the sets and playing with them like dolls. The gender stereotyping or disparity doesn't bother me because it gets my girls playing and building with Legos when otherwise they wouldn't. Sorry to the rest of you for being the very reason Lego Friends exist.

My DD1 is like this (and she has access to plenty of my son's lego city and superhero sets). Don't feel bad, I don't!