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I feel like a lot of people look at the intricate sets that cost hundreds of dollars, and conclude that Lego has abandoned play and creativity. In reality, ther

I feel like a lot of people look at the intricate sets that cost hundreds of dollars, and conclude that Lego has abandoned play and creativity. In reality, there's an abundance of kid-oriented sets that are meant to be built, played with, deconstructed, and modified. But those aren't the sets that get shared through social media. Lego has embraced the adult collector as a valuable customer. But that does not mean they have abandoned the children who just want to play with some Lego.

makeitdouble 5y ago
TBF the best advice for people who only want a bunch of "classic" bricks for their small child is to buy them used or of some generic conpatible brand. I totally understand Lego not putting any marketing power in that direction and pushing so hard for more branding and licensed sets. The other end of the spectrum is their educational sets, but then we're really into the multi hundreds of dollars sets.
- The-Bus 5y ago
  Every major retailer that sells Lego sets will likely carry or stock some version of a "classic" set which is 1000+ bricks that are the same as the ones from 40 or even 50 years ago (just available in more colors & perhaps some bricks introduced in the 80s or 90s). There's no license, stickers, software, etc. Most of these sets are sub-$50, so relatively affordable.
  - mortenjorck 5y ago
    Indeed: https://www.lego.com/en-us/product/lego-large-creative-brick-box-10698 https://www.lego.com/en-us/product/lego-large-creative-brick... The promotional photos even echo that long-ago Lego ad the author laments as a bygone era, with a little girl building a house with no instructions (albeit the modern version is perhaps unrealistically restrained for something a kindergartner supposedly came up with).
  - makeitdouble 5y ago
    > Most of these sets are sub-$50, so relatively affordable. Second hand buckets are around $10 if you buy from a store, and way less if you get them at a flee market or from families who don't use them anymore. Sounds hippy and extreme, but I anecdotely know around ~20 people who went that route to start or grow their collection, and that's the advice I'd give people if asked. Lego seems to be the only toy people don't mind just getting second hand, machine wash in a net and start playing. Bucket will stay in store as the anchoring price, and also to avoid having non Lego brand take that shell space, but I don't remember seing any marketing effort from Lego to push them in the last 10 or 20 years.
- watwut 5y ago
  Classic bricks are available in toy stores. Not like a rare item, it is there pretty much all the time, usually at the bottom shelf. And they are not expensive either.
- elliekelly 5y ago
  Every so often Costco will have this giant "classic" lego box for $40 which is a pretty good deal: https://www.lego.com/en-us/product/bricks-bricks-bricks-10717 https://www.lego.com/en-us/product/bricks-bricks-bricks-1071...

makeitdouble 5y ago

TBF the best advice for people who only want a bunch of "classic" bricks for their small child is to buy them used or of some generic conpatible brand. I totally understand Lego not putting any marketing power in that direction and pushing so hard for more branding and licensed sets. The other end of the spectrum is their educational sets, but then we're really into the multi hundreds of dollars sets.

The-Bus 5y ago
Every major retailer that sells Lego sets will likely carry or stock some version of a "classic" set which is 1000+ bricks that are the same as the ones from 40 or even 50 years ago (just available in more colors & perhaps some bricks introduced in the 80s or 90s). There's no license, stickers, software, etc. Most of these sets are sub-$50, so relatively affordable.
- mortenjorck 5y ago
  Indeed: https://www.lego.com/en-us/product/lego-large-creative-brick-box-10698 https://www.lego.com/en-us/product/lego-large-creative-brick... The promotional photos even echo that long-ago Lego ad the author laments as a bygone era, with a little girl building a house with no instructions (albeit the modern version is perhaps unrealistically restrained for something a kindergartner supposedly came up with).
- makeitdouble 5y ago
  > Most of these sets are sub-$50, so relatively affordable. Second hand buckets are around $10 if you buy from a store, and way less if you get them at a flee market or from families who don't use them anymore. Sounds hippy and extreme, but I anecdotely know around ~20 people who went that route to start or grow their collection, and that's the advice I'd give people if asked. Lego seems to be the only toy people don't mind just getting second hand, machine wash in a net and start playing. Bucket will stay in store as the anchoring price, and also to avoid having non Lego brand take that shell space, but I don't remember seing any marketing effort from Lego to push them in the last 10 or 20 years.
watwut 5y ago
Classic bricks are available in toy stores. Not like a rare item, it is there pretty much all the time, usually at the bottom shelf. And they are not expensive either.
elliekelly 5y ago
Every so often Costco will have this giant "classic" lego box for $40 which is a pretty good deal: https://www.lego.com/en-us/product/bricks-bricks-bricks-10717 https://www.lego.com/en-us/product/bricks-bricks-bricks-1071...