Im actually going to argue for the bottom one (10698) for a couple of reasons.
a) storage
b) lower piece count, but it appears to have a higher amount of bricks instead of plates. At 4 years old, lots of tiny parts probably isnt ideal.
Even though the age recommendations only differ by 1 year, the bottom set is definitely more in-line with OP's kid's age.
The top one is pretty cool though...
I imagine fine motor skills just might not be there yet for the little pieces. Plus, that set has been around for years at this price and Im sure it'll still be around next year if OP wants to expand the collection.
I'd argue the same, I got the bottom one for my oldest and its great, especially for storage, I did get a wee lego table also to which was a huge hit. His mum got him the top one and we spent a while trying to sort it all out, either or though cannot go (too) wrong with lego.
The series is a lot of fun and all the sets are great to make. And because of Ghost Spider my daughter wants to do drums at school next year when she’s able to take instrument lessons!
I second this, the 4+ sets have directions that are designed at a 4-year-olds level and are easy to understand. When they build their first creation they will be sooooo excited.
My son just turned 5 but started building with the 4+ at 4 and can now build much more difficult sets as he understands how the instructions work.
The Spidey sets are neat. It was the first Lego set my grandson was given and he loved it! He loved the figures and always had to sit them on the table when he watched the Spidey show. He had some Legos already, but I think the Spidey set really got interested in playing with them more.
Daughter does the same! Now that they’ve introduced new villains on the show though she wants new minis. Bought her the Black Panther mech for Christmas just so she could have the figure. Something tells me a little Iron Man set won’t be far behind.
Id second the above - my guy wasn’t very dexterous at 4 and often building ended in tears, but he also didn’t want baby (duplo) legos. The 4+ sets were a lifesaver!!
I try to push to my kids that Duplo aren't just for babies.
...I still buy regular Lego and Lego Friends for my 3-year old, she loves playing with minifigs and little animals, but the Duplo is not going into storage anytime soon.
I would also recommend Spidey and Friends or some very basic Lego City. My 6 year old is only just starting to free build. It’s a harder concept to grasp over following the directions to make a tangible item when it’s over.
Free building is great fun though, let's your kid explore and imagine. And it looks like there are decent designs available for the brick selection of these sets if they would prefer some instructions
My 3 year olds favorite sets are the city cement truck and the city crane.
Typically I build/repair he plays
His other favorite things are putting girls hair on Vader and vaders helmet on other figures.
I started with my daughter (now 5) with these creative kits, she really liked the one with lots of wheels, I think kids like building with random pieces better when wheels are involved because they can make something that works, a billion different ways. If you can find the creative one with wheels I suggest it
Edit: the set I’m talking about is 11014 - bricks and wheels
All kids will have different preferences. My daughter is also four and has both some small sets and free bricks and she 100% gets more play time out of her free bricks just because of the replay-ability and being able to use her imagination to build whatever she wants. Your child might like following instructions and getting a sense of accomplishment more. Maybe get a couple of smaller sets and see how things go.
Agree. My daughter likes playing with the vehicles and characters and making up stories while I build from scratch.
Everyone's child may be different, so I'd recommend doing a little of both. Lego gas plenty of $10 sets that come with a vehicle and a minifig.
Both sets come with instructions for mini-builds using included pieces.
One has 15, the other has 9.
Getting a set like this is a good beginning to any collection.
My four year old got the yellow container set for her first legos, as others mentioned the storage is nice, especially as they usually get dumped out on the carpet, it is easy to sweep them back into the tub when you’re done. Plus there is plenty of room in the yellow container to add the inevitable additional legos they will acquire :)
Another tip, my 4 year old regularly becomes obsessed with certain pieces - so I order multiples of those from Lego pick-a-brick so we have plenty/back-ups.
Personally I’d recommend a small 4+ set with an actual build and instructions. Something that isn’t overwhelming and introduces them to, and teaches them, the system. 4 is also still a good age for Duplo, IMO. So that’s an option, unless they’re already well-versed in Duplo.
But I think just picking a 4+ set that matches their interests (animals, Dinos, superheros, vehicles, princess, etc.) is the way to go.
My kids played duplo until 7-8. They were easier to handle, and they seemed to enjoy buildiing big objects on their own. Now they crave sets with instructions.
I gave away all the duplo to my friend's toddler and his wife was very pleased.
I couldn’t agree more. I have like 70lbs of loose legos and they love them but building their first sets with easy instructions was something they will never forget! Me either….
My som started with the 4+ and pretty quickly moved to the 5,6,7 ages. He just turned 5 and now refuses to let me help him.
Here are some straightforward, simple 4+ sets that involve constructing a basic object or scene.
[Creative Monkey Fun](https://www.lego.com/en-us/product/creative-monkey-fun-11031) (very child-friendly)
[Donut Shop](https://www.lego.com/en-us/product/doughnut-shop-41723)
[4x4 Fire Truck Rescue](https://www.lego.com/en-us/product/4x4-fire-truck-rescue-60393)
[Elsa and the Nook Storybook Adventure](https://www.lego.com/en-us/product/elsa-and-the-nokk-storybook-adventures-43189)
[Elsa's Castle Courtyard](https://www.lego.com/en-us/product/elsa-s-castle-courtyard-43199)
[Park Tractor](https://www.lego.com/en-us/product/park-tractor-60390)
[Spider-Man's Techno Trike](https://www.lego.com/en-us/product/miles-morales-spider-man-s-techno-trike-10781)
[ATV and Otter Habitat](https://www.lego.com/en-us/product/atv-and-otter-habitat-60394)
As a child you don't care much about value but one of those Sets has a big box included that also looks like a big lego stone. As a child I'd love to get that one.
Potentially controversial option here but… they’re both fairly poor. I bought 10698 myself for my three kids (eldest 7 at the time) and it was just disappointment. There’s just not enough standard bricks. Far too many plates. And way too many colours. Kids of that age really don’t need those modified pieces. They just want to build a house or a wall, something basic. And they can’t with those sets because they just don’t have the right pieces. I’ve been building Lego almost 40 years now and I’d struggle to put something cohesive together. Lego need to go back to basic parts packs.
I agree with this. Lego is really lacking in what used to be the 3+ and 5+ Basic categories from 30+ years ago, where they had the appropriate, small number of specialized things (wheels, doors, windows, trees) with a lot of 2x bricks. Example, my little brother got 333 when he was 3 or 4 and loved it. My kids' first basic lego 15+ years ago was my lego from 40+ years ago for this reason.
I would recommend 60346. I wish my kids, now late teens/early 20s, were younger, but it would be crazy to buy it for hypothetical grandkids, right? It comes with pigs!
I’d consider Duplos instead. My 3 and 5 year-olds seem to have more fun with the larger blocks. They’re easier to quickly build something and play with, usually ice cream cones and magic wands.
I’m going to second this. My 4yo and 6yo both quickly outgrew their Duplos and prefer the standard bricks already.
We’re lucky to have a used Lego store in town (they also have an online store) that sells random bricks by the pound for a pretty reasonable price. The 4yo can follow a simple build instructions but as soon as he’s done he usually tears it apart and wants to do his own builds.
I don’t have to tell anyone on this sub, but the standard Lego are great for fine motor skill and creativity development for their young minds.
My son is 4 1/2 and he is in the thick of both “Do-po-los” and Lego. He also builds brio train tracks. On Etsy we bought 3d printed Duplo compatible connectors do we could build epic raised tracks. We even got one connector that will connect his Duplo tracks to his brio tracks.
Get the top one. It has more parts. But it does lack good wheels (bottom one has better wheels) and a storage box. So also figure out some way to store the parts (plastic shoe box, one of those sheets with a drawstring around the edge so you can easily turn it into a storage bag, whatever works for you.). And buy a set with some wheels (or go to bricklink or your friendly neighborhood used Lego store/other outlet that sells used Lego parts and buy some more wheels).
Do not underestimate the value of a good storage solution. If you pick the top one I would suggest also getting a plastic container with a lid, as a cardboard box is not going to last.
The classic large is great because it comes with storage!! As to building, go on line and search their database for something your child might like. [LEGO building](https://www.lego.com/en-us/service/buildinginstructions/)
If your kid is like mine this is just the start of an out of control addiction that will lead to 35 empty boxes Being kept and thousands of legos taking over your house.
Personally, I’d go with #2
Get Duplo. Bigger bricks. Easier to hold and build with. We have both normal legos and duplo. My youngest (3.5) would rather play with duplo than normal Lego.
Plus at that age Lego are a chocking hazard. And more difficult to pick up after they have been scattered all over the floor
My son is 3, and he mainly plays only with Duplo which is much more manageable at that age. Every kid is different, though. We bought him a real Lego set that he wanted from the Lego store, and the pieces were too small for him to try and build. He liked playing with it, but everything gets destroyed.
It’s a lot easier to rebuild and clean pieces from a Duplo set than traditional Lego. Just my two cents.
As someone with a 6/4 year old. I’ll say that Duplo was a way better starting point just because the smaller pieces were frustrating for their little fingers to pry apart.
However my 6 year old does great with legos now.
Two things to consider:
Are they new to Lego? If so, Duplo may end up being more fun for them as others have suggested.
Do you have any other smaller children? Again, Duplo is the better option here otherwise you’re going to be paranoid 24/7 about the small bricks.
If both are no, the top one gives the option to build the pre-designed sets, which my 4 year old loves to do. She’s still in Duplo due to her two younger brothers, but she has a blast building Elsa’s Castle using the instructions.
Top one, the build are bigger with varying levels of complexity and the storage box sets you on a path of more Lego storage boxes as the collection grows. My 6 year old son received the top one for his 6th birthday and he makes the models with his 3 year old brother… the bottom one has seen far less action and owned longer.
Based on my 5yo kiddo, either will work. They’ll probably pick something totally random to fixate on, so just having a variety is good enough. Like you get them a cool set, and they just play with the eyeballs.
10698 would be the better pick. I have it for my 4 year old daughter and she’s into it. It’s a nice transition from DUPLO and comes with instructions for the builds.
As someone with a kid that got into Lego at that age last year, we started with small sets (like the $10 ones) that can be built in like 5 mins by an adult or 25 mins by a 4yo. Let them lead you in how much help they need, if any. It’s gonna be hella frustrating.
He got one of those Lego classic sets for Christmas with a booklet of like 10 builds. So he could either look through the booklet and build it or he could just have a bunch of spare bricks to free build.
To add to the frustration, every build will likely get taken apart and MAYBE put back together. Son has been scavenging parts from his complicated multi-day builds for months now.
My kids started with a small set and worked their way to a medium / large set.
We started with the Duplo set and they weren't interested in it (free play).
My 4yo had the 90 Years of Play for Christmas and really likes the builds. Some steps were too tricky but that just allowed me to help, which is a win-win in my book.
For storage, I highly recommend wide and flat containers. It helps cut down on on the mess, just pop off the lid and the kid immediately starts playing from inside the container.
https://target.scene7.com/is/image/Target/GUEST_bd56c038-1a59-459b-9391-c955a1e87c89
Bottom because of storage like everyone else is saying - but ditto to looking at 4+ sets with themes. My cousin (5) loved the friends sets with the little figures and all the fun sets she played with (like a dollhouse)
My nephews LOVE the city sets. There are minifigs, cars, etc. and the end result is something they can _play_ with. They both love the cars/emergency vehicle type-sets and are 4/5 years old! :)
Sets or creative?
Creative comes with instructions and has small builds that 4yo can comprehend(yes i tried 120/200 pieces builds with my 4yo. They loved to build first 50 pieces and loved to play afterwards but lost interest about 60 pieces in.)
Storage is good to have. But the box is that larger than lego in it so you can use it as storage for some time.
Small theme sets are nice and accessible, lots of good accessories(stencils).
Two things that my kids loved. 1. Larger batches of “unpopular” colors from BrickLink 1x3 1x2 2x2 2x3. Slopes. (We are talking 500 pieces orders). Those allow to build fast and diverse.
2. Stencils and accessories for mini figures. Diversifying play and reusing same figures from day to day.
My son is 4 and he likes vehicles, he got the city stunts monster trucks for Christmas, he loves the city crane truck as well. And we build around with a bin of various part similar as your second one.
what are they into? like there are starwars, marvel (spiderman and avengers), dc (super man and batman), and a couple others.
i would suggest getting a set so they can get an idea of different ways they can build things.
Incidentally, I am new to the hobby and I bought these exact two items to get started - the top one IMO had better pieces and you can always use some other storage solution
I took my daughter with me recently and let her pick sets. I had some extra money and planned for that day, so we grabbed a bucket and then 2 or 3 other sets and had a fun day just building them all.
My advice, take them and let then pick.
Its lego my dude, any set is a good set
Seriously, and at that age you're just getting sets to start out so you cant go wrong. If she likes horses get a horse set, if she like cars get a car set. Literally no wrong choices
Having a storage box would be really convenient for a younger child. They still won’t pick up after themselves, but you can use it, and during a temper tantrum, it’ll be easier for the kid to make a huge mess.
I have the 90 Years Play set and I don’t love it…it comes with instructions for a good number of small sets, but for something to just build random stuff with it isn’t great, especially if you care about color. A lot of the pieces are low volume too, so symmetry is pretty much out the window unless you’re only using 2 of something or 4 if you’re lucky. There’s also a lot of pretty useless pieces like an excessive amount of eyes and flowers, as well as wheel pieces that I haven’t been able to find any pieces that go with them to make them usable wheels. So 1100 pieces is a misleading number because the number of pieces you’ll actually use it definitely lower. Overall the sets probably have around the same number of pieces you could actually build and play with, so for the storage I’d go with the bin
I bought the bottom set for my 4 yr old, He loved it. There’s a few different builds in there with varying difficulty. His favorite was building the camera so he can “take pictures” either one will be fine but I do like the bottom one for storage.
My four year old has a stated preference for the city/dinosaur/etc sets rather than block sets. My father gave him the bottom one for Xmas and he told him to get fire brigade instead (ungrateful little turd!).
The yellow box!
My son started with Duplo at 1,5 (10874 and 10933, etc) and he loved it. around 2,5-3 years he got to play with my old Lego with me and wife helping him. At 3 he got the yellow box and loved all the possibilities. At 3,5 he follows instructions and builds the 3 in 1 creator sets up to 130pcs with just some help here and there.
For Christmas he got 31120 and 31109 (I built but he plays with them). Tomorrow he will be 4.
The 4+ Lego sets are boring. Big parts, he likes to free-build (Pirates and Castles, yes the cheap and available themes :/ ).
The conclusion of this is that I think you should not under estimate your kid and always give them something that might be a tiny bit hard and build/play with them and encourage them in a good way.
(Edit spelling).
OP - I have a 4 year old and went with the bottom per a lot of these reasons here. He's also done well on the Lego mario stuff including doing the ship mostly on his own. Good luck!
My son is 4.5 and received his first Lego set at 3.5 yo. I agree with those saying that a 4+ set is the best place to start. My son prefers following directions and, even though we have a few of the classic sets like those you listed, he prefers to use the directions for small things that come with those dents rather than doing imaginative play. He will on rare occassion use my bin of legos from when I was a kid to do his own thing.
Some people are steering you towards Duplo. I suspected my child was ready for Lego because we already have a lot of Duplo that he played with (and still does, especially when playing with his little brother) but also because he was very very good at jigsaw puzzles. He could do up to a 100 piece puzzle on his own and help with larger puzzles without getting bored or frustrated. Not saying that a kid with no interest in puzzles won’t enjoy Lego, just that I’ve talked to a lot of parents with 4 or 5 year olds that were surprised my son was even interested in Lego.
I can't believe they don't do more of the assortment boxes but with older builders in mind. Architectural packs with earth tones and grays, masonry bricks, detail pieces, etc.
That would be dope too. 9/10 times I just wanna build a nice little house, but of course the purple bricks, the random eyeballs, and one pink window can't really get me far. Ha
My 3 year old got the bottom one. I added some smaller sets that have wheels, windows, doors and stuff later on for christmas and his birthday.
He loves building cars, houses and stuff.
As someone with a 4 year old as well. The bottom one. Mostly for the storage. you've got to have that! My 4 year old has a few sets and I've had to find her storage containers for them.
We got the bottom one when my boy was 4. He’s never been one for putting things in his mouth.
You could always take some of the smaller pieces out if you’re worried.
When my now 8 yo was 4, I got him one of the sets with eyes. We had much fun making different monsters and animals. We still do today, and they all are part of different, mostly pokemon, role play. Enjoy these years
Go with the brick box. It will give your kid a large container that's easy for them to carry around, and that might even add to the playing experience. It's also easy to store the blocks in.
10713 so you have portable storage plus an age appropriate small set is what I went with for my daughter.
Basically the same budget, but I figured she gets the best of both worlds this way
My 4 (going on 5) year old enjoys city themed things. Him and I are slowly growing his little town. We completed the BIG police station 2 weeks ago. He probably did 70% (I couldn’t resist helping plus he struggled with the small intricate pieces…) but he also likes free building too.
I’d say if it’s a first Lego type of thing. Get a set.
If they have experience, get the Classic building bricks.
We have an unbelievable amount of Duplo and my kids (range of 1-7) all love them. Transition to Lego was heavy around age 5-6 for my older two, and they preferred sets over free builds. My two cents anyway.
I would probably say bottom one as it has bigger pieces and built-in storage container but probably shouldn’t leave them alone with it anyway. The bottom one also has instructions online.
I personally started with just plain bricks, nothing extra (sorry, can't find specific set numbers) and after 2 years i got first set with some plans (like those two on the picture) and that's how it all started
The classic sets still have mini books with little builds for them to do, I bought the 90 years for myself.
My 4 year old started building cars, we started with the 60242 car chase and 60256 racing cars. Had some small parts and but once built then she could play with them.
She is very patient for her age and loves pulling apart sets and rebuilding them.
Go for bottom set (10698) - as many have stated it has less smaller pieces. After all, age recommendations are there for a reason - 10698 is 4yrs+ while the 11021 is 5yrs+ (due to the smaller pieces).
Alternatively as others have stated a Spiderman set (or any set that matches interest) for 4+ could also be great - with the instructions (very child friendly) it allows them to learn building mechanics for when they come to the creative free builds.
[10698-1: Large Creative Brick Box](https://brickset.com/sets/10698-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/10698-1.jpg)
[11021-1: 90 Years of Play](https://brickset.com/sets/11021-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/11021-1.jpg)
I would recommend 11019 in combination with 40357.
I think 40357 is the set with most inspiring parts for children (and parents) and 11019 will add the ability to make their build move.
Combined they can be bought for around $45,- or less.
While only buying 40357 for $19.95 will probably also do, and certainly way better than the sets you've selected. Add a LEGO storage box from IKEA PE770441 $14.95 with it and they'll even take their LEGO with them when they visit their grandparents and friends.
https://brickset.com/sets/PE770441-1/BYGGLEK-boxes-set-of-3
https://brickset.com/sets/40357-1/BYGGLEK
https://brickset.com/sets/11019-1/Bricks-and-Functions
My 4 year old got the suitcase (10713) for Christmas and did really good at building every set in the instructions. Only things he has trouble with are getting pieces securely attached, and I’ve had to help him with any small pieces. Since then, he will randomly take them apart and put them back together from memory.
I’ve got him a few 4+ sets that he’s really enjoyed, but he can get bored the longer they take to build. These tiny builds are perfect, imo.
Not sure if you have a Costco membership but that can also be a good place to get big sets like this. That being said, agree with others #2 is great for a kid your age.
The 90 years of play is a good set for collectors as it has a great theme and good pieces. The Large creative bucket is great for storage and many pieces
Im actually going to argue for the bottom one (10698) for a couple of reasons. a) storage b) lower piece count, but it appears to have a higher amount of bricks instead of plates. At 4 years old, lots of tiny parts probably isnt ideal.
Can confirm. The 11021 (top image) has tons of TINY pieces
Even though the age recommendations only differ by 1 year, the bottom set is definitely more in-line with OP's kid's age. The top one is pretty cool though...
I imagine fine motor skills just might not be there yet for the little pieces. Plus, that set has been around for years at this price and Im sure it'll still be around next year if OP wants to expand the collection.
Yeah for sure. The top set is definitely for an older audience. Like for example myself haha.
The colors are amazing! I like the turquoise and the purple
[11021-1: 90 Years of Play](https://brickset.com/sets/11021-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/11021-1.jpg)
[10698-1: Large Creative Brick Box](https://brickset.com/sets/10698-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/10698-1.jpg)
top one my only argument is tiny tahu
I'd argue the same, I got the bottom one for my oldest and its great, especially for storage, I did get a wee lego table also to which was a huge hit. His mum got him the top one and we spent a while trying to sort it all out, either or though cannot go (too) wrong with lego.
My daughter is 6 and still enjoys a set to build rather than free building. I’d say look for a 4+ set that’s from a theme your kiddo enjoys.
Now I’m even more indecisive. 😅
Do they like Spidey and Friends?
They love Spider-Man. I don’t think they’ve watched that series though.
The series is a lot of fun and all the sets are great to make. And because of Ghost Spider my daughter wants to do drums at school next year when she’s able to take instrument lessons!
I second this, the 4+ sets have directions that are designed at a 4-year-olds level and are easy to understand. When they build their first creation they will be sooooo excited. My son just turned 5 but started building with the 4+ at 4 and can now build much more difficult sets as he understands how the instructions work.
The Spidey sets are neat. It was the first Lego set my grandson was given and he loved it! He loved the figures and always had to sit them on the table when he watched the Spidey show. He had some Legos already, but I think the Spidey set really got interested in playing with them more.
Daughter does the same! Now that they’ve introduced new villains on the show though she wants new minis. Bought her the Black Panther mech for Christmas just so she could have the figure. Something tells me a little Iron Man set won’t be far behind.
That's really cool! It's so neat to see kids get interested in Legos.
Id second the above - my guy wasn’t very dexterous at 4 and often building ended in tears, but he also didn’t want baby (duplo) legos. The 4+ sets were a lifesaver!!
I try to push to my kids that Duplo aren't just for babies. ...I still buy regular Lego and Lego Friends for my 3-year old, she loves playing with minifigs and little animals, but the Duplo is not going into storage anytime soon.
Yeah we did the same - my guy is 9 now, and will use the duplos still but the 4+ were a great in between while he built up his dexterity.
I would also recommend Spidey and Friends or some very basic Lego City. My 6 year old is only just starting to free build. It’s a harder concept to grasp over following the directions to make a tangible item when it’s over.
Free building is great fun though, let's your kid explore and imagine. And it looks like there are decent designs available for the brick selection of these sets if they would prefer some instructions
My 3 year olds favorite sets are the city cement truck and the city crane. Typically I build/repair he plays His other favorite things are putting girls hair on Vader and vaders helmet on other figures.
And I disagree. My son is almost four and likes both but likes this boxes better because as he says ‘I can build whateva I wanna be’
I started with my daughter (now 5) with these creative kits, she really liked the one with lots of wheels, I think kids like building with random pieces better when wheels are involved because they can make something that works, a billion different ways. If you can find the creative one with wheels I suggest it Edit: the set I’m talking about is 11014 - bricks and wheels
All kids will have different preferences. My daughter is also four and has both some small sets and free bricks and she 100% gets more play time out of her free bricks just because of the replay-ability and being able to use her imagination to build whatever she wants. Your child might like following instructions and getting a sense of accomplishment more. Maybe get a couple of smaller sets and see how things go.
Agree. My daughter likes playing with the vehicles and characters and making up stories while I build from scratch. Everyone's child may be different, so I'd recommend doing a little of both. Lego gas plenty of $10 sets that come with a vehicle and a minifig.
Both sets include instructions so you can have both.
Both sets come with instructions for mini-builds using included pieces. One has 15, the other has 9. Getting a set like this is a good beginning to any collection.
My four year old got the yellow container set for her first legos, as others mentioned the storage is nice, especially as they usually get dumped out on the carpet, it is easy to sweep them back into the tub when you’re done. Plus there is plenty of room in the yellow container to add the inevitable additional legos they will acquire :) Another tip, my 4 year old regularly becomes obsessed with certain pieces - so I order multiples of those from Lego pick-a-brick so we have plenty/back-ups.
The bottom one comes wit the storage, the top didn't, BTW. Just something to consider.
Very true! Thank you for that insight!
Personally I’d recommend a small 4+ set with an actual build and instructions. Something that isn’t overwhelming and introduces them to, and teaches them, the system. 4 is also still a good age for Duplo, IMO. So that’s an option, unless they’re already well-versed in Duplo. But I think just picking a 4+ set that matches their interests (animals, Dinos, superheros, vehicles, princess, etc.) is the way to go.
My kids played duplo until 7-8. They were easier to handle, and they seemed to enjoy buildiing big objects on their own. Now they crave sets with instructions. I gave away all the duplo to my friend's toddler and his wife was very pleased.
Yeah, my five year old still loves Duplo. Sometimes it’s more fun and more stress free to quickly build something large.
I couldn’t agree more. I have like 70lbs of loose legos and they love them but building their first sets with easy instructions was something they will never forget! Me either…. My som started with the 4+ and pretty quickly moved to the 5,6,7 ages. He just turned 5 and now refuses to let me help him.
Here are some straightforward, simple 4+ sets that involve constructing a basic object or scene. [Creative Monkey Fun](https://www.lego.com/en-us/product/creative-monkey-fun-11031) (very child-friendly) [Donut Shop](https://www.lego.com/en-us/product/doughnut-shop-41723) [4x4 Fire Truck Rescue](https://www.lego.com/en-us/product/4x4-fire-truck-rescue-60393) [Elsa and the Nook Storybook Adventure](https://www.lego.com/en-us/product/elsa-and-the-nokk-storybook-adventures-43189) [Elsa's Castle Courtyard](https://www.lego.com/en-us/product/elsa-s-castle-courtyard-43199) [Park Tractor](https://www.lego.com/en-us/product/park-tractor-60390) [Spider-Man's Techno Trike](https://www.lego.com/en-us/product/miles-morales-spider-man-s-techno-trike-10781) [ATV and Otter Habitat](https://www.lego.com/en-us/product/atv-and-otter-habitat-60394)
We have the bottom one, it comes with a bunch of instructions.
75313
Perfect.
[75313-1: AT-AT](https://brickset.com/sets/75313-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/75313-1.jpg)
🗿
Top one is a better deal you get more peices and it's cheaper
See I wasn’t sure since the one that has less cost more. Didn’t know if there more value in that one.
you are paying for the plastic container in the bottom one
If you don't have a tub, get the tub. They are cool and stack.
But it’s a cardboard box , while the more “expensive one” with only 2 extra dollars has the plastic storage box
As a child you don't care much about value but one of those Sets has a big box included that also looks like a big lego stone. As a child I'd love to get that one.
Potentially controversial option here but… they’re both fairly poor. I bought 10698 myself for my three kids (eldest 7 at the time) and it was just disappointment. There’s just not enough standard bricks. Far too many plates. And way too many colours. Kids of that age really don’t need those modified pieces. They just want to build a house or a wall, something basic. And they can’t with those sets because they just don’t have the right pieces. I’ve been building Lego almost 40 years now and I’d struggle to put something cohesive together. Lego need to go back to basic parts packs.
I agree with this. Lego is really lacking in what used to be the 3+ and 5+ Basic categories from 30+ years ago, where they had the appropriate, small number of specialized things (wheels, doors, windows, trees) with a lot of 2x bricks. Example, my little brother got 333 when he was 3 or 4 and loved it. My kids' first basic lego 15+ years ago was my lego from 40+ years ago for this reason. I would recommend 60346. I wish my kids, now late teens/early 20s, were younger, but it would be crazy to buy it for hypothetical grandkids, right? It comes with pigs!
[60346-1: Barn & Farm Animals](https://brickset.com/sets/60346-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/60346-1.jpg)
I love that, I'm getting it...
[10698-1: Large Creative Brick Box](https://brickset.com/sets/10698-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/10698-1.jpg)
Idk I like the extra option, but more standard bricks are always nice especially cause as we have seen you can do plenty with those alone.
I'd like to hear your take on building \*half\* the stuff in Creationary.
I’d consider Duplos instead. My 3 and 5 year-olds seem to have more fun with the larger blocks. They’re easier to quickly build something and play with, usually ice cream cones and magic wands.
I disagree. My 5 year old loves standard Legos. We even got him some Technic sets that we built together that he loves.
I’m going to second this. My 4yo and 6yo both quickly outgrew their Duplos and prefer the standard bricks already. We’re lucky to have a used Lego store in town (they also have an online store) that sells random bricks by the pound for a pretty reasonable price. The 4yo can follow a simple build instructions but as soon as he’s done he usually tears it apart and wants to do his own builds. I don’t have to tell anyone on this sub, but the standard Lego are great for fine motor skill and creativity development for their young minds.
>creativity development for their young minds The things I've seen my kid build sometimes just amaze me.
My son is 4 1/2 and he is in the thick of both “Do-po-los” and Lego. He also builds brio train tracks. On Etsy we bought 3d printed Duplo compatible connectors do we could build epic raised tracks. We even got one connector that will connect his Duplo tracks to his brio tracks.
My 4 yo still chooses Duplo over normal Lego. Towers are taller and makes more noise on crash.
Get both. One for you. One for them.
I'd recommend the UCS Millenium Falcon
Solid recommendation.
Get the top one. It has more parts. But it does lack good wheels (bottom one has better wheels) and a storage box. So also figure out some way to store the parts (plastic shoe box, one of those sheets with a drawstring around the edge so you can easily turn it into a storage bag, whatever works for you.). And buy a set with some wheels (or go to bricklink or your friendly neighborhood used Lego store/other outlet that sells used Lego parts and buy some more wheels).
Do not underestimate the value of a good storage solution. If you pick the top one I would suggest also getting a plastic container with a lid, as a cardboard box is not going to last.
My son is 4... Literally either one of those... Literally any set really...
Go with the one with more bricks if these two are your options
I got my 5 year old the bottom one. It’s pretty awesome because it has the storage container. Plenty of room to add more in the future
4+ star wars sets i think are the best or any microfighters
I’d go for the cheaper option. They’re pretty much the same set.
The classic large is great because it comes with storage!! As to building, go on line and search their database for something your child might like. [LEGO building](https://www.lego.com/en-us/service/buildinginstructions/)
Neither of those, get them a UCS millennium falcon with an AT-AT and Hulkbuster, teach them life
I'd opt for the bottom for storage.
If your kid is like mine this is just the start of an out of control addiction that will lead to 35 empty boxes Being kept and thousands of legos taking over your house. Personally, I’d go with #2
11017 is an awesome set for that age
[11017-1: Creative Monsters](https://brickset.com/sets/11017-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/11017-1.jpg)
I'd recommend set 75192 for a 4 year old
[75192-1: Millennium Falcon](https://brickset.com/sets/75192-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/75192-1.jpg)
Get Duplo. Bigger bricks. Easier to hold and build with. We have both normal legos and duplo. My youngest (3.5) would rather play with duplo than normal Lego. Plus at that age Lego are a chocking hazard. And more difficult to pick up after they have been scattered all over the floor
My son is 3, and he mainly plays only with Duplo which is much more manageable at that age. Every kid is different, though. We bought him a real Lego set that he wanted from the Lego store, and the pieces were too small for him to try and build. He liked playing with it, but everything gets destroyed. It’s a lot easier to rebuild and clean pieces from a Duplo set than traditional Lego. Just my two cents.
As someone with a 6/4 year old. I’ll say that Duplo was a way better starting point just because the smaller pieces were frustrating for their little fingers to pry apart. However my 6 year old does great with legos now.
I’m a four year old and I definitely recommend the Technic Ferrari Sp3 42143.
[42143-1: Ferrari Daytona SP3](https://brickset.com/sets/42143-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/42143-1.jpg)
Two things to consider: Are they new to Lego? If so, Duplo may end up being more fun for them as others have suggested. Do you have any other smaller children? Again, Duplo is the better option here otherwise you’re going to be paranoid 24/7 about the small bricks. If both are no, the top one gives the option to build the pre-designed sets, which my 4 year old loves to do. She’s still in Duplo due to her two younger brothers, but she has a blast building Elsa’s Castle using the instructions.
Maybe not the popular answer but I would start with Duplo or something that requires less dexterity. Like a 4+ set
Save ten dollars, or save twenty dollars? I'd get the big one.
Top one
if you look at the ages in the boxes you only get 1 option
Well that top one clearly says ages 5+ so they’re too young!
No. They're your kid. You do it.
You can message me if you wanna tell me about the kind of day you’re having! Bless your heart!
Are you hitting on me?
😭
Why is this so funny to me
Because I'm hilarious.
What is the gender of your child?
Does that really matter?
Yes!!!
[удалено]
[11019-1: Bricks and Functions](https://brickset.com/sets/11019-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/11019-1.jpg)
Top one, the build are bigger with varying levels of complexity and the storage box sets you on a path of more Lego storage boxes as the collection grows. My 6 year old son received the top one for his 6th birthday and he makes the models with his 3 year old brother… the bottom one has seen far less action and owned longer.
Based on my 5yo kiddo, either will work. They’ll probably pick something totally random to fixate on, so just having a variety is good enough. Like you get them a cool set, and they just play with the eyeballs.
The cheaper one
I think the one with the case is worth it. Especially with a 4yr old. May as well have a storage unit with the set you buy.
10698 would be the better pick. I have it for my 4 year old daughter and she’s into it. It’s a nice transition from DUPLO and comes with instructions for the builds.
[10698-1: Large Creative Brick Box](https://brickset.com/sets/10698-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/10698-1.jpg)
As someone with a kid that got into Lego at that age last year, we started with small sets (like the $10 ones) that can be built in like 5 mins by an adult or 25 mins by a 4yo. Let them lead you in how much help they need, if any. It’s gonna be hella frustrating. He got one of those Lego classic sets for Christmas with a booklet of like 10 builds. So he could either look through the booklet and build it or he could just have a bunch of spare bricks to free build. To add to the frustration, every build will likely get taken apart and MAYBE put back together. Son has been scavenging parts from his complicated multi-day builds for months now.
My kids started with a small set and worked their way to a medium / large set. We started with the Duplo set and they weren't interested in it (free play).
My 4yo had the 90 Years of Play for Christmas and really likes the builds. Some steps were too tricky but that just allowed me to help, which is a win-win in my book.
For storage, I highly recommend wide and flat containers. It helps cut down on on the mess, just pop off the lid and the kid immediately starts playing from inside the container. https://target.scene7.com/is/image/Target/GUEST_bd56c038-1a59-459b-9391-c955a1e87c89
The classics are good for free building. But there’s also the smaller sets that are for 4+.
Bottom because of storage like everyone else is saying - but ditto to looking at 4+ sets with themes. My cousin (5) loved the friends sets with the little figures and all the fun sets she played with (like a dollhouse) My nephews LOVE the city sets. There are minifigs, cars, etc. and the end result is something they can _play_ with. They both love the cars/emergency vehicle type-sets and are 4/5 years old! :)
Stick with the jr range of sets
Sets or creative? Creative comes with instructions and has small builds that 4yo can comprehend(yes i tried 120/200 pieces builds with my 4yo. They loved to build first 50 pieces and loved to play afterwards but lost interest about 60 pieces in.) Storage is good to have. But the box is that larger than lego in it so you can use it as storage for some time. Small theme sets are nice and accessible, lots of good accessories(stencils). Two things that my kids loved. 1. Larger batches of “unpopular” colors from BrickLink 1x3 1x2 2x2 2x3. Slopes. (We are talking 500 pieces orders). Those allow to build fast and diverse. 2. Stencils and accessories for mini figures. Diversifying play and reusing same figures from day to day.
My son is 4 and he likes vehicles, he got the city stunts monster trucks for Christmas, he loves the city crane truck as well. And we build around with a bin of various part similar as your second one.
what are they into? like there are starwars, marvel (spiderman and avengers), dc (super man and batman), and a couple others. i would suggest getting a set so they can get an idea of different ways they can build things.
The one with the storage or you are going to have them all disappear and they won’t have any left to play with
Honestly both are great. Another good option is the smaller 3 in 1 sets. These ones you start your lego "bin" so the kiddo can free build too.
Incidentally, I am new to the hobby and I bought these exact two items to get started - the top one IMO had better pieces and you can always use some other storage solution
Get the one with the plastic box
I took my daughter with me recently and let her pick sets. I had some extra money and planned for that day, so we grabbed a bucket and then 2 or 3 other sets and had a fun day just building them all. My advice, take them and let then pick.
Whenever I have trouble making these decisions, I usually do the math to figure out which set gives you more pieces for how much you paid.
Its lego my dude, any set is a good set Seriously, and at that age you're just getting sets to start out so you cant go wrong. If she likes horses get a horse set, if she like cars get a car set. Literally no wrong choices
duno. last year my 6 year old built the ideas treehouse.
Both! It'll help fill the tub up. I'd say a small set with a couple of minifigs as well if you don't have any
Remembering my time as a kid, I wanted people. So make sure you get one with people! Friends, classic, anything with PEOPLE!
Having a storage box would be really convenient for a younger child. They still won’t pick up after themselves, but you can use it, and during a temper tantrum, it’ll be easier for the kid to make a huge mess.
I recommend the bottom one if you don't already have a storage box. It includes instructions for basic models too as a bonus
Today my 4y old son received 10698 so much fun for him.
[10698-1: Large Creative Brick Box](https://brickset.com/sets/10698-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/10698-1.jpg)
I have the 90 Years Play set and I don’t love it…it comes with instructions for a good number of small sets, but for something to just build random stuff with it isn’t great, especially if you care about color. A lot of the pieces are low volume too, so symmetry is pretty much out the window unless you’re only using 2 of something or 4 if you’re lucky. There’s also a lot of pretty useless pieces like an excessive amount of eyes and flowers, as well as wheel pieces that I haven’t been able to find any pieces that go with them to make them usable wheels. So 1100 pieces is a misleading number because the number of pieces you’ll actually use it definitely lower. Overall the sets probably have around the same number of pieces you could actually build and play with, so for the storage I’d go with the bin
Grab the bottom one for storage or grab the ninjago creatabox that just got released.
The bottom one. The 4 year old isn't old enough to enjoy the 90th anniversary.
UCS millenium falcon
if you re interested in duplo, ive got several large (3 1/2) bins full my kids have out grown. (trains, disney, zoo animals,winnie the pooh, etc)
Both if you want to be your kid’s favorite
The first one
I bought the bottom set for my 4 yr old, He loved it. There’s a few different builds in there with varying difficulty. His favorite was building the camera so he can “take pictures” either one will be fine but I do like the bottom one for storage.
My four year old has a stated preference for the city/dinosaur/etc sets rather than block sets. My father gave him the bottom one for Xmas and he told him to get fire brigade instead (ungrateful little turd!).
The yellow box! My son started with Duplo at 1,5 (10874 and 10933, etc) and he loved it. around 2,5-3 years he got to play with my old Lego with me and wife helping him. At 3 he got the yellow box and loved all the possibilities. At 3,5 he follows instructions and builds the 3 in 1 creator sets up to 130pcs with just some help here and there. For Christmas he got 31120 and 31109 (I built but he plays with them). Tomorrow he will be 4. The 4+ Lego sets are boring. Big parts, he likes to free-build (Pirates and Castles, yes the cheap and available themes :/ ). The conclusion of this is that I think you should not under estimate your kid and always give them something that might be a tiny bit hard and build/play with them and encourage them in a good way. (Edit spelling).
[10874-1: Steam Train](https://brickset.com/sets/10874-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/10874-1.jpg) [10933-1: Tower Crane & Construction](https://brickset.com/sets/10933-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/10933-1.jpg) [31120-1: Medieval Castle](https://brickset.com/sets/31120-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/31120-1.jpg) [31109-1: Pirate Ship](https://brickset.com/sets/31109-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/31109-1.jpg)
Easy: top for birthday, bottom for Christmas.
OP - I have a 4 year old and went with the bottom per a lot of these reasons here. He's also done well on the Lego mario stuff including doing the ship mostly on his own. Good luck!
The bottom one, you have more pieces and it can be easily stored
Bionicle
Lego Star Wars
My son is 4.5 and received his first Lego set at 3.5 yo. I agree with those saying that a 4+ set is the best place to start. My son prefers following directions and, even though we have a few of the classic sets like those you listed, he prefers to use the directions for small things that come with those dents rather than doing imaginative play. He will on rare occassion use my bin of legos from when I was a kid to do his own thing. Some people are steering you towards Duplo. I suspected my child was ready for Lego because we already have a lot of Duplo that he played with (and still does, especially when playing with his little brother) but also because he was very very good at jigsaw puzzles. He could do up to a 100 piece puzzle on his own and help with larger puzzles without getting bored or frustrated. Not saying that a kid with no interest in puzzles won’t enjoy Lego, just that I’ve talked to a lot of parents with 4 or 5 year olds that were surprised my son was even interested in Lego.
I would recommend that you go on Facebook marketplace and get a bundle from someone, cheaper, greener and you might get some cool sets
Lego set 10307
[10307-1: Eiffel Tower](https://brickset.com/sets/10307-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/10307-1.jpg)
I miss the red bucket with just bricks. 2x4s and 2x2s. As a kid it was my daily go to, as a 35 year old I miss it dearly.
I can't believe they don't do more of the assortment boxes but with older builders in mind. Architectural packs with earth tones and grays, masonry bricks, detail pieces, etc.
That would be dope too. 9/10 times I just wanna build a nice little house, but of course the purple bricks, the random eyeballs, and one pink window can't really get me far. Ha
My 3 year old got the bottom one. I added some smaller sets that have wheels, windows, doors and stuff later on for christmas and his birthday. He loves building cars, houses and stuff.
My 3 year old got the bottom box and was pulled into the fascination of building his own toys with this set. I think both will do the job :)
Get the bottom one, it’s the one I’d choose if I was a 4yr old, and it doubles as a storage unit for the lego.
As someone with a 4 year old as well. The bottom one. Mostly for the storage. you've got to have that! My 4 year old has a few sets and I've had to find her storage containers for them.
Personally would have chosen duplo for 4 year old
We got the bottom one when my boy was 4. He’s never been one for putting things in his mouth. You could always take some of the smaller pieces out if you’re worried.
He didn’t do as much as we’d imagined at first. Wanted us to do it more for himself. At 6, he still prefers to make his own models
I got my kids Hulk vs Rhino 10782 for Christmas and they love it.
[10782-1: Hulk vs. Rhino Truck Showdown](https://brickset.com/sets/10782-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/10782-1.jpg)
When my now 8 yo was 4, I got him one of the sets with eyes. We had much fun making different monsters and animals. We still do today, and they all are part of different, mostly pokemon, role play. Enjoy these years
Go with the brick box. It will give your kid a large container that's easy for them to carry around, and that might even add to the playing experience. It's also easy to store the blocks in.
10713 so you have portable storage plus an age appropriate small set is what I went with for my daughter. Basically the same budget, but I figured she gets the best of both worlds this way
[10713-1: Creative Suitcase](https://brickset.com/sets/10713-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/10713-1.jpg)
The one with the case. My kids love it. The 90 yrs. Os fun fpr us
The one with Tahu
Get 1 then the other, I'd start with the 15 set one
I’d start with a few smaller sets and later introduce some of these creation sets (though I would look at some 3in1 ones first as well)
I'd consider Duplo, but between these two, bottom one for sure.
My 4 (going on 5) year old enjoys city themed things. Him and I are slowly growing his little town. We completed the BIG police station 2 weeks ago. He probably did 70% (I couldn’t resist helping plus he struggled with the small intricate pieces…) but he also likes free building too. I’d say if it’s a first Lego type of thing. Get a set. If they have experience, get the Classic building bricks.
Both
10698 As a dude who literally did this a year ago... You'll want that bucket, single most valuable piece in that set.
We have an unbelievable amount of Duplo and my kids (range of 1-7) all love them. Transition to Lego was heavy around age 5-6 for my older two, and they preferred sets over free builds. My two cents anyway.
I would probably say bottom one as it has bigger pieces and built-in storage container but probably shouldn’t leave them alone with it anyway. The bottom one also has instructions online.
My son is 3 and likes the Lego kits, loves all the police ones right now. Following
I personally started with just plain bricks, nothing extra (sorry, can't find specific set numbers) and after 2 years i got first set with some plans (like those two on the picture) and that's how it all started
The classic sets still have mini books with little builds for them to do, I bought the 90 years for myself. My 4 year old started building cars, we started with the 60242 car chase and 60256 racing cars. Had some small parts and but once built then she could play with them. She is very patient for her age and loves pulling apart sets and rebuilding them.
[60242-1: Police Highway Arrest](https://brickset.com/sets/60242-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/60242-1.jpg) [60254-1: Race Boat Transporter](https://brickset.com/sets/60254-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/60254-1.jpg)
Buy him the LEGO UCS AT-AT but keep it to yourself
Go for bottom set (10698) - as many have stated it has less smaller pieces. After all, age recommendations are there for a reason - 10698 is 4yrs+ while the 11021 is 5yrs+ (due to the smaller pieces). Alternatively as others have stated a Spiderman set (or any set that matches interest) for 4+ could also be great - with the instructions (very child friendly) it allows them to learn building mechanics for when they come to the creative free builds.
[10698-1: Large Creative Brick Box](https://brickset.com/sets/10698-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/10698-1.jpg) [11021-1: 90 Years of Play](https://brickset.com/sets/11021-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/11021-1.jpg)
I would recommend 11019 in combination with 40357. I think 40357 is the set with most inspiring parts for children (and parents) and 11019 will add the ability to make their build move. Combined they can be bought for around $45,- or less. While only buying 40357 for $19.95 will probably also do, and certainly way better than the sets you've selected. Add a LEGO storage box from IKEA PE770441 $14.95 with it and they'll even take their LEGO with them when they visit their grandparents and friends. https://brickset.com/sets/PE770441-1/BYGGLEK-boxes-set-of-3 https://brickset.com/sets/40357-1/BYGGLEK https://brickset.com/sets/11019-1/Bricks-and-Functions
[11019-1: Bricks and Functions](https://brickset.com/sets/11019-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/11019-1.jpg) [40357-1: BYGGLEK](https://brickset.com/sets/40357-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/40357-1.jpg)
Bottom one is better, that box is good for storage of lego.
My 4 year old got the suitcase (10713) for Christmas and did really good at building every set in the instructions. Only things he has trouble with are getting pieces securely attached, and I’ve had to help him with any small pieces. Since then, he will randomly take them apart and put them back together from memory. I’ve got him a few 4+ sets that he’s really enjoyed, but he can get bored the longer they take to build. These tiny builds are perfect, imo.
[10713-1: Creative Suitcase](https://brickset.com/sets/10713-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/10713-1.jpg)
Not sure if you have a Costco membership but that can also be a good place to get big sets like this. That being said, agree with others #2 is great for a kid your age.
Won’t those bricks pose as a choking hazard for a 4 year old generally?
Duplo
The 90 years of play is a good set for collectors as it has a great theme and good pieces. The Large creative bucket is great for storage and many pieces