Lego Friends Hotel fail

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agreed. Have the nanny help you sort through the pieces.

Uh, unless that's part of her job description (to sift thru Lego pieces) or you told her specifically not to do it AND you're paying her to do it then don't ask the Nanny.

She is paying nanny for her time.

Sifting through legos is child care related.

Nanny can sift through the legos, even if sifting though legos is not specifically listed in her contract. Sheeze.

OP. We have tons of legos. You can get the pieces back. It will just take an afternoon or few hours of hanging out with your daughter (not so bad...right?!)

Go to the back of the book where the pieces are listed. Go collr by color, and mark off as you find each shape. A tally system will work.

As you pull the pieces out. Keep them in piles according to size, color and shape. This will make things easier to build since everything will already be sorted when you start.

Try not to dig through the bin too much. That will work pieces to the bottom.

A $100 set does not have too many pieces, maybe 100-150? Several of them will be large or unusual sized and will be easy to find as a result. 100 pieces is not too unmanageable to find. You can do this

If you have a small piece or stud that is impossible to find, just substitute a different color. No big deal.

You can do this.

An let the nanny know that in the future she is not to dump new sets into the bin with the others without checking with you.

She should know better.

[Anonymous]

First step: fire your nanny. As someone who is supposed to be knowledgeable about working with children that seems like a pretty unforgivable thing.

Step two: Have new nanny work with child to find all the pieces.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think this is a simple problem to solve. Not as if there is a list and pictures of the specific lego pieces.

I would buy another set, and use that set to locate the pieces within the big bin.

End result, you will have 2 sets and can donate one.

In the back or front of every lego instruction book is a detailed list of every included piece, with photos and quantity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agreed. Have the nanny help you sort through the pieces.

Uh, unless that's part of her job description (to sift thru Lego pieces) or you told her specifically not to do it AND you're paying her to do it then don't ask the Nanny.

She is paying nanny for her time.

Sifting through legos is child care related.

Nanny can sift through the legos, even if sifting though legos is not specifically listed in her contract. Sheeze.

OP. We have tons of legos. You can get the pieces back. It will just take an afternoon or few hours of hanging out with your daughter (not so bad...right?!)

Go to the back of the book where the pieces are listed. Go collr by color, and mark off as you find each shape. A tally system will work.

As you pull the pieces out. Keep them in piles according to size, color and shape. This will make things easier to build since everything will already be sorted when you start.

Try not to dig through the bin too much. That will work pieces to the bottom.

A $100 set does not have too many pieces, maybe 100-150? Several of them will be large or unusual sized and will be easy to find as a result. 100 pieces is not too unmanageable to find. You can do this

If you have a small piece or stud that is impossible to find, just substitute a different color. No big deal.

You can do this.

An let the nanny know that in the future she is not to dump new sets into the bin with the others without checking with you.

She should know better.

OP here, this is good advice, thanks very much!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agreed. Have the nanny help you sort through the pieces.

Uh, unless that's part of her job description (to sift thru Lego pieces) or you told her specifically not to do it AND you're paying her to do it then don't ask the Nanny.

She is paying nanny for her time.

Sifting through legos is child care related.

Nanny can sift through the legos, even if sifting though legos is not specifically listed in her contract. Sheeze.

OP. We have tons of legos. You can get the pieces back. It will just take an afternoon or few hours of hanging out with your daughter (not so bad...right?!)

Go to the back of the book where the pieces are listed. Go collr by color, and mark off as you find each shape. A tally system will

As you pull the pieces out. Keep them in piles according to size, color and shape. This will make things easier to build since everything will already be sorted when you start.

Try not to dig through the bin too much. That will work pieces to the bottom.

A $100 set does not have too many pieces, maybe 100-150? Several of them will be large or unusual sized and will be easy to find as a result. 100 pieces is not too unmanageable to find. You can do this

If you have a small piece or stud that is impossible to find, just substitute a different color. No big deal.

You can do this.

An let the nanny know that in the future she is not to dump new sets into the bin with the others without checking with you.

She should know better.

It probably is more like 1500 pieces. Of course, if it is partially built, that can reduce what's missing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think this is a simple problem to solve. Not as if there is a list and pictures of the specific lego pieces.

I would buy another set, and use that set to locate the pieces within the big bin.

End result, you will have 2 sets and can donate one.

In the back or front of every lego instruction book is a detailed list of every included piece, with photos and quantity.

Yes, that bolded one made me laugh.

Sometimes I wonder why people with obviously no children or experience with children are here posting on the dcum parenting boards.

What parent of eleemntary kids does not know that every lego set has an inventory with pictures in the back of the instruction booklets?

[Anonymous]

Seems like the directions always list the parts in a very detailed way. I would think an adult and even a child could find them all in a bin given time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agreed. Have the nanny help you sort through the pieces.

Uh, unless that's part of her job description (to sift thru Lego pieces) or you told her specifically not to do it AND you're paying her to do it then don't ask the Nanny.

She is paying nanny for her time.

Sifting through legos is child care related.

Nanny can sift through the legos, even if sifting though legos is not specifically listed in her contract. Sheeze.

OP. We have tons of legos. You can get the pieces back. It will just take an afternoon or few hours of hanging out with your daughter (not so bad...right?!)

Go to the back of the book where the pieces are listed. Go collr by color, and mark off as you find each shape. A tally system will work.

As you pull the pieces out. Keep them in piles according to size, color and shape. This will make things easier to build since everything will already be sorted when you start.

Try not to dig through the bin too much. That will work pieces to the bottom.

A $100 set does not have too many pieces, maybe 100-150? Several of them will be large or unusual sized and will be easy to find as a result. 100 pieces is not too unmanageable to find. You can do this

If you have a small piece or stud that is impossible to find, just substitute a different color. No big deal.

You can do this.

An let the nanny know that in the future she is not to dump new sets into the bin with the others without checking with you.

She should know better.

OP here, this is good advice, thanks very much!

I left off some zeros, sorry! 1000-1500. Still, definitely manageable. Tye hardest onez are the studs and 1 x 2s. The big and unusually pieces will be much easier to find. Just don't shake the bin too much.

If you have pieces you just cannot find or can't find all of them, just make note, skip them and go back to them on round two.

The second go around you will have to sift, but you will have fewer pieces to find.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Also if there is anything missing, Lego will either sell or give you the missing piece.

I would either dig for the pieces or rebuy the set depending on how far into the build your daughter was in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The kits are cool and a great way for kids to learn to follow directions. If you have the directions, it shouldn't be too hard to identify the pieces. Warn the nanny, teach your kid to put a work in progress in a safe EPA e and move on.

I agree. I never liked Lego when I was a kid because I just wasn't creative and never built anything besides a square house. My 4yo has received some kits, and I love doing them with him. I'm quite impressed that he can follow the instructions with a little help from me, and he feels proud of the final product. My husband however, hates the kits because he believes it stifles creativity.

Btw, my son is creative with Magnatiles and blocks. Lego kits are fun for kids and awesome for fostering attention to detail and direction, and fine motor skills.

Op, don't buy another kit. Just spend an evening finding the pieces.

[Anonymous]

OP,

It was obviously something that the nanny did unintentionally. Although it would be upsetting for your DD it is fixable. I would NOT by a new lego hotel. I would buy a lego brick sorter, e.g.,: https://www.amazon.com/BOX4BLOX-Rokenbok-Interlocking-Building-Organizer/dp/B004UJFUP2/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1484498989&sr=1-1&keywords=lego+brick+sorter

This will sort them by size. The colors of the hotel are pretty distinctive from most other lego sets. Yes, it's a hassle, but a way to teach your kid perserverance. (This is a good way to learn the lesson b/c there's nothing really at stake her.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:These kits are killing the creativity right out of our kids.

Have her design her own hotel with the pieces in whatever order she wants to use them.

I disagree. My DS loves building kits with DH and me; it's a fun thing to do together, practicing following directions, attention to detail, sequencing, and describing the pieces you'd like your partner to give you.

After we build a set and show it off, DS "gets creative" with it, changing and adapting it however he would like. We have a big box of "creative" legos for that purpose, as well as building things from scratch. It doesn't have to be either-or.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think this is a simple problem to solve. Not as if there is a list and pictures of the specific lego pieces.

I would buy another set, and use that set to locate the pieces within the big bin.

End result, you will have 2 sets and can donate one.

In the back or front of every lego instruction book is a detailed list of every included piece, with photos and quantity.

Yes, that bolded one made me laugh.

Sometimes I wonder why people with obviously no children or experience with children are here posting on the dcum parenting boards.

What parent of eleemntary kids does not know that every lego set has an inventory with pictures in the back of the instruction booklets?

Agree! and if the kid is old enough for the set, the kid is obviously old enough to sort through the mixed pile and find the correct pieces herself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These kits are killing the creativity right out of our kids.

Have her design her own hotel with the pieces in whatever order she wants to use them.

I disagree. My DS loves building kits with DH and me; it's a fun thing to do together, practicing following directions, attention to detail, sequencing, and describing the pieces you'd like your partner to give you.

After we build a set and show it off, DS "gets creative" with it, changing and adapting it however he would like. We have a big box of "creative" legos for that purpose, as well as building things from scratch. It doesn't have to be either-or.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/brain-candy/201506/building-lego-kit-instructions-makes-kids-less-creative

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:These kits are killing the creativity right out of our kids.

Have her design her own hotel with the pieces in whatever order she wants to use them.

My kids build the sets, but also build their own creations. I disagree that they're killing creativity.