The boys both love Legos. They love any type of building blocks, but Legos are their favorite. The boys are almost 10 years apart in age. Despite being almost 6 and 15, and having different toy interests, for the most part, the one thing they can agree upon is playing with Legos. Both boys were also excited about Toy Story 3 coming out at the movies. They actually went with their Nana to the show today.
CT was excited because of the nostalgia associated with the franchise, especially for kids his age, who grew up with Andy, Woody, and Buzz. When he was very little, he was obsessed with the original Toy Story movie and he became equally as obsessed with it’s sequel, Toy Story 2, when it was released. He even had a Toy Story bedroom. Lil B is a new generation who is just starting to appreciate the franchise. It was nice for the boys to be able to see it together. So, you can guess what their reaction was when they were told we were receiving the Toy Story Army Men on Patrol Lego set.
Now, let me tell you a little bit about Dom. He never really got a chance to play with these kinds of toys as much as he wanted to, as a kid. So, as a grown man, he is a big kid. He loves toys, especially Legos, as much as the kids do. Dom is also in a wheelchair, because he has a progressive muscle disease, so putting things together can be a daunting task for him. Usually, he just lets the boys put the sets together, because it can take him a while to snap things in place, and they grow bored waiting for him. This set wasn’t huge, so Dom set out to have the boys help him put it together.
CT is a very helpful boy. He was more than willing to find pieces for Dom to snap together. Lil B is too young to realize that this was a big deal for Uncle Dommy Vomit (as he so calls him!), and instant results would not be achieved. Instead, he wandered around the house, coming back every few minutes to ask, “Is it done yet?” He is also too impatient, at this point, to sit and build anything without some help, so Dom and CT would be building it anyway.
You gotta give Dom credit. He was wiping his brow as he put the last piece in place but he did it! You could almost hear a collective sigh of relief as all three of them were glad the building was done. Dom didn’t really care about playing with it. He was just thrilled he’d built something…anything without asking CT to push anything into place! The boys even let me put together the Army men. It was a true, family effort, all around. The boys had way more fun playing with the set together. That’s all Lil B really cared about. They played out scenes from Toy Story and also made up their own. CT has since put this Lego set together and taken it apart multiple times.
While the picture shows a small army jeep, it actually had quite a few pieces to put together. It was a lot more than a few snapped pieces here or there. That’s great because CT especially loves to build. It would have been disappointing if it only took a minute to put together. Even the army men have a few pieces to put together. Despite this being a small set, there was a lot to do to keep all three of my boys busy during the construction of this set and the play that proceeded it.
If you have small kids, you will want to be careful of the Toy Story 3 Army Men on Patrol set. There are many, tiny pieces to put together and those under the age of 2 or 3 face a serious choking threat from them. Little kids shouldn’t even be allowed near this set, and Lego agrees with this assessment, as the set is recommended for ages 6-12. However, a slightly younger child and most older kids will enjoy this set, as well. Lil B turns 6 in July, and he had a blast playing with the set. However, he wasn’t very interested in the actual construction of the set. Adults who like Legos and/or Toy Story will also get a kick out of the Toy Story 3 Army Men on Patrol Set. I know Dom had a great time helping the boys put it together and watching them play.
For those with kids who have a physical disability, but who have minor strength in arms and hands, this set is accessible. There aren’t as many pieces as the big sets, and most of the pieces should go together with minor assistance. Dom struggled occasionally, but always managed to get the pieces together. We always like to mention how accessible toys are for all kids, and this one gets a fairly decent rating for accessibility! In any case, it would be a fun way for parents and kids to put the set together if help is needed.
The quality of Legos is outstanding. They are as durable as they were when I was a kid. When they are built into objects (like Army Jeeps) they hold together well and shouldn’t break with minor bumps or drops. However, rough play is going to break up the set. That is to be expected of Legos. The actual Legos would have to be hit with incredible force to break the pieces, so most kids couldn’t actually break the Legos. They are made of hard plastic too strong for most kids to destroy. They’d just have to rebuild the set if it fell apart during a collision of some sort.
Overall, the entire family had (and continues to have) a lot of fun with the Toy Story Army Men on Patrol Lego Play Set. Dom and CT loved putting it together. CT and Lil B had fun playing with it once it was together, and I had fun watching the boys create memories that will last a lifetime thanks to Lego. The Toy Story Army Men on Patrol Set comes highly recommended.
Technorati Tags: Kids, Family, Toys, Toy Story 3, Legos, Toy Story Army Men on Patrol Set, Building Blocks, Play, Toy Review
Written by Ashtyn Evans – Visit Website
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Ashtyn is in her early 30s. She is a mother, writer, college student, and music lover. Ashtyn has had a successful career as a writer since 2003. She turned to blogging in 2005. Ashtyn attends Wright State where she is getting a degree in Psychology. She has extensive knowledge in SEO and Social Media Development.
