Structure Kits for Kids

[Anonymous]

Hi Everyone,

I just found these forums yesterday - this is my first post.

I'm in the process of finishing the basement in our new house, and I must get that completed before I start on the basement empire.

In the meantime, due mostly to the pleading of my 4 and 6 year old boys, I'm building a 4x8 layout so they can watch trains run, which will be just fine for them.

My question is in regards to structure kit recommendations that might be good for my 6 year old and me to build together. I really enjoy scratchbuilding structures out of wood, so I've overlooked a lot of the plastic kits in the past.

Do any of you have recommendation for a structure kits that might be good for my son and I to work on together?

Happy Holidays,

John Haas
Underhill, VT

[dknelson]

Doesn't Bachmann still make the Plasticville line of structures in HO and in S/O? They use (or did when I was a kid) a simple kind of construction and could be taken down and put back together again. Pretty fool proof. You do not need glue or cement which is important when small kids are involved.
I remember the fire station has doors you could operate which I thought was awfully neat when I was a little boy.
I had a suburban depot and a ranch house from this same Plasticville line. I think the ranch house had a garage door that could be opened.
The signal bridge in the Plasticville line has been much used by kitbashers and other professionals for years both as a source of parts and as basic material for rather complex signal bridges.
You might want to explore some of the farm toys that are out there as well. Erlt etc.
If you are looking for a kit that would teach your boys something about craftsmanship, Dover and Carstens used to publish books of HO scale buildings out of thick paper that would be cut out and pasted or taped together. If carefully constructed they build up into pretty decent looking buildings. Again the advantage is you could use white glue rather than a solvent cement.
Dave Nelson

[scole100]

Several of the Walthers Cornerstone kits snap together fairly easy. They also come pre-painted. They are easy and not to expensive. Happy Modeling!

[RMax1]

The Plasticville kits are really good. They are simple and affordable if you hunt. The KB Toys near me was clearing them out for $1 and I bought a bunch of them. With a little kit bashing they look great. Add a window unit AC and some TV antennas and there you go. Scale is a little off but still ok.

RMax

[Anonymous]

Hey Guys, thanks for the tips on structure kits. I think I have one of those plasticville kits lying around that I received free at a train show - given free at the gate to all who attended. That will be perfect.

Thanks Again,

John

[danmerkel]

Aren't there some snap together kits from IHC as well? I'm thinking that the farmhouse, the barn, a rural station and perhaps a school house were all snap together. If not, they were certainly easy to assemble.

I know that you mentioned structures, but I'd also consider some good old Athearn blue boxes... I'd think a six-year-old could "help" with some of those... finding parts, etc.

dlm

[randybc2003]

Don't forget the ATLAS kits. They are plastic, and simple too. I agree with the IHC, and etc. When REVEL had the farmhouse, I received it for a Christmas Pressent at the age of 5 to 8, and put it together by myself. A good result, & I even still have it.

If you want to get your feet wet with "craftsman" kits, try the AMB LAZERKIT EXPRESS. They are small, simple, easy, and relatively cheap. I do like them.

ENJOY!!!
R.B.C.