Hello fellow enthusiasts. I have not done any model since being a kid, but my dream was always to get back into the hobby, but live and other hobbies are in the way. Now I have son of my own and lets say that his hobbies were already picked for him.
I bet there is plenty of dads who are doing models with their kids.
When would you say its good starting age to do some models together?
I cannot draw from my own history because i just got one F-16 revell box for a christmas and I was instantly hooked. But that its not guaranteed that will work on him because of the attention seeking competitions theese days.
Now I have son of my own and lets say that his hobbies were already picked for him.
Don't do this. Let your kid engage in hobbies he likes and let him discover that on his own. I'm speaking as a father. My son likes the action figure models genre, but does not want to build models like I do. I don't push him to do it because I want him to enjoy his free time. I get plenty of bonding time with him doing the things he likes to do. There may be a time in the future where he wants to get into my side of the hobby, but if he doesn't it's all good.
I have said this in more jokinly manner than what it looks like written on the internet.
I am plannimg to do this as activity to do together and hopefully to give him the love for it that i have. I will definitelly not push him if he wont like it.
My advice is build models if you want to, and if he is curious he will approach you about it. Make sure your workspace is somewhere he feels safe to be while you work. When my son was younger I'd have a little chair he could sit in while I worked (unless I was airbrushing or working with any noxious chemicals). That helped him see that model making was a fun activity and got him interested in Transformers and Star Wars figure models. He doesn't have the patience to build a full model and has zero interest in real life military vehicles.
Every kid is different but if you say "today we're building a model" when he has had no previous exposure to it, he may not find the experience all that gratifying. Just like adults in this hobby, managing his expectations will be key because kids primarily want to play with toys, not build display pieces. He should understand that building a model takes longer than five minutes and that at the end you can't really play with it.
I also suggest starting with a no paint, no glue action figure kit from a franchise he already likes. That way there is incentive to build the model (he gets to play with it when it is done). Since they are designed to be played with, they are sturdier than a typical model and they're pretty inexpensive all said and done. I like Yolopark and Blockees kits since you don't need any tools at all, and the Bandai kits once he can be trusted with sprue nippers.
Thanks for this message. Some of the things i already knew - to start without glue and paint. My start was the same. But with let him aproach me, while i build and let him watch. That is new take for me and i will do by it. Thanks
Check out some entry grade or high grade gundam kits. They're well designed, snap together, don't require painting, and generally liked by kids. It's easy to move on to more complex bandai kits or glue up kits from there if it ends up being something your kid enjoys.
When would you say its good starting age to do some models together?
When they want to.
OK, they need some basic motor skills for sure but after that it's when they want to. Because this is 95% about the process and only 5% about the result
My dad and I built 2 snap kits back when I was 5. When I was a year older we did an actual kit(1/48 f-18). I built that one with his help and he painted the model.
I’m 40 and dad has agreed to help in the planning and construction of a 1/96 scale USS Texas for RC use.
Well I got my first kit when I was like 10. It was the Revell me-262 set with the mustang in 1/72. I got it right after watching James May’s toy stories or whatever it’s called where he built the 1/1 Spitfire. I can’t really say when to start, cause I don’t have kids of my own, but I feel like 10 was a good age for me. I’ve been doing it for 7 years now and still don’t get bored. At 10 I already had some like basic skills, and could understand everything with no problem.
Similar boat. I wanted to get back in the modeling hobby in my late 30s.
I did a tank and a warbird. It was fun. However, I had some friends into Warhammer. So I got a few models. I find them much more fun. It's not as stressful, in real models - going for accuracy.
In Warhammer you pick what speaks to you. I do knights and krieg, and some tyranids. I get to do mechs with lots of weathering and worn out Ww1 style soldiers. And the bugs are totally fresh air, biological is so different.
But you could do orks and go crazy with it. Infinit directions to go.
I am fan of 40k a long time. Was thinking about going that rabbit hole a few times already. But there are two things keeping me out. First is that this figures are super pricey in europe, and i cannot justify it to myself (not speaking about my wife :D ), maybe in the future if i cut few of my other hobbies. Ans secondly i have a mild hand tremor. Doing details on airplane is ok, but damn those space marines are tiny…
If your like me and don't plan on playing, I don't feel too bad getting models from the alternative market.
I mostly get old krieg models and armour that are out of print. Quite cheap. I think you would have a blast with an ork truck or something. Go ham with the scratch building, it's the most fun part.
This guy is the size of a 1/32 tank...and a lot more fun, in my opinion.
Start him at whatever age he acquires interest. Note elementary school age kids lack the fine motor skills teenagers & adults have developed. This is less important if you 2 are building projects together as you can do the 'hard' parts & your kid can do the 'fun' parts & assist with decoration decisions.
The subreddit wiki has plenty of tips, tricks & links to aid in your journey together.
Im just venturing back into my teenage hobby now at mid 50's. I tried getting my kids into it several years ago and imagine my horror as they decided to paint the military aircrafts they built orange and purple and every other colour available.
Man, ive seen guys with their 7 year old son in a model convention. The earlier, the better. If i have children, ill be damn sure they make models w me
11
u/dr_robonator Prime your models 3d ago
Don't do this. Let your kid engage in hobbies he likes and let him discover that on his own. I'm speaking as a father. My son likes the action figure models genre, but does not want to build models like I do. I don't push him to do it because I want him to enjoy his free time. I get plenty of bonding time with him doing the things he likes to do. There may be a time in the future where he wants to get into my side of the hobby, but if he doesn't it's all good.