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Good Build Tips for a 10 year old...


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Easy on the glue, use Acryl paint that dries faster, cleans up easier, and smells better), teach solid basics like sanding mold lines, filing parts for fitment, and skip the aftermarket details. A good clean box stock build is the foundation for all modeling, once that's mastered the sky's the limit!

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try 1 new thing at a time with a kit.. don't try all different things like foil and other stuff at one time.. basically just get the basics down 1 kit at a time.. and after a few down the belt try some thing new like foil... then next one try something like a engine swap ETC.

Agreed. Don't get bogged down with foil and flock and plug wires and whatnot, just make sure the parts are cleaned up and fit together right and the paint dries fast enough to make progress and hold interest. I've never been as frustrated with a model as I was when I was about 10 trying to glue parts together with all kinds of flash and bits of sprue still on them. Nothing fits right, nothing stays glued together long, more glue doesn't help, and the cheap Testors enamel paints never dry! For the next model try a little flock on the carpet, or a two tone paint job, or...

Also agreed on the older Revellogram kits, they're kind of simple and not the greatest detail, but they build up nice, and would be great to get started on.

What kind of stuff does she want to build?

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Thanks for the responses, guys! I'm thinking that she would like to try the 1/25 Challenger from Revell.... It's basicly a snap kit with an engine, something to get her feet wet so to speak.... :)

Like the 2009 Challenger? That's a 109 part model kit, it's hardly a snap kit with an engine.

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When my daughter was about that age she expressed an interest in building a model. I think it was a to spend some time getting attention from dad, but also to get into all those neat paint supplies on my work bench. My bench has always been an old door covered with brown paper. I took a marker and drew a line down the center, labeling the sides mine and hers. So she felt she had her own work space.

Part of the planning part of the project was choosing the colors, which I let her do with some input. I wanted the car to come from her imagination.

Then we concentrated on the craft part of the project. We took all the parts off the trees and grouped them by the color they needed to be painted. We drew boxes on the bench with color names. We'd mount the parts on tooth picks on styrofoam bases and she'd brush paint the parts the designated colors. That was not a one night deal, it took a while to get all the parts done. Then there were the parts that needed multiple colors. I'd teach her techniques one thing at a time. First it was how to get the right amount on the brush and paint in even strokes. The next lesson was how to clean the brush in thinner so it would be ready for the next time. Once we graduated to the multi-color parts, she learned how to paint straight lines and a technique I called 'paint away' any mess with a bit of thinner on a brush to clean up the separation lines. She was getting it. I had turned away and caught her using the techniques. She was very careful and liked the painting part.

I then taught her to spray paint the big parts like the body and chassis, with spray cans of course. She enjoyed that too. Then we got to assembly and we worked on careful gluing with small touches of glue on a tooth pick. And in the end we did the decals.

She did get through two projects with me. The first was a Fujimi Suzuki Samauri which was a great kit for a beginner since it was curb side but had a lot of nice detail at the same time. The fact that everything nearly fell together made the assembly fun for her. She chose the kit from my stash because I had a yellow Geo Tracker and this was the closest model to that car. She chose the colors to match my truck. The second kit was the AMT Ghostbusters car. She loved doing this one since there were a lot of parts to paint and she liked that it was a movie car.

For each car, built a year apart, we had a deadline of September which was the old Staten Island Model Car Show in conjunction with the local AACA car show. This was a great event because it wasn't only a model show, but also a bit car show with a carnival atmosphere with old time truck mounted kiddie rides and lots of food stands. We had a great time together and that's what it really is about.

Time does fly and she's now 29 years old. The cars are still proudly displayed in my show case and she still will bring up the time we built models together.

Good luck. Capture these times!

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First up, savor the experience. As the ad says, priceless. I agree with the acrylic paint. The painting seems to be most of the fun for them and it is easy to clean up. Get out an old T shirt to wear over her clothes. Teach the basics but don't get bogged down. Make it fun and be sure to finish so she has a completed car to carry home and display. These are tips from my own experience. My 8 year old granddaughter loves looking at my models and decided she wanted to build one with me. I got her a snap corvette since they are her favorite car. Her dad has one and her uncle has a Calloway vette. She painted and assembled in one week-end. Then wanted to do another model. I got the Polar Lights Scooby Doo van and she loved it. Painted and applied the stickers. It helped that it had the figures with it. She now has told her dad to put a shelf on her wall for "her" models since she is going to keep building with Pawpaw. Absolutely made my day. Hopefully I can keep it fun and we will enjoy several builds together.

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My daughter just finished her 3rd kit. ( she'll be 13 next month. )

Ist one was a snap kit Polar Lights 65 Dodge. 2nd one was a snap kit Dodge Ram pinkup. latest one is the glue kit clear bodied trailers . She displays it all on her dresser, Dodge Ram 2500 pulling the trailer with the 65 dodge ramchargers car in it.

Maybe one of the Monogram kits would be a good choice. My daughter wants to do a late model Mustang next

Edited by gtx6970
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Sorry, James.... I meant the '70 2-N-1 Challenger...... :lol:

It has metal axles, positive placement pins for the suspension to the chassis, it falls together pretty much...

Ahh yeah, that one is a diecast car made out of plastic. ^_^

I started my oldest daughter on Snap-Tites just to get the idea of reading instruction diagrams and the thought process of thinking how things needed to go together and in what order. I had her paint parts and spray bomb to chassis and body to introduce those concepts as well. It just seemed that adding glue into that mix from the start might be a bit too much. We've done a couple of Wheels of Fire kits, and her attention wavers back and forth as she debates how "cool" it is to build models with her dad, but I think we're to the point where we can begin the transition over into "regular" models.

Another idea - depending on her taste in vehicles - are the new Challenger/Corvette/Camaro kits that Round 2 has been cranking out. They are curbside, basically un-assembled promos that are about 40-50 parts that do require glue, painting and water slide decals (as opposed to the stickers on Revell snappers), but it's not the least bit complicated or fiddly and look great completed.

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Be sure to wash the parts in the kit with mild detergent in warm water (Not hot) it removes any residual release agents left by the kit MFG. Read the directions before assembly to get acquainted with the kit, then jump in & have FUN ! :)

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and let THEM do it! The big problem I had working with my father as a kid was that he would do everything and I'd watch. That never gave me hands on experience. I got tired of working on 1:1 cars with him since he did all the work and I got to wash parts and watch.

When working with my daughter, I'd show her the step dry. Then have her do it dry, and once she was confident with the step, add glue. In the end she felt the accomplishment!

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Thank you fellows for the responses... Just think, if you were a 10 year old girl, how awesome it would be to get some positive feedback, for wanting to maybe start a hobby, from people from all over the world? I'm the only person she knows that even builds models.....

As for me teaching her, as it was said, only hands-on experience can really do that. I can only offer tips, which I was hoping this thread would do..... :)

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It's always good to get some objective advice, even for us modelers with 50+ years of experience. One might not realize all the little things that one does while building and little bits of info can be easily overlooked. Also, one modeler's method might be another's greatest thing since spray paint.

My most important bit of advice to her is: keep that first model. I wish I had mine.

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Everybody isn't an expert on everything.... Much as some would have you believe. Nobody learned everything they know on their own either despite what they may say. It's OK to ask for help with stuff!

I've been building models since I was 10ish, and sure as heck don't know everything about building every model, and other than knowing what frustrated me when I was a kid I know nothing about what might be effective for another kid or what would be appropriate subject matter. Teaching a kid anything isn't easy ... No matter how good with kids or building models you think you are!

Last winter (I can say that now, it's Spring kind of) I helped my nephew build the AMT 1/32 USA-1. He loves monster trucks, is too young to know what a C/K Chevy truck or USA-1 is, but identified instantly that it was a monster truck. Having never built the kit before I had no idea what would be in the box. I should have asked around first, but much to my surprise/relief it was a simple stout model with metal axles and rugged construction. He enjoyed building it, and playing with for a few minutes, but after seeing my models sitting on a shelf decided his would be better on the shelf than a toy box. He want's to do a car next, a "full size" one like mine (1/25 I think he means... we're working on that). Had it been like the pink Monogram Ground Pounder Chevy I built 20 years ago with it's crappy stiff vinyl tires and impossibly brittle plastic suspension parts it would have probably not survived 2 minutes and would have turned him off completely.

Edited by kalbert
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The best advice that I can give you on this subject .......

Work shoulder to shoulder with her , every step of the way ! Too often , adults drop a kit and supplies in a child's lap , tell them to have fun , and wander off .

My youngest was six when she built her first kit . Her hands were too small to hold the spray can in the conventional manor at the time . She supported it with both hands , using both thumbs to press down on the nozzle .

The color was Testors Hot Magenta Pink and believe it or not , the paint job turned out to be pretty doggone good ! For the next eight years , we built side by side . If she didn't understand where a certain part was to be located in the directions , we worked it out together . She did all of her own work start to finish !

She learned to follow instructions , to be patient , and to take pride in a job well done ! The only consistent battle we waged was over sanding tires , she hated it ! At eight years old ...

Her..." Old Man" , " I will give you 5 bucks to sand my tires "

Me ... " Ain't happenin' ", Kid , sand your own tires "

Her... " Why do I have to sand the stupid tires ? "

Me ... " How many of the other kids are going to sand their tires ? "

Her .... " Probably none ! "

Me ..." Difference between winning and losing on the show tables is found where ? "

Her .... " In the details ! "

Her ... " All right ! " , " I' ll sand the stupid tires , but I don't have to like it ! "

Me .... " Riiiight ! "

She is now 20 years old ! On occasion , she will show up at the shop , ask for a knife and new blades , and sit down next to me and start cutting the parts off the sprues of my parts kits . I treasure those moments as does she ! Your niece will never forget either ! Make it fun for both of you , take her to a show , let her pick out a kit and have at it !

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Heres my 10 year old daughter last saturday we're at the work bench, needless to say she's finished more kits in the last year than I have. Time goes way to fast Just enjoy it and dont be surprised when she picke pink or purple for the engine color.

post-7796-0-15220800-1364433944_thumb.jp

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ok...i didn't see this anywhere else so my best advice to a young modeler is...be careful with the knife and mindful of it's sharpness! then...have fun and may your paint always look good :D

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All this talk about daughters and nieces painting their cars pink.... Haven't you seen the Mustang commercial with the girl looking at a Mustang drive by and in her mind it changes from pink to black? :D Just cause she's a girl doesn't mean everything's Barbie's and ponies!

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ok...i didn't see this anywhere else so my best advice to a young modeler is...be careful with the knife and mindful of it's sharpness! then...have fun and may your paint always look good :D

She won't have to worry about sharp knives! At least not for a while..... sprue cutters and files, my friend! :)

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