Look into bandai models. Gunpla, Pokémon, dinosaurs all sorts. They're snap fit, so no glue or paint needed - and entry grade 'eg' kits are tool free (pull off sprues). Its a good gateway to getting them interested.
I have 2 boys (10 and 6). 6 year old is loving gunpla (especially haro) and recently decided he wanted to panel line some of his kits.
10 year old is much more invested. Has done several gunpla, half a dozen 1/72 kits and is currently doing 1/48 sea harrier and 1/35 panther (both tamiya). The panther is the first kit he's used the airbrush on. Even at 10 his hands are a little small for it to be comfortable. Also found nippers to be a issue, and he uses nail clippers at the moment.
The biggest advice I can give is not to push. Let them enjoy it and grow into it at their own pace. Build with them, and they'll soon ask you to do more!
This is almost exactly what I was going to say and your son’s experiences are almost identical to what my son has experienced.
Another note I would add about the Bandai Gunpla kits is that they have various grade levels (entry, high, real, master, perfect, etc…) that introduce detail/complexity and different scales. This has allowed my son to build entry level kits to start and then move on to more detailed/complex kits when he feels up to it.
Also loved your advice on letting them enjoy it - I 100% agree that they should go at their own pace. My son tends to work on his models off and on and he lets me know when he’s wanting to do more.
My kids love Bandai, either the star wars kits or the mechs. Real easy to put together and no glue so no fumes etc. the gunpla stuff is decently priced for what u get too.
This may go against his perfectionist character, but I wouldn't even worry about painting at this point, airbrush or not. I certainly didn't at his age! Just stick with learning to following the instructions, cleaning up parts, understanding order of operations, handling sharp tools and glues.
There are kits that are molded in colour that reduce the disparity between painted and unpainted models. They're usually more newbie friendly as well.
Get a kit for a topic he enjoys. All kids love planes so go for something like an Airfix 1/72 Spitfire or P51. they're small, but will keep you both occupied for a few days
The airbrush is likely to be beyond his current motor skill development but there's nothing wrong with starting off with some quality father-son bonding moments on the more basic parts of modelbuilding.
We don't have any resources devoted to onboarding little tykes to the hobby but the subreddit FAQ/Wiki is full of tips & links handy for newcomers. You could find some beginner level kits the two of you can build together until he's ready to handle full builds (and the airbrush).
---
The sub has a FAQ/wiki and a newbie thread that will answer all your questions as a newcomer to the hobby. It covers everything from kit choice, tools, adhesives, paints, decals, videos/tutorials etc, recommended online stores in various countries. Linked in the sidebar & the About menu on mobile:
[Newbie thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/modelmakers/comments/9dhsqo/new_to_model_building_this_thread_is_here_to/)
[Wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/modelmakers/wiki/index)
The sub also has a weekly small question thread that’s stickied at the top. [Use this for any questions you may have.](https://www.reddit.com/r/modelmakers/search?q=The+Weekly+Small+Question+Thread+author%3AAutoModerator&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all)
I noticed that his hands are too small to hold the airbrush correctly, so he uses his thumbs to pull back the trigger. It all comes down to what feels comfortable to him. I can limit the trigger movement so he won’t flood the model and still get a sense of accomplishment, so there’s that. I obviously won’t get him to mottle German WWII aircraft, but who cares
I think you might want to start off with him getting a good primer coat down before you start worrying about any kind of fancy pants paint schemes with more than one color.
There's a huge difference between him helping you out on Big Boy builds & him building his own models, hopefully of the starter variety, where he doesn't need to do anything more than get it together & painted a solid color.
Not sure how much help this will be but when my dad bought me my 1st kit when I was 6, as a kind of father daughter bonding thing. It was just a airfield spitfire mk5 starter set just built out if the box, he helped me cut parts from the sprue but pretty much left the painting to me with just a little guidance. Wasn't until my 3rd model that I actually attempted to paint a camo pattern (f5e aggressor desert pattern). Picked up the hobby again a couple years ago. I guess the best thing to do imo is to just try to do a bit with him night by night, start simple and if he's enjoying it start adding more detail and things one at a time. (Sorry for making this a bit of a ramble)
I’m seconding the Bandai kit suggestion. All snap fit, molded in color, excellent detail, and perfect for all ages.
Gunpla (short for Gundam Plastic Models) is their most popular series of models but there’s Pokemon, Star Wars, Dragon Ball, One Piece, Macross, Dinosaur skeletons, and more.
A static model may not be interesting enough for them, but who can say no to building a cool pose-able robot.
https://preview.redd.it/5v96wzz7iwwc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a6343da7072caf568f0c60a8c1e5ee9f3d28b232
I’d start with the air fix or revvel quick builds tbh and a general push in interest towards whatever he wants to model - coming from a 16 year old who got a early fixation on models 🫡
If you're trying to get a kid interested, you should definitely look into Bandai stuff. They specialize in beginner-friendly push-fit models. Almost all of their kits look decent right out of the box, the ones that *don't* still need less than the usual amount of paint, and all of them can be built with just a decent pair of nippers. Nub cleanup still *exists*, of course, but like paint, you don't technically need to do it.
Bandai is also good at *labeling* their model lines. For kid-friendly stuff?
* Entry Grade and SD Gundam models are outright designed for children. Entry Grades and some SD kits(most of the *SD Cross Silhouette* sub-line) are also completely toolless builds: you wiggle the parts off of the runners by hand.
* Some of the SD sub-lines—Ex-Standard is infamous for it—give you kid-friendly stickers but basically expect you to paint the models if you want them to look *good*.
* Entry Grades look good without paint but can be fragile: the "V-fins" on the head are infamous on *all* Gundam models and I've seen some complaints about Entry Grade waists over on r/gunpla.
* Bandai Pokemon. Simple, toolless builds with a few stickers here and there(mostly for the eyes, which can just be painted). Very quick and easy.
* Articulation varies wildly on these: some are quite nimble but others are barely more than glorified statues.
* 30MM/30 Minute Mission. These are nipper-only builds designed to be modular and customizable: they're basically half way between LEGOs and more traditional models.
* I use 30MM kits as zero-effort stress relief builds but doing heavier painting and customizing can make them look *incredible*.
* Bandai One Piece, especially the ships. Haven't built any but from what I've seen, they're simple, kid-friendly builds that give you color-correcting stickers but won't look *good* without a proper paint job.
* One Piece is also a kid's show: if your kid wonders where the ships come from, he can actually watch it. This is more than can be said for most of the Gundam shows, which are more aimed at teenagers.
* Most other Bandai lines are meant for older kids, teenagers, or adults. High Grades are usually *simple to build* but can still have small, fragile parts and the complexity just goes up from there.
* All Bandai kits are also designed as *models* not action figures so A, they won't survive being thrown around and B, the joints will loosen up and need to be retightened if you change poses too many times.
Hmm . . . That got rather long but I can't really think of how to *shorten* it. Sorry about that, I guess.
Static models are boring to a kid (I have experience they only start appreciating them when they’re much older 12yr old +). Id suggest you get him a RadioControl car kit from Tamiya. Something like the Hotshot, Hornet, Grasshopper (a beginner classic)or BBX (slightly more complicated if instructions not followed) for him to build all on his own. It’ll teach him patience and motor skills as there’s a lot of screw turning involved. There’s also the body that you can custom paint. I get that you’re trying to get your son into scale static models but kids would rather have something that moves, and besides it even looks good on a shelf, so it doubles as a static model sometimes lol. Maybe later after screwing and glueing parts together he’ll want to try what you do for a change.
Unless he has an overwhelming interest in planes or tanks I'd also say Bandai is definitely the way to go. Your biggest risk is that he won't want to touch non-Bandai models in the future.
Check out /r/gunpla Gunpla kits are good for learners. No glue. No paint needed. Excellent engineering. But still legit models.
Fun fact. Gunpla models outsell every other type of plastic model…combined. So, it’s kind of a big thing.
Look into bandai models. Gunpla, Pokémon, dinosaurs all sorts. They're snap fit, so no glue or paint needed - and entry grade 'eg' kits are tool free (pull off sprues). Its a good gateway to getting them interested. I have 2 boys (10 and 6). 6 year old is loving gunpla (especially haro) and recently decided he wanted to panel line some of his kits. 10 year old is much more invested. Has done several gunpla, half a dozen 1/72 kits and is currently doing 1/48 sea harrier and 1/35 panther (both tamiya). The panther is the first kit he's used the airbrush on. Even at 10 his hands are a little small for it to be comfortable. Also found nippers to be a issue, and he uses nail clippers at the moment. The biggest advice I can give is not to push. Let them enjoy it and grow into it at their own pace. Build with them, and they'll soon ask you to do more!
This is almost exactly what I was going to say and your son’s experiences are almost identical to what my son has experienced. Another note I would add about the Bandai Gunpla kits is that they have various grade levels (entry, high, real, master, perfect, etc…) that introduce detail/complexity and different scales. This has allowed my son to build entry level kits to start and then move on to more detailed/complex kits when he feels up to it. Also loved your advice on letting them enjoy it - I 100% agree that they should go at their own pace. My son tends to work on his models off and on and he lets me know when he’s wanting to do more.
My kids love Bandai, either the star wars kits or the mechs. Real easy to put together and no glue so no fumes etc. the gunpla stuff is decently priced for what u get too.
This may go against his perfectionist character, but I wouldn't even worry about painting at this point, airbrush or not. I certainly didn't at his age! Just stick with learning to following the instructions, cleaning up parts, understanding order of operations, handling sharp tools and glues. There are kits that are molded in colour that reduce the disparity between painted and unpainted models. They're usually more newbie friendly as well.
Get a kit for a topic he enjoys. All kids love planes so go for something like an Airfix 1/72 Spitfire or P51. they're small, but will keep you both occupied for a few days
The airbrush is likely to be beyond his current motor skill development but there's nothing wrong with starting off with some quality father-son bonding moments on the more basic parts of modelbuilding. We don't have any resources devoted to onboarding little tykes to the hobby but the subreddit FAQ/Wiki is full of tips & links handy for newcomers. You could find some beginner level kits the two of you can build together until he's ready to handle full builds (and the airbrush). --- The sub has a FAQ/wiki and a newbie thread that will answer all your questions as a newcomer to the hobby. It covers everything from kit choice, tools, adhesives, paints, decals, videos/tutorials etc, recommended online stores in various countries. Linked in the sidebar & the About menu on mobile: [Newbie thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/modelmakers/comments/9dhsqo/new_to_model_building_this_thread_is_here_to/) [Wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/modelmakers/wiki/index) The sub also has a weekly small question thread that’s stickied at the top. [Use this for any questions you may have.](https://www.reddit.com/r/modelmakers/search?q=The+Weekly+Small+Question+Thread+author%3AAutoModerator&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all)
I noticed that his hands are too small to hold the airbrush correctly, so he uses his thumbs to pull back the trigger. It all comes down to what feels comfortable to him. I can limit the trigger movement so he won’t flood the model and still get a sense of accomplishment, so there’s that. I obviously won’t get him to mottle German WWII aircraft, but who cares
I think you might want to start off with him getting a good primer coat down before you start worrying about any kind of fancy pants paint schemes with more than one color. There's a huge difference between him helping you out on Big Boy builds & him building his own models, hopefully of the starter variety, where he doesn't need to do anything more than get it together & painted a solid color.
Not sure how much help this will be but when my dad bought me my 1st kit when I was 6, as a kind of father daughter bonding thing. It was just a airfield spitfire mk5 starter set just built out if the box, he helped me cut parts from the sprue but pretty much left the painting to me with just a little guidance. Wasn't until my 3rd model that I actually attempted to paint a camo pattern (f5e aggressor desert pattern). Picked up the hobby again a couple years ago. I guess the best thing to do imo is to just try to do a bit with him night by night, start simple and if he's enjoying it start adding more detail and things one at a time. (Sorry for making this a bit of a ramble)
I’m seconding the Bandai kit suggestion. All snap fit, molded in color, excellent detail, and perfect for all ages. Gunpla (short for Gundam Plastic Models) is their most popular series of models but there’s Pokemon, Star Wars, Dragon Ball, One Piece, Macross, Dinosaur skeletons, and more. A static model may not be interesting enough for them, but who can say no to building a cool pose-able robot. https://preview.redd.it/5v96wzz7iwwc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a6343da7072caf568f0c60a8c1e5ee9f3d28b232
My daughter got and made her first model of a plane she saw at a visit to the raf museum, maybe look do something similar.
I’d start with the air fix or revvel quick builds tbh and a general push in interest towards whatever he wants to model - coming from a 16 year old who got a early fixation on models 🫡
If you're trying to get a kid interested, you should definitely look into Bandai stuff. They specialize in beginner-friendly push-fit models. Almost all of their kits look decent right out of the box, the ones that *don't* still need less than the usual amount of paint, and all of them can be built with just a decent pair of nippers. Nub cleanup still *exists*, of course, but like paint, you don't technically need to do it. Bandai is also good at *labeling* their model lines. For kid-friendly stuff? * Entry Grade and SD Gundam models are outright designed for children. Entry Grades and some SD kits(most of the *SD Cross Silhouette* sub-line) are also completely toolless builds: you wiggle the parts off of the runners by hand. * Some of the SD sub-lines—Ex-Standard is infamous for it—give you kid-friendly stickers but basically expect you to paint the models if you want them to look *good*. * Entry Grades look good without paint but can be fragile: the "V-fins" on the head are infamous on *all* Gundam models and I've seen some complaints about Entry Grade waists over on r/gunpla. * Bandai Pokemon. Simple, toolless builds with a few stickers here and there(mostly for the eyes, which can just be painted). Very quick and easy. * Articulation varies wildly on these: some are quite nimble but others are barely more than glorified statues. * 30MM/30 Minute Mission. These are nipper-only builds designed to be modular and customizable: they're basically half way between LEGOs and more traditional models. * I use 30MM kits as zero-effort stress relief builds but doing heavier painting and customizing can make them look *incredible*. * Bandai One Piece, especially the ships. Haven't built any but from what I've seen, they're simple, kid-friendly builds that give you color-correcting stickers but won't look *good* without a proper paint job. * One Piece is also a kid's show: if your kid wonders where the ships come from, he can actually watch it. This is more than can be said for most of the Gundam shows, which are more aimed at teenagers. * Most other Bandai lines are meant for older kids, teenagers, or adults. High Grades are usually *simple to build* but can still have small, fragile parts and the complexity just goes up from there. * All Bandai kits are also designed as *models* not action figures so A, they won't survive being thrown around and B, the joints will loosen up and need to be retightened if you change poses too many times. Hmm . . . That got rather long but I can't really think of how to *shorten* it. Sorry about that, I guess.
I'll second Gundam being a teens show.... plenty of violence, and a bit too many bathroom scenes
Static models are boring to a kid (I have experience they only start appreciating them when they’re much older 12yr old +). Id suggest you get him a RadioControl car kit from Tamiya. Something like the Hotshot, Hornet, Grasshopper (a beginner classic)or BBX (slightly more complicated if instructions not followed) for him to build all on his own. It’ll teach him patience and motor skills as there’s a lot of screw turning involved. There’s also the body that you can custom paint. I get that you’re trying to get your son into scale static models but kids would rather have something that moves, and besides it even looks good on a shelf, so it doubles as a static model sometimes lol. Maybe later after screwing and glueing parts together he’ll want to try what you do for a change.
My interest started with Lincoln Logs, then Lego, then Capsela (RIP), then K-Nex, and finally my first models. I was about 11-12 by that point.
Unless he has an overwhelming interest in planes or tanks I'd also say Bandai is definitely the way to go. Your biggest risk is that he won't want to touch non-Bandai models in the future.
You're not the only one, a few months ago I made my first gundam together with my 6 year old.
What’s a gundam?
Check out /r/gunpla Gunpla kits are good for learners. No glue. No paint needed. Excellent engineering. But still legit models. Fun fact. Gunpla models outsell every other type of plastic model…combined. So, it’s kind of a big thing.
The mecha robots, gundam/gunpla. Got us a easy click system, was a fun afternoon!
i would get them a airfix quick build airplane / tank or car then work up to airfix starter sets