Maybe, but probably not. They're going to be exhausted, and you can't exactly paint with a baby in your arms.
It'd spoil the surprise, but the best thing might be to ask your friend "Hey, I was thinking of getting you a gift. Something to get you through the nights with the baby. How do you feel about miniature painting?"
Another hobby might be more appropriate. If they're a PC gamer, a good quality controller might be nice as you can generally hold a baby and a controller at the same time.
This!
I can confirm after having 2 kids, hobby time is very limited. My eldest likes to look at my models but a 4 year old and paints don't mix well. I've had a few messes to clean up and a lot of new paints to buy because she was "making a potion".........
Just to say all kids are different, my 4 and 6yr olds love when gets to use "Dad paints" for painting "little guys." It's even what they wanted to do for Father's Day and they suggested to my spouse to get me more paints and minis.
It did take till about 4 till my oldest started painting with me (I get him Reaper minis), but watching me paint "little guys" is why he even wanted to. I only started painting because I had to be up and present for midnight feedings with the newborn. It was anxiety reducing and something small that I could handle at that stage, but also everyone is different.
Every day of my life I'm grateful I'm *not* a parent.
Having time and money for hobbies and vacations is sooooo nice.
I commend the good parents, the ones who care to raise a good human being. But man that would be my personal hell.
Dad of two here.
Get him Warhammer books. There's hundreds to choose from (but pick the Eisenhorn trilogy as they are the best).
That way he gets to read about the lore, and can prepare for when he has more time to paint (a couple of years time).
i have been told the horus hersey books are mainly aimed at people already into 40k that know a bit about the lore and are not that good as an first introduction
To be honest, yes I was deep into the lore at that point but if you picked up gaunts ghosts you'd be as lost. Or eisenhorn.
HH at least starts at the start and attempts world building from the get go.
Also dad of two (twins), and I’d go a step further and recommend audiobooks. I’ve logged hundreds of hours of podcasts while nursing the girls back to sleep when they woke up in the middle of the night.
Id keep the paints and miniatures for when things are more settled down, even though it is an awesome gift!
Absolutely concur, I did exactly this over the last 2 years (had two kids 15m apart so… I’m so tired) read so many HH books + loads of ephemeral 40k stuff, both as snooks and audiobooks. It’s such a good way to stay connected in with the hobby I love when sitting down to paint is a rare occasion
Dad of 1 and another on the way here. I get way more time for audio books rather than actual reading, and the 40k books have some incredible narrators (Eisenhorn ones especially, and the early Horus Heresy books).
They are keeping the hobby alive for me until my kids are old enough to leave me in peace for an hour. I can then finally unbox the Lion and consider painting him...
I specifically got back into this hobby after having a young kid, but it was after the newborn stage.
There will come a point when your friend has a toddler who sleeps through the night. You get your evenings back but you can’t exactly go out to a bar, or a golf course, or to watch a midweek football match.
If he’s like me, it will be at that point he’ll start to think about time for an evening indoor hobby so that he’s not just watching TV every evening.
So, you’ve had a really nice idea, and maybe he’d be keen to start a bit now even if his time will be limited, but there’s definitely a time where a quiet indoor evening hobby will be useful!
As others have said, it is a nice thought but a bit impractical.
My son is 2 1/2 now, and I didn't really have any time or energy to paint until he was about 6 months old, and got to sleeping through the night a bit better. But even then it was only an hour or two in the evening.
The first 3 months especially is just a fight for survival...
I’ve got a 2.5 year old too. His bed time keeps getting later and later. Im at the point now where I don’t really want to paint for 2 hours, to be packing it up again. If I’m lucky I can paint a model a week, but that’s only if I’m really trying to paint. So I’m down to really a model a month lol
I’m like that at the moment. Some nights we can get them asleep at 7/7:30. Other nights when they’ve had a nap in the day, man it could be past 9 when they finally give in. By then, like you say, no point in getting things out and ready just to be too tired.
I got to that point where I wouldn’t actually start painting until like 9 and when I finished everything (paints away, models away, brushes cleaned etc) it would be almost midnight.
I have to say from personal experience, I only began painting once I had a child. Long nights up waiting for feeding times and no energy for games meant I had small pockets of time I had to entertain myself. I had creative interests before, and painting miniatures became a small less intensive way to express that energy and reduce my anxiety.
Maybe get him one of those starter model kits that come with two models and four paints and a corresponding book? They're like $30 for space marines or stormcast. He can read during the first few weeks and have something to be hyped for. Plus, those kits are easy to put together.
Personally I think it’s fine. It’s a hobby you can do at home (the place you’ll be spending a lot of time as a new parent) doesn’t take up tons of space, and can easily be stopped/paused very quickly when the child needs attention. You can do as little or as much as you like, spend 20 minutes one day, an hour the next, then leave it for a week and come right back where you left off.
It’s ideal really as far as hobbies go.
Idk why people downvote your idea without elaborating why...
In theory, it's a good idea but usually these long nights are long because moms/dads have to be awake while caring for the child, that is also awake so they are surely busy the vast majority of the time.
Also, the leisure-time with a newborn is very limited.
You are caring for what you are gifting him and that is a pretty neat thing to do, but I am afraid that a time-consuming hobby isn't matching very well with another time-consuming situation.
But nevertheless you coudl gift it to him, but maybe add that it's rather a gift for the future, when things are more "stable" again.
Very nice thought. He will likely not have his hands free those long nights. Small parts don't mix well with babies either. My favourite gifts at the time were someone taking basic chores off my hands: food, groceries, laundry... The first months can be pretty rough. Maybe hold on to the idea for once things settle a bit?
Agree with what is said above. At around 6 months to a year, absolutely! You generally start to regain some life then and I did a lot of painting on evenings when my partner went out and I'm on child duty at home. Also, new parents get so much stuff in the first month, they'll appreciate it so much more if you spring something on him later down the line. It's a good thought, just time it right!
Get him an audible subscription or some Black Library audio books. He can listen to Warhammer novels to get into the hobby while he is awake at 3 am with his baby.
Getting him into the lore and universe will make it more enticing to get into the hobby side of Warhammer later one. I don’t think I was able to even think about any of my hobbies until my daughter was 8-9 months old, and even then it was maybe an hour or two a week.
I actually got back into Warhammer when I was a new mom. I was suffering from postpartum depression and painting helped me relax. BUT that being said, I had years of painting experience already. It may be a bit overwhelming to try and learn a new hobby while you're running on 2hrs of sleep. So as other suggested, get him a nice pair of headphones and an audio book.
It really depends on the baby and their living situation. If they have a dedicated working space for hobby stuff, there's plenty of opportunities to paint while the baby is feeding, sleeping etc. assuming the baby isn't very restless or doesn't have any medical issues. The problem is that they will probably rarely get more than 30 minutes to an hour at a time and interruptions are common, so if they have to prep an entire space to start painting, they probably won't feel too motivated.
I had to give up Warhammer when my kids were little. You can’t paint with a baby in your arms or on your shoulder and it’s a dick move to go gaming and leave your spouse at home watching the littles. Sometime around middle school you can visit Warhammer again. You want to spend that kind of money buy his Amazon subscription for him. TV plus free shipping. I binged a lot of TV during the colicky phases.
It doesn’t work the way you think it does. While it’s true that babies don’t sleep through the night, they do sleep. Overnights as parents with an infant usually involve 1-2 hour chunks of sleep interrupted by a crying baby who wants something. The sleep duration gets longer as the baby gets older and can tolerate longer spans without eating.
So it’s unlikely that your friend will be up all night. If he is, he’ll be a zombie. He won’t be painting anything. Once kiddo starts sleeping through the night, maybe…
Newish dad here (16 month old currently hanging out with my arm around him).
It’s a nice gift idea that your friend probably won’t get to dive into for a few months if at all this year.
If this changes your mind, another great gift idea is food.
Seriously. Cooking is hard when you’re exhausted with a new born and you don’t eat great sometimes. Order them prepared meals or takeout with the Warhammer gift money. Maybe not even all at once. Split it up.
Or alternatively maybe a cleaning/maid service? Cleaning also sucks when exhausted with a newborn.
Regardless, you’re a good friend.
'Pass the long nights'
In my experience you will either be sleeping, trying to sleep or attending to child during the night.
Not taking up hobbies.
But maybe your pal is built different
He’s not going have have time. Get him one of these instead (specific model does not matter): https://www.amazon.co.uk/electric-nasal-aspirator-baby/s?k=electric+nasal+aspirator+baby
Probably not a good gift idea. Also, do they even like the Warhammer IP? There’s tons of other high quality minis out there that aren’t GW, and are a blast to paint.
Your heart is in the right place, but having to put away your brushes and glue 10 times per night is incredibly frustrating.
Anything more complex than a choose your own adventure book that you can put a bookmark in when the baby needs rocking is going to end up on a shelf for the first year.
Typically, no. It may be a thoughtful gift if its something they expressed interest in, but those kits won't be touched for 2 or 3 years at least. kids that young require constant attention that won't leave any time for starting a new hobby yet.
However, if you're volunteering to babysit every couple of weeks so he and his SO can do something themselves then, maybe.
I think it's a fine gift, especially if they have shown an interest. For context, I have one kid almost 3 years and one due in November. Painting and building minis is a good hobby to distract your mind and engage with especially at night when you have to be quiet. Playing can be tricky as, it's a massive time commitment when time in short supply. But over the years, they will get more time back.
Edit: adding I got started in wh40k about 3-4 months ago and have a 2k army but maybe 3k worth of models. Most are only primered, as I've been focusing on playing and building.
With a newborn, i do not think he Will have the time or energy to do anything related to the hobby.
Give him some books instead or Maybe give him a starter set for when he has more time and energy to build and paint.
I got back into the hobby when my son was maybe 6-8 months old. I think this a nice thing but not right away.
When they are newborns, almost all of your time is spent on them with very little relief. You aren’t sitting around doing nothing on the long nights either… you’re actively doing things or trying to sleep.
I decided to get into the hobby again because I was working remote and staring at a screen all day and again after my son was in bed was not great.
At about six months, it became more routine. Sleep, wake up and change, eat, play, repeat, so getting hobby in during the sleep pieces was doable.
I would wait and give this to him when his kid about 4 months old, with a note reminding him to take some time for himself. I would include everything he needs to start (box of models, tools, and a starter paint kit).
I personally think it's a cool idea.
I'm about to be a first time dad too, literally any day. My wife is already a few days past her due date.
I have a ton of unbuilt models that I plan on doing over the next few months. Friends that have already had kids have told me there's not too much to do for the first month or so.
Giving him something that he can stop when the baby needs him and something he can just pick up again is great.
We are talking about inducing my wife in the next few days. Not sure when you plan on giving your friend a gift but I can update here with my very soon experience. Not every kid is the same but I'll have fresh eyes on just how much time I'll actually have lol
> I have a ton of unbuilt models that I plan on doing over the next few months.
No plan survives contact with the enemy. You will learn to prioritise sleep at any available moment while trying to remember what day it is; anything to do with hobbies will take a back seat for a good while.
As a first time dad:
My kid just turned 1. It has taken until now to find the time to get back into the hobby.
Building might work, but painting? No shot. You need to be able to drop everything at a moments notice, and for a lot of hobby related stuff, that simply is not possible
As a parent to a 9 week old, I would appreciate such a gift, but the last thought on my mind at night is painting models. Definitely when I have free time, so much about being a parent takes your time. Once you get into some form of consistent routine, and get back some free time, your proposed gift would provide a great opportunity for your friend to detach from the world (until the next feed/nappy change). I say go for it...
As a dad of a 2 & 3 year old who has gotten back into the hobby recently. I would say it’s a nice sentiment, however, it may not be feasible for the first year or so. Whilst for the first few months babies don’t do a lot, except sleep, they will likely be tired from a busy day and night. As they get older, it only gets worse. You cannot paint with a toddler about. They grab everything and spilling some nuln oil will be the least of your problems. It is only now, as my kids are getting older and bedtimes are becoming more regular (not any less stressful) that I can get away once they are asleep and either jump on my pc or get the paints out. And that’s only a few nights a week.
I am sure once they get older and go to school etc, then I will be able to get the paints out during daylight hours, on a weekend and do my thing whilst they do theirs. At the moment though, not a chance, can only happen when they aren’t there or asleep.
"Friend, congrats on the new kid. Here, I got you something to inmspire you as a parent: a bunch of plastic uber-soldiers who spread their facist intolerance across the galaxy and kill everyone not like them. Also, I know, between work and the non-stop care of the baby, I thought you could relax by doing delecate and time consuming painting to take uop the time you don't have."
But seriously, I would bet that the needs your friend thought he wanted has changed overnight.
Probably not. Babies take up a lot of time and it can be frustrating getting set up to build/paint only for the baby to start crying and you have to drop everything.
Instead I'd suggest maybe some audibooks they can listen to while doing dad stuff.
If you're hoping for him to use them within the first couple months, idk how realistic that is. But I started getting into warhammer when my daughter was about 1.5 years old and I was looking for something to get me off screens at night after she was asleep - it's been great for that! I think it's a nice present especially if he's expressed interest in the area, I just wouldn't pressure him or expect him to make a lot of progress while the baby is very young.
No. Mine is 19 months and I haven't painted anything for at least a year or played anything for almost a year, get him an audible subscription as he will have a lot of time sitting with a sleeping child on him and not much else to do.
I don’t know everyone is saying there’s no time but I know some parents who spent their 4 months of paternity leave playing PlayStation because they baby was slept 24/7 and another that won a tournament in my LGS with a 3 month kid.
I also remember my father having a freaking boat that he took care off after his full time job when I was 5 years old and my brother was 2.
So maybe everyone here’s a single parent or their SO does not collaborate much? I don’t know hahaha
You know what, you're a great friend for even thinking of getting him something! I have a 3 year old and a 5 month old and don't get time to do any hobbies but I know one day I'll be able to pick them up again (Total War Warhammer 3 I'm looking at you).
My original thought was no, great thought but no, but then I thought why not? It'll give him something to look forward to picking up when he gets time, and he may get a rare few hours when grandparents or aunts/uncles have the baby and he gets to do some of it.
My sister bought me a set last year as her partner paints loads and I really liked the look of it, didnt get chance to actually paint any of it for a few months but when I did get a free hour I found it very relaxing and a great way to keep my mind off baby and toddler stuff so go for it I say!
Headphones. So you can listen to stuff while trying to get it to sleep.
I didn't have time when I was a new parent, but you know your friend better than I do. A starter set may be a great idea.
Painting miniatures, yes. Warhammer specifically? Ehhhhhhhhh, maybe not. ESPECIALLY for a new parent. GW's products are not exactly renowned for their "value". 💸 Plus, it's cute that he thinks he's going to have "spare" time to hobby.
Going off personally experience, yes.
I had a lot of spare time as a stay at home dad and found gaming was boring. A new kit kept me in check.
Experience may differ
They've already got something that's expensive, time consuming, and occasionally spills "nuln oil" all over them so I'd say they have enough on their hands for now.
I started getting back into it when mine was 7 and it was much more manageable for me then.
Lovely thought - just not right now.
So I'm a parent of a toddler and have my second son about to be born any day now and I've been playing and hobbying Warhammer for a bit over a year now and I'm really hoping to be able to continue that once the newborn is here. I'd appreciate a gift like this, but that's because I'm pretty invested into the hobby and really enjoy it. If he hasn't jumped into it on his own yet though I'm not sure it's the best way to get started. Painting models, like many hobbies, kinda requires some self motivation and interest to wanna do. But they just announced these Warhammer plushies that would be more appropriate for a newborn gift:
https://www.warhammer-community.com/2024/06/21/the-second-wave-of-warhammer-plushies-from-tomy-are-horribly-adorable/
My best friend recently became a father. They are doing shifts, and he has the night shift. He's never painted more in his life. I imagine after he gets of paternity, and he no longer is up at weird hours that may change.
Dad here.
I have painted tons since having a child. Getting out to socialise is harder these days so when everyone is asleep I get a couple of hours a night to paint.
It's really good me through the change in lifestyle that comes with kids. Love my hobby time. My awesome little man is 3 now and I've painted hundreds of models since he was born.
And before anyone says it, yes I contribute more than my fair share to the family and house.
So personally I'd say yes, go for it.
Mine is almost 3 and I can now get some hobby time a few evenings a week.
It is very variable though as I know some of our NCT friends are having nightmare bedtimes still.
I'd still go for it but accept it might sit on a shelf for a couple of years before they get the opportunity to have a go but it would still be something nice to have available when you need some me time.
Small plastic brightly colored objects that *dad* is really interested in are unfortunately.... a giant choking hazard. Plus, gunna get smashed.
New dad's going to be tired. Get him a kindle.
I've got a 2 month old and while she sleeps when I'm 'on shift' I've managed to get the tyranid half off leviathan painted. It's very much doable early on if they're good sleepers.
Harder once they're older and mobile!
I painted 75 models every year from 2020-2023. November 2023 my son was born. Since then I’ve painted a rhino. I do not have time to paint and there are definitely times it frustrates me
Worked at an LGS and from observation no one gets into Warhammer unless they really want to. Ive seen countless people try to drag a friend in but it's a life style hobby that asks a lot of time and space from people. Unless a person has clearly stated they really wanna get into it and play with you I think Warhammer is a bad gift.
As a lot of people have said, there’s not a lot of time with hands available in the beginning, depending on the baby. But time moves at a different speed once you have kids. You have less time for yourself and days will feel long while weeks fly by.
The first months are a blur and can be a bit rough, but pretty soon the kid will sleep through most evenings while the parents stay home.
I found it helpful to have a small indoors project that I could do in the couch next to my nursing son and girlfriend. With my firstborn I got into Lego and now with my second I’ve started painting kill teams.
While the paintbrush can be a bit harder to put down on a moments notice for a diaper change I’ve found that a wet palette helps a lot.
It highly depends, if this person has just become a parent then they probably wont have time for it. Also something you have to remember is that Warhammer is a niche hobby in the grand scheme of things so a lot of people simply really wouldn't be that interested in the hobby. So before even getting this guy Warhammer stuff you need to find out if that's something he would even be interested in. The worst thing that could happen is you spending a bunch of money on Warhammer stuff only for him to not really be into it.
There's some really good advice in this thread about alternative options, but...
What kept me painting when my first was born (at least 6 months later), was a big IKEA serving tray. The kind of thing you'd have breakfast in bed on. I had all my models, tools, and paint on the tray. When I was needed at short notice, I could easily close my paint pot, and put the tray in a cupboard. No need to worry about leaving a knife or something in reach of curios hands.
It probably would not. Speaking from experience, first year of baby's life is fine for painting, but after that, not so much. At this point I have to take vacation days to paint while baby in kindergarten, and all other time all my miniatures and painting supplies are locked in storage room, since it's the only place in the house safe from curious hand of a 4yo.
As a new parent myself, I'm not sure that's the best option. I've been too tired to focus on anything weighty in the evenings, so have either been reading a bit while my wife breastfeeds, playing a very simple game like a 4x I can drop at any time, or tidying and helping out as much as possible.
Something like warhammer would be brilliant escapism, I spent a few months going over the 40k fandom wiki while it was dark and quiet in our flat (during breastfeeding), but I do wonder if your friend appreciate something that was more focused on the escapism aspect of it as opposed to the hobby aspect.
Its going to be a hard time for your friend, he won't really feel like he belongs to any world for a while (too busy at home to focus at work, but am at work and can't be there all the time at home!) - and just having a patient and understanding friend that brings them a meal every once in a while, plays a videogame in the afternoon with them, or anything like that.
“Pass the long nights” lol dude isn’t on guard duty, the long nights are spent trying to get the baby to sleep and trying to get any sleep you possibly can yourself. I second the books idea, but honestly audiobooks would probably be better.
Or diapers. Buy him a crate of good diapers, in a variety of sizes. 👍
I wouldn’t buy him any painting stuff until his kids are like 7-8, then he can do why I do: occasionally work on painting a serious project while having a big collection of extra, white-primed HeroQuest NPCs and a set of SpeedPaints so the kids can go nuts.
Relatively new dad here. Your friend will not have time to paint for at least the first year. I can't speak beyond that yet.
However, he will need some time out of the house for his sanity (and so will the mom!!!). If you can offer him some game nights using your stuff that would probably be very appreciated and may get him into painting later on when he has time again.
Don’t have kids myself, but my friends who do needed to pack away a lot of their hobby stuff when they had kids. Warhammer kits are lots of small plastic pieces that are not completely safe for a baby that is constantly trying to put things in their mouth. Also things like plastic cutters and glue are dangerous for a baby.
Mine is 4 now. When she was an infant, I started painting AoS for fun and to learn. I got a lot of painting done the first two years, now she wants to play all the time so I only paint in the early morning before she wakes up so I don't paint anywhere near as often as I did two years ago. For the record I think it could be a fun idea for your gift. :)
Uhh, don’t know your friend so can’t speak specifically about him but I can say that as a “new dad” the last thing on my mind was WH40K. I wanted more sleep, less mess to clean up, some quality time with spouse without the baby. Maybe when the kid hits 4-5 yrs old. That would be my suggestion
Parent of 3; for me my kids and wargaming is the long game.
Oldest is over 10 now and can play basic 40k.
Saying that, GW is really expensive, so are kids! If it's to focus on hobby time-out, then at least start with non-GW mini's.
Seeing and doing are very different and many like the end result, but not the process. They'll be much cheaper and still allow creativity and a time sink. Even to the point of model kits from Revell like vehicles.
Newish Dad here. My Daughter is 2.5 and still I don't have much time to hobby. The first year I didn't even think about myself or anything relaxing and even now I get very little time. I pretty much wait until wife and kiddo are asleep and some night I might get an hour if I am very lucky.
Personal advice, chat with his partner and arrange a time you can take him out and paint with him away from the house. I Worked from home so catching a break away from everything would have been a dream. New parents do need a a break from time to time.
According to r/SteamDeck, a Steam Deck is the ultimate gift for a new parent because you can play it while holding a baby and suspend it immediately. I'm a full time caregiver, which is basically like being a new parent, and I have about 4 hours a month to work on Warhammer stuff...
As a newish (8 months), my warhammer time is super limited. I love making, painting, play, just about everything to it. As a new parent, I've had to mostly step away from it. I will say if said is into anything not dangerous for baby's would be best but if they love warhammer nothing wrong with it as long as you can accept it may sit in the box for a bit.
I have a three year old so I’m not far out of the infant rearing stage. Time for any hobby was tough. Long nights usually meant barely staying awake watching YouTube videos drifting in and out of consciousness.
In between the feeding, changing, cleaning, housework, and work work I didn’t have time for much else. Good thing too because it was during the pandemic. Those years literally flew by. I just recently got back into my hobbies.
It is still a thoughtful gift, and those models aren’t going anywhere if you give them to him. He might see them and think “man I can’t wait to dive into that” and that might give him some encouragement to get through a really stressful time in any parent’s life.
Use your best judgement, you know your friend better than we do.
As someone who became a dad almost two years ago, building and painting my minis (which I had just gotten into before my son was born) was a Great War for me to wind down during his naps and the little bits of free time I got. Now that he’s older, I have more free time and it’s still great for my mental health.
I just started to get time, very late at night. My child just turned 9 months.
It's an awesome gift no less, it's just there will probably be no time to partake in the hobby.
Pass the long nights? lol. Those long nights are spent half asleep rocking a screaming baby.
My last two kids I had to put my hobbies on hold for close to a year. Current newborn is much easier (also I’m much more experienced) so I have maybe 45-60 minutes a night after the others go to bed before I try to sleep lol
Glad your heart is in the right place lol.
I am a father of a 1 year old and can say that progress really slows down with a kid. But i like the Hobby regardless. Also, i think if the child is a bit older (yes, that is not the question, i know) it could be really fun to paint and build with them.
My boy throws somw dice ocassionally if i play with his older brother, and he has Tons of fun if i let him grab one of the larger models.
But others are also right, time for the Hobby is rare. I have the gsc battleforce unopend on my desk since saturday, but i dont have a Problem with slowing down my hobby
God no. Those "long nights" are long because you have things to do. Diapers, bottles, laundry, whatever. If you're awake and still it's because you have a baby sleeping on you and you're afraid to move without waking them up.
Now, once the kid sleeps through the night, maybe, but CLEAR IT WITH THE MOTHER FIRST. A hobby that involves tons of little pieces and bottles and the occasional sharp tool needs to be sequestered well away from the baby. The happy couple need to discuss how to accomplish this in their living space prior to receiving any gifts of that nature.
New parents will have little time for Warhammer, however the hobby side of things like painting may provide a nice relaxing activity to do when they get some spare time but are stuck at home etc.
Contrary to the most upvoted i say absolutely yes. He might not get a lot of time in the beginning when they're a newborn, but as they start sleeping a bit more regularly, Warhammer is perfect for a parent. Its a good bit of quiet meditation and focus at the end of the day.
I did not have time at all to paint with a newborn. When the kid was like 1 and slept from 7-8 pm? Absolutely yes. But then the bottleneck (for me) became building and priming. I just prefer painting. So, if you do this, maybe prebuild and prime a mini so they can get straight to the fun stuff? Priming I find jarring because I have to do it during the day, but then I need to make sure the kid isn’t around etc. Small problem, yes, but still another thing to micromanage during days that are filled with small tasks!
I personally have some spare time to paint miniatures now that my daughter is 6 (her older brother is 9), so I would not recomment miniature painting to a new parent. Specially if he appreciates the love of his partner...
I'd recommend it as a way to spend quality time with your kids, as this is what I'm doing with my son, but not in your friend's current situation.
As someone that started the hobby two months after my baby was born. I can say it's really fun and a great gift. But it is definitely a financial strain that I shouldn't have started when I was starting a family.
With a newborn I did a ton of building and painting. I know that’s not typical. But for me it was an easy thing to pick up and drop when my son needed attention. Is your friend already into Warhammer? If so, I think he’ll enjoy that
My kids love it when i paint stuff. They cant wait for them to be old enough to paint themselves. My toddler often gets the monthly freebies from the storemanager to paint
I have a 1 1/2 and a 6 month old. It's hard to get painting time most nights but it gets easier as the kids get older.
Even with limited time I built 3k points of Orks and the whole Leviathan Box set with my Space Marines all base coated with some painted, Tyranids completely primed with 10 Termagants painted and for Orks painted 30 Boyz, Warboss and 10 Grots with mostly the rest primed.
It's difficult to have a set time to hobby but if you really love it, you'll make it work. Even painting just 2-3 nights a week you could reasonably finish a combat patrol in a few months letting him also get into playing the game as soon as possible.
What were you thinking of buying him? What faction or set?
Maybe, but probably not. They're going to be exhausted, and you can't exactly paint with a baby in your arms. It'd spoil the surprise, but the best thing might be to ask your friend "Hey, I was thinking of getting you a gift. Something to get you through the nights with the baby. How do you feel about miniature painting?" Another hobby might be more appropriate. If they're a PC gamer, a good quality controller might be nice as you can generally hold a baby and a controller at the same time.
This! I can confirm after having 2 kids, hobby time is very limited. My eldest likes to look at my models but a 4 year old and paints don't mix well. I've had a few messes to clean up and a lot of new paints to buy because she was "making a potion".........
Yeah it took me ten years to get back to world of warcraft and painting after my first kiddo.
Must have been wild to log on and again and see all your old characters there welcoming you back!
"Hey, why are my L120s now level 30?" xD
Just to say all kids are different, my 4 and 6yr olds love when gets to use "Dad paints" for painting "little guys." It's even what they wanted to do for Father's Day and they suggested to my spouse to get me more paints and minis.
They are, but it took a minimum of 4-6 years to get to that point lol.
It did take till about 4 till my oldest started painting with me (I get him Reaper minis), but watching me paint "little guys" is why he even wanted to. I only started painting because I had to be up and present for midnight feedings with the newborn. It was anxiety reducing and something small that I could handle at that stage, but also everyone is different.
Every day of my life I'm grateful I'm *not* a parent. Having time and money for hobbies and vacations is sooooo nice. I commend the good parents, the ones who care to raise a good human being. But man that would be my personal hell.
I'm painting more than ever with my newborn at home lol
I painted at my standing desk with my son in a ergo baby carrier whilst he napped. It can be done.
Depends on the games they like. Anything multiplayer or with unpausable gameplay is out the window when you have kids.
Dad of two here. Get him Warhammer books. There's hundreds to choose from (but pick the Eisenhorn trilogy as they are the best). That way he gets to read about the lore, and can prepare for when he has more time to paint (a couple of years time).
Gooood shout. Horus heresy books 1 to 5.
Yeah, so many good options for the wee hours
Eisenhorn, gaunts ghosts, hard to go wrong with just about any warhammer series of novels.
i have been told the horus hersey books are mainly aimed at people already into 40k that know a bit about the lore and are not that good as an first introduction
To be honest, yes I was deep into the lore at that point but if you picked up gaunts ghosts you'd be as lost. Or eisenhorn. HH at least starts at the start and attempts world building from the get go.
Also dad of two (twins), and I’d go a step further and recommend audiobooks. I’ve logged hundreds of hours of podcasts while nursing the girls back to sleep when they woke up in the middle of the night. Id keep the paints and miniatures for when things are more settled down, even though it is an awesome gift!
The Slayer series is top tier fanstay
Absolutely concur, I did exactly this over the last 2 years (had two kids 15m apart so… I’m so tired) read so many HH books + loads of ephemeral 40k stuff, both as snooks and audiobooks. It’s such a good way to stay connected in with the hobby I love when sitting down to paint is a rare occasion
Dad of 1 and another on the way here. I get way more time for audio books rather than actual reading, and the 40k books have some incredible narrators (Eisenhorn ones especially, and the early Horus Heresy books). They are keeping the hobby alive for me until my kids are old enough to leave me in peace for an hour. I can then finally unbox the Lion and consider painting him...
Gaunt's Ghosts
I specifically got back into this hobby after having a young kid, but it was after the newborn stage. There will come a point when your friend has a toddler who sleeps through the night. You get your evenings back but you can’t exactly go out to a bar, or a golf course, or to watch a midweek football match. If he’s like me, it will be at that point he’ll start to think about time for an evening indoor hobby so that he’s not just watching TV every evening. So, you’ve had a really nice idea, and maybe he’d be keen to start a bit now even if his time will be limited, but there’s definitely a time where a quiet indoor evening hobby will be useful!
This is exactly my situation. With 2 boys under 2 it took a while to get my nights back. At this point I can reliably hobby a few times a week.
As others have said, it is a nice thought but a bit impractical. My son is 2 1/2 now, and I didn't really have any time or energy to paint until he was about 6 months old, and got to sleeping through the night a bit better. But even then it was only an hour or two in the evening. The first 3 months especially is just a fight for survival...
I’ve got a 2.5 year old too. His bed time keeps getting later and later. Im at the point now where I don’t really want to paint for 2 hours, to be packing it up again. If I’m lucky I can paint a model a week, but that’s only if I’m really trying to paint. So I’m down to really a model a month lol
I’m like that at the moment. Some nights we can get them asleep at 7/7:30. Other nights when they’ve had a nap in the day, man it could be past 9 when they finally give in. By then, like you say, no point in getting things out and ready just to be too tired.
I got to that point where I wouldn’t actually start painting until like 9 and when I finished everything (paints away, models away, brushes cleaned etc) it would be almost midnight.
Appreciate all the comments and insight...as you can tell I do not currently have children. Will rethink my plan. Cheers!
I have to say from personal experience, I only began painting once I had a child. Long nights up waiting for feeding times and no energy for games meant I had small pockets of time I had to entertain myself. I had creative interests before, and painting miniatures became a small less intensive way to express that energy and reduce my anxiety.
Great that your heart was in the right place, man.
Maybe get him one of those starter model kits that come with two models and four paints and a corresponding book? They're like $30 for space marines or stormcast. He can read during the first few weeks and have something to be hyped for. Plus, those kits are easy to put together.
Personally I think it’s fine. It’s a hobby you can do at home (the place you’ll be spending a lot of time as a new parent) doesn’t take up tons of space, and can easily be stopped/paused very quickly when the child needs attention. You can do as little or as much as you like, spend 20 minutes one day, an hour the next, then leave it for a week and come right back where you left off. It’s ideal really as far as hobbies go.
Idk why people downvote your idea without elaborating why... In theory, it's a good idea but usually these long nights are long because moms/dads have to be awake while caring for the child, that is also awake so they are surely busy the vast majority of the time. Also, the leisure-time with a newborn is very limited. You are caring for what you are gifting him and that is a pretty neat thing to do, but I am afraid that a time-consuming hobby isn't matching very well with another time-consuming situation. But nevertheless you coudl gift it to him, but maybe add that it's rather a gift for the future, when things are more "stable" again.
Very nice thought. He will likely not have his hands free those long nights. Small parts don't mix well with babies either. My favourite gifts at the time were someone taking basic chores off my hands: food, groceries, laundry... The first months can be pretty rough. Maybe hold on to the idea for once things settle a bit?
Agree with what is said above. At around 6 months to a year, absolutely! You generally start to regain some life then and I did a lot of painting on evenings when my partner went out and I'm on child duty at home. Also, new parents get so much stuff in the first month, they'll appreciate it so much more if you spring something on him later down the line. It's a good thought, just time it right!
Get him an audible subscription or some Black Library audio books. He can listen to Warhammer novels to get into the hobby while he is awake at 3 am with his baby. Getting him into the lore and universe will make it more enticing to get into the hobby side of Warhammer later one. I don’t think I was able to even think about any of my hobbies until my daughter was 8-9 months old, and even then it was maybe an hour or two a week.
I actually got back into Warhammer when I was a new mom. I was suffering from postpartum depression and painting helped me relax. BUT that being said, I had years of painting experience already. It may be a bit overwhelming to try and learn a new hobby while you're running on 2hrs of sleep. So as other suggested, get him a nice pair of headphones and an audio book.
It really depends on the baby and their living situation. If they have a dedicated working space for hobby stuff, there's plenty of opportunities to paint while the baby is feeding, sleeping etc. assuming the baby isn't very restless or doesn't have any medical issues. The problem is that they will probably rarely get more than 30 minutes to an hour at a time and interruptions are common, so if they have to prep an entire space to start painting, they probably won't feel too motivated.
Get a book for him, much more convenient and reasonable with a child in the house
I had to give up Warhammer when my kids were little. You can’t paint with a baby in your arms or on your shoulder and it’s a dick move to go gaming and leave your spouse at home watching the littles. Sometime around middle school you can visit Warhammer again. You want to spend that kind of money buy his Amazon subscription for him. TV plus free shipping. I binged a lot of TV during the colicky phases.
It doesn’t work the way you think it does. While it’s true that babies don’t sleep through the night, they do sleep. Overnights as parents with an infant usually involve 1-2 hour chunks of sleep interrupted by a crying baby who wants something. The sleep duration gets longer as the baby gets older and can tolerate longer spans without eating. So it’s unlikely that your friend will be up all night. If he is, he’ll be a zombie. He won’t be painting anything. Once kiddo starts sleeping through the night, maybe…
Newish dad here (16 month old currently hanging out with my arm around him). It’s a nice gift idea that your friend probably won’t get to dive into for a few months if at all this year. If this changes your mind, another great gift idea is food. Seriously. Cooking is hard when you’re exhausted with a new born and you don’t eat great sometimes. Order them prepared meals or takeout with the Warhammer gift money. Maybe not even all at once. Split it up. Or alternatively maybe a cleaning/maid service? Cleaning also sucks when exhausted with a newborn. Regardless, you’re a good friend.
'Pass the long nights' In my experience you will either be sleeping, trying to sleep or attending to child during the night. Not taking up hobbies. But maybe your pal is built different
Get him a Gunpla or something that he doesn’t need to paint. If he’s painted before sure, but the painting is going to be the toughest part
He’s not going have have time. Get him one of these instead (specific model does not matter): https://www.amazon.co.uk/electric-nasal-aspirator-baby/s?k=electric+nasal+aspirator+baby
Probably not a good gift idea. Also, do they even like the Warhammer IP? There’s tons of other high quality minis out there that aren’t GW, and are a blast to paint.
No lmao
Your heart is in the right place, but having to put away your brushes and glue 10 times per night is incredibly frustrating. Anything more complex than a choose your own adventure book that you can put a bookmark in when the baby needs rocking is going to end up on a shelf for the first year.
Typically, no. It may be a thoughtful gift if its something they expressed interest in, but those kits won't be touched for 2 or 3 years at least. kids that young require constant attention that won't leave any time for starting a new hobby yet. However, if you're volunteering to babysit every couple of weeks so he and his SO can do something themselves then, maybe.
I think it's a fine gift, especially if they have shown an interest. For context, I have one kid almost 3 years and one due in November. Painting and building minis is a good hobby to distract your mind and engage with especially at night when you have to be quiet. Playing can be tricky as, it's a massive time commitment when time in short supply. But over the years, they will get more time back. Edit: adding I got started in wh40k about 3-4 months ago and have a 2k army but maybe 3k worth of models. Most are only primered, as I've been focusing on playing and building.
New parent having free time? My kids are 9 and 3 both female and just a few months ago took back up painting.
With a newborn, i do not think he Will have the time or energy to do anything related to the hobby. Give him some books instead or Maybe give him a starter set for when he has more time and energy to build and paint.
I got back into the hobby when my son was maybe 6-8 months old. I think this a nice thing but not right away. When they are newborns, almost all of your time is spent on them with very little relief. You aren’t sitting around doing nothing on the long nights either… you’re actively doing things or trying to sleep. I decided to get into the hobby again because I was working remote and staring at a screen all day and again after my son was in bed was not great. At about six months, it became more routine. Sleep, wake up and change, eat, play, repeat, so getting hobby in during the sleep pieces was doable. I would wait and give this to him when his kid about 4 months old, with a note reminding him to take some time for himself. I would include everything he needs to start (box of models, tools, and a starter paint kit).
Kind of depends. It takes a bit of time. I do it between sleeps.
Lol, no.
I personally think it's a cool idea. I'm about to be a first time dad too, literally any day. My wife is already a few days past her due date. I have a ton of unbuilt models that I plan on doing over the next few months. Friends that have already had kids have told me there's not too much to do for the first month or so. Giving him something that he can stop when the baby needs him and something he can just pick up again is great. We are talking about inducing my wife in the next few days. Not sure when you plan on giving your friend a gift but I can update here with my very soon experience. Not every kid is the same but I'll have fresh eyes on just how much time I'll actually have lol
> I have a ton of unbuilt models that I plan on doing over the next few months. No plan survives contact with the enemy. You will learn to prioritise sleep at any available moment while trying to remember what day it is; anything to do with hobbies will take a back seat for a good while.
As a first time dad: My kid just turned 1. It has taken until now to find the time to get back into the hobby. Building might work, but painting? No shot. You need to be able to drop everything at a moments notice, and for a lot of hobby related stuff, that simply is not possible
Oil paints are your friend. 😜
As a parent to a 9 week old, I would appreciate such a gift, but the last thought on my mind at night is painting models. Definitely when I have free time, so much about being a parent takes your time. Once you get into some form of consistent routine, and get back some free time, your proposed gift would provide a great opportunity for your friend to detach from the world (until the next feed/nappy change). I say go for it...
As a dad of a 2 & 3 year old who has gotten back into the hobby recently. I would say it’s a nice sentiment, however, it may not be feasible for the first year or so. Whilst for the first few months babies don’t do a lot, except sleep, they will likely be tired from a busy day and night. As they get older, it only gets worse. You cannot paint with a toddler about. They grab everything and spilling some nuln oil will be the least of your problems. It is only now, as my kids are getting older and bedtimes are becoming more regular (not any less stressful) that I can get away once they are asleep and either jump on my pc or get the paints out. And that’s only a few nights a week. I am sure once they get older and go to school etc, then I will be able to get the paints out during daylight hours, on a weekend and do my thing whilst they do theirs. At the moment though, not a chance, can only happen when they aren’t there or asleep.
"Friend, congrats on the new kid. Here, I got you something to inmspire you as a parent: a bunch of plastic uber-soldiers who spread their facist intolerance across the galaxy and kill everyone not like them. Also, I know, between work and the non-stop care of the baby, I thought you could relax by doing delecate and time consuming painting to take uop the time you don't have." But seriously, I would bet that the needs your friend thought he wanted has changed overnight.
Probably not. Babies take up a lot of time and it can be frustrating getting set up to build/paint only for the baby to start crying and you have to drop everything. Instead I'd suggest maybe some audibooks they can listen to while doing dad stuff.
If you're hoping for him to use them within the first couple months, idk how realistic that is. But I started getting into warhammer when my daughter was about 1.5 years old and I was looking for something to get me off screens at night after she was asleep - it's been great for that! I think it's a nice present especially if he's expressed interest in the area, I just wouldn't pressure him or expect him to make a lot of progress while the baby is very young.
No. Mine is 19 months and I haven't painted anything for at least a year or played anything for almost a year, get him an audible subscription as he will have a lot of time sitting with a sleeping child on him and not much else to do.
Lol unless they are well off do not give Warhammer models.
I don’t know everyone is saying there’s no time but I know some parents who spent their 4 months of paternity leave playing PlayStation because they baby was slept 24/7 and another that won a tournament in my LGS with a 3 month kid. I also remember my father having a freaking boat that he took care off after his full time job when I was 5 years old and my brother was 2. So maybe everyone here’s a single parent or their SO does not collaborate much? I don’t know hahaha
You know what, you're a great friend for even thinking of getting him something! I have a 3 year old and a 5 month old and don't get time to do any hobbies but I know one day I'll be able to pick them up again (Total War Warhammer 3 I'm looking at you). My original thought was no, great thought but no, but then I thought why not? It'll give him something to look forward to picking up when he gets time, and he may get a rare few hours when grandparents or aunts/uncles have the baby and he gets to do some of it. My sister bought me a set last year as her partner paints loads and I really liked the look of it, didnt get chance to actually paint any of it for a few months but when I did get a free hour I found it very relaxing and a great way to keep my mind off baby and toddler stuff so go for it I say!
No, like not at all. Nice sentiment but he will not have the time or energy.
Headphones. So you can listen to stuff while trying to get it to sleep. I didn't have time when I was a new parent, but you know your friend better than I do. A starter set may be a great idea.
As a new parent of a 5mo old, absolutely not. My wife friggin hates it, says I need to focus on kids
Painting miniatures, yes. Warhammer specifically? Ehhhhhhhhh, maybe not. ESPECIALLY for a new parent. GW's products are not exactly renowned for their "value". 💸 Plus, it's cute that he thinks he's going to have "spare" time to hobby.
Going off personally experience, yes. I had a lot of spare time as a stay at home dad and found gaming was boring. A new kit kept me in check. Experience may differ
I'd say it entirely depends on the individual and you should check with maybe the other parent or other friends!
They've already got something that's expensive, time consuming, and occasionally spills "nuln oil" all over them so I'd say they have enough on their hands for now. I started getting back into it when mine was 7 and it was much more manageable for me then. Lovely thought - just not right now.
So I'm a parent of a toddler and have my second son about to be born any day now and I've been playing and hobbying Warhammer for a bit over a year now and I'm really hoping to be able to continue that once the newborn is here. I'd appreciate a gift like this, but that's because I'm pretty invested into the hobby and really enjoy it. If he hasn't jumped into it on his own yet though I'm not sure it's the best way to get started. Painting models, like many hobbies, kinda requires some self motivation and interest to wanna do. But they just announced these Warhammer plushies that would be more appropriate for a newborn gift: https://www.warhammer-community.com/2024/06/21/the-second-wave-of-warhammer-plushies-from-tomy-are-horribly-adorable/
No
My best friend recently became a father. They are doing shifts, and he has the night shift. He's never painted more in his life. I imagine after he gets of paternity, and he no longer is up at weird hours that may change.
No. It's expensive, time consuming, a choking hazard, and puts him in the position of feeling devastated any time little hands destroy his models.
Books might be better. I imagine he will be far too busy to sit down and paint and stuff.
Dad here. I have painted tons since having a child. Getting out to socialise is harder these days so when everyone is asleep I get a couple of hours a night to paint. It's really good me through the change in lifestyle that comes with kids. Love my hobby time. My awesome little man is 3 now and I've painted hundreds of models since he was born. And before anyone says it, yes I contribute more than my fair share to the family and house. So personally I'd say yes, go for it.
I have some lego sets that took me months to build due to having a child, I don't think I'd have time for warhammer at all unfortunately
Mine is almost 3 and I can now get some hobby time a few evenings a week. It is very variable though as I know some of our NCT friends are having nightmare bedtimes still. I'd still go for it but accept it might sit on a shelf for a couple of years before they get the opportunity to have a go but it would still be something nice to have available when you need some me time.
Small plastic brightly colored objects that *dad* is really interested in are unfortunately.... a giant choking hazard. Plus, gunna get smashed. New dad's going to be tired. Get him a kindle.
No. No. And no again. The time and money commitments alone are too much for a new parent.
Totally. They will have literally dozens of free hours to paint miniatures.
I've got a 2 month old and while she sleeps when I'm 'on shift' I've managed to get the tyranid half off leviathan painted. It's very much doable early on if they're good sleepers. Harder once they're older and mobile!
I painted 75 models every year from 2020-2023. November 2023 my son was born. Since then I’ve painted a rhino. I do not have time to paint and there are definitely times it frustrates me
Worked at an LGS and from observation no one gets into Warhammer unless they really want to. Ive seen countless people try to drag a friend in but it's a life style hobby that asks a lot of time and space from people. Unless a person has clearly stated they really wanna get into it and play with you I think Warhammer is a bad gift.
As a lot of people have said, there’s not a lot of time with hands available in the beginning, depending on the baby. But time moves at a different speed once you have kids. You have less time for yourself and days will feel long while weeks fly by. The first months are a blur and can be a bit rough, but pretty soon the kid will sleep through most evenings while the parents stay home. I found it helpful to have a small indoors project that I could do in the couch next to my nursing son and girlfriend. With my firstborn I got into Lego and now with my second I’ve started painting kill teams. While the paintbrush can be a bit harder to put down on a moments notice for a diaper change I’ve found that a wet palette helps a lot.
I would say no. It needs a lot of time, and it has a looooot of small pieces that can get lost for the child to choke on
It highly depends, if this person has just become a parent then they probably wont have time for it. Also something you have to remember is that Warhammer is a niche hobby in the grand scheme of things so a lot of people simply really wouldn't be that interested in the hobby. So before even getting this guy Warhammer stuff you need to find out if that's something he would even be interested in. The worst thing that could happen is you spending a bunch of money on Warhammer stuff only for him to not really be into it.
There's some really good advice in this thread about alternative options, but... What kept me painting when my first was born (at least 6 months later), was a big IKEA serving tray. The kind of thing you'd have breakfast in bed on. I had all my models, tools, and paint on the tray. When I was needed at short notice, I could easily close my paint pot, and put the tray in a cupboard. No need to worry about leaving a knife or something in reach of curios hands.
It probably would not. Speaking from experience, first year of baby's life is fine for painting, but after that, not so much. At this point I have to take vacation days to paint while baby in kindergarten, and all other time all my miniatures and painting supplies are locked in storage room, since it's the only place in the house safe from curious hand of a 4yo.
That's when I got into it. Their partner might not be happy.
As a new parent myself, I'm not sure that's the best option. I've been too tired to focus on anything weighty in the evenings, so have either been reading a bit while my wife breastfeeds, playing a very simple game like a 4x I can drop at any time, or tidying and helping out as much as possible. Something like warhammer would be brilliant escapism, I spent a few months going over the 40k fandom wiki while it was dark and quiet in our flat (during breastfeeding), but I do wonder if your friend appreciate something that was more focused on the escapism aspect of it as opposed to the hobby aspect. Its going to be a hard time for your friend, he won't really feel like he belongs to any world for a while (too busy at home to focus at work, but am at work and can't be there all the time at home!) - and just having a patient and understanding friend that brings them a meal every once in a while, plays a videogame in the afternoon with them, or anything like that.
“Pass the long nights” lol dude isn’t on guard duty, the long nights are spent trying to get the baby to sleep and trying to get any sleep you possibly can yourself. I second the books idea, but honestly audiobooks would probably be better. Or diapers. Buy him a crate of good diapers, in a variety of sizes. 👍 I wouldn’t buy him any painting stuff until his kids are like 7-8, then he can do why I do: occasionally work on painting a serious project while having a big collection of extra, white-primed HeroQuest NPCs and a set of SpeedPaints so the kids can go nuts.
I'd say no. Too expensive. Keep the money for the new mouth to feed. EDIT: but if you were to gift him paints and some minis then sure! Hehe.
No
I would argue that he's gonna have his hands full for a while , and the long nights are gonna either be with the kid or trying to sleep haha
You would be my BFF with a gift like that... also, Henry Cavil is going to be a dad, soooo....
Relatively new dad here. Your friend will not have time to paint for at least the first year. I can't speak beyond that yet. However, he will need some time out of the house for his sanity (and so will the mom!!!). If you can offer him some game nights using your stuff that would probably be very appreciated and may get him into painting later on when he has time again.
Don’t have kids myself, but my friends who do needed to pack away a lot of their hobby stuff when they had kids. Warhammer kits are lots of small plastic pieces that are not completely safe for a baby that is constantly trying to put things in their mouth. Also things like plastic cutters and glue are dangerous for a baby.
Mine is 4 now. When she was an infant, I started painting AoS for fun and to learn. I got a lot of painting done the first two years, now she wants to play all the time so I only paint in the early morning before she wakes up so I don't paint anywhere near as often as I did two years ago. For the record I think it could be a fun idea for your gift. :)
Uhh, don’t know your friend so can’t speak specifically about him but I can say that as a “new dad” the last thing on my mind was WH40K. I wanted more sleep, less mess to clean up, some quality time with spouse without the baby. Maybe when the kid hits 4-5 yrs old. That would be my suggestion
Parent of 3; for me my kids and wargaming is the long game. Oldest is over 10 now and can play basic 40k. Saying that, GW is really expensive, so are kids! If it's to focus on hobby time-out, then at least start with non-GW mini's. Seeing and doing are very different and many like the end result, but not the process. They'll be much cheaper and still allow creativity and a time sink. Even to the point of model kits from Revell like vehicles.
Nope, no time for painting
Newish Dad here. My Daughter is 2.5 and still I don't have much time to hobby. The first year I didn't even think about myself or anything relaxing and even now I get very little time. I pretty much wait until wife and kiddo are asleep and some night I might get an hour if I am very lucky. Personal advice, chat with his partner and arrange a time you can take him out and paint with him away from the house. I Worked from home so catching a break away from everything would have been a dream. New parents do need a a break from time to time.
According to r/SteamDeck, a Steam Deck is the ultimate gift for a new parent because you can play it while holding a baby and suspend it immediately. I'm a full time caregiver, which is basically like being a new parent, and I have about 4 hours a month to work on Warhammer stuff...
As a newish (8 months), my warhammer time is super limited. I love making, painting, play, just about everything to it. As a new parent, I've had to mostly step away from it. I will say if said is into anything not dangerous for baby's would be best but if they love warhammer nothing wrong with it as long as you can accept it may sit in the box for a bit.
Do not get a new parent miniatures! They will sit in their boxes for a whole year until the baby becomes semi-sapient!
Once the baby gets past the newborn phase and starts trying to eat the models...
I have a three year old so I’m not far out of the infant rearing stage. Time for any hobby was tough. Long nights usually meant barely staying awake watching YouTube videos drifting in and out of consciousness. In between the feeding, changing, cleaning, housework, and work work I didn’t have time for much else. Good thing too because it was during the pandemic. Those years literally flew by. I just recently got back into my hobbies. It is still a thoughtful gift, and those models aren’t going anywhere if you give them to him. He might see them and think “man I can’t wait to dive into that” and that might give him some encouragement to get through a really stressful time in any parent’s life. Use your best judgement, you know your friend better than we do.
As someone who became a dad almost two years ago, building and painting my minis (which I had just gotten into before my son was born) was a Great War for me to wind down during his naps and the little bits of free time I got. Now that he’s older, I have more free time and it’s still great for my mental health.
I just started to get time, very late at night. My child just turned 9 months. It's an awesome gift no less, it's just there will probably be no time to partake in the hobby.
Hell no. Give them anything baby related. I think I didn't pick up a brush for thr first two years.
It depends. Does a parent have self-control because otherwise it's like giving them a boat.
You’re getting him additional ‘work’ to do if i’m honest, I can’t picture him ever having the energy to get any painting done for quite while.
Pass the long nights? lol. Those long nights are spent half asleep rocking a screaming baby. My last two kids I had to put my hobbies on hold for close to a year. Current newborn is much easier (also I’m much more experienced) so I have maybe 45-60 minutes a night after the others go to bed before I try to sleep lol Glad your heart is in the right place lol.
Probably not in the first 3-6 months. After that I would say yes. In that period I had a lot of random sleepless nights and did a lot of Warhammer.
I am a father of a 1 year old and can say that progress really slows down with a kid. But i like the Hobby regardless. Also, i think if the child is a bit older (yes, that is not the question, i know) it could be really fun to paint and build with them. My boy throws somw dice ocassionally if i play with his older brother, and he has Tons of fun if i let him grab one of the larger models. But others are also right, time for the Hobby is rare. I have the gsc battleforce unopend on my desk since saturday, but i dont have a Problem with slowing down my hobby
Give him plushie so both him and his child could use it.
God no. Those "long nights" are long because you have things to do. Diapers, bottles, laundry, whatever. If you're awake and still it's because you have a baby sleeping on you and you're afraid to move without waking them up. Now, once the kid sleeps through the night, maybe, but CLEAR IT WITH THE MOTHER FIRST. A hobby that involves tons of little pieces and bottles and the occasional sharp tool needs to be sequestered well away from the baby. The happy couple need to discuss how to accomplish this in their living space prior to receiving any gifts of that nature.
Don't think so unless you know he likes Warhammer and said he's interested in minis
New parents will have little time for Warhammer, however the hobby side of things like painting may provide a nice relaxing activity to do when they get some spare time but are stuck at home etc.
Contrary to the most upvoted i say absolutely yes. He might not get a lot of time in the beginning when they're a newborn, but as they start sleeping a bit more regularly, Warhammer is perfect for a parent. Its a good bit of quiet meditation and focus at the end of the day.
I did not have time at all to paint with a newborn. When the kid was like 1 and slept from 7-8 pm? Absolutely yes. But then the bottleneck (for me) became building and priming. I just prefer painting. So, if you do this, maybe prebuild and prime a mini so they can get straight to the fun stuff? Priming I find jarring because I have to do it during the day, but then I need to make sure the kid isn’t around etc. Small problem, yes, but still another thing to micromanage during days that are filled with small tasks!
I personally have some spare time to paint miniatures now that my daughter is 6 (her older brother is 9), so I would not recomment miniature painting to a new parent. Specially if he appreciates the love of his partner... I'd recommend it as a way to spend quality time with your kids, as this is what I'm doing with my son, but not in your friend's current situation.
As someone that started the hobby two months after my baby was born. I can say it's really fun and a great gift. But it is definitely a financial strain that I shouldn't have started when I was starting a family.
With a newborn I did a ton of building and painting. I know that’s not typical. But for me it was an easy thing to pick up and drop when my son needed attention. Is your friend already into Warhammer? If so, I think he’ll enjoy that
No
My kids love it when i paint stuff. They cant wait for them to be old enough to paint themselves. My toddler often gets the monthly freebies from the storemanager to paint
I have a 1 1/2 and a 6 month old. It's hard to get painting time most nights but it gets easier as the kids get older. Even with limited time I built 3k points of Orks and the whole Leviathan Box set with my Space Marines all base coated with some painted, Tyranids completely primed with 10 Termagants painted and for Orks painted 30 Boyz, Warboss and 10 Grots with mostly the rest primed. It's difficult to have a set time to hobby but if you really love it, you'll make it work. Even painting just 2-3 nights a week you could reasonably finish a combat patrol in a few months letting him also get into playing the game as soon as possible. What were you thinking of buying him? What faction or set?
for cole in a tin? i dont know
No. No time. It's poisonous and small parts