Best LEGO sets for kids in 2024: tried and tested by families

The LEGO Adventures With Mario Starter Course Set is a fun and interactive play experience built to keep kids entertained for hours. With its smart app connection, Mario, the main character, springs to life, offering a great mix of building and digital fun. The set includes an adventurous obstacle course and Mario's accessories like his classic red hat, overalls, and bright yellow buttons.

Through Bluetooth connection to a smartphone or tablet, the app lets kids check out Mario's stats, battery life, and the coins he's collected whilst providing step-by-step building instructions for the course and a helpful demo video, making it super easy for kids to understand. Plus, it shows each piece in 3D and has fun weekly challenges for different ways to rebuild the set.

Once turned on, Mario's LCD screen on his chest shows different images based on the LEGO pieces he interacts with, and the sensors under his feet trigger visuals like grass or water signs. Mario's got tons of interactive features, with over 100 sounds, music clips, and cute expressions through a speaker in the back, making him a fun and lively friend for kids.

In a nutshell, this LEGO set brings together physical and digital play, providing a complete and enjoyable experience for kids with its interactive character and super cool app.

Offering excellent value for money, the LEGO Creator 3-in-1 sets make a great small gift or stocking filler for Christmas and are ideal for children who are ready to transition from LEGO DUPLO. Despite the small box, each set includes a variety of bricks that can be used to create one of three fun and engaging designs.

There are many LEGO Creator themes to choose from, but the Dolphin and Turtle Set is ideal for younger children who are fascinated with sea creatures, as it features three different animals to build including a baby dolphin, cute turtle and pink little snail, which can also be transformed into a delightful seahorse and big blue fish.

We like that all the figurines can sit on the “seabed” that features a miniature red crab and array of sea Anemones. And, if your child is feeling super creative, the bricks in this set can be used to create even more characters like a blue crab, jumping spider or a squid with tentacles.

Related: Keep little hands busy and find some great stocking fillers with the best fidget toys.

The LEGO Star Wars The Child (from the Mandalorian TV series on Disney+) is still a hit among both parents and older kids, even after its 2020 release. Not only is it a fun challenge for LEGO lovers, but it's also a fantastic collector's piece, standing tall at 19cm. It comes with a stylish collector's plaque featuring an adorable Child minifigure and details like his age, height, species, and favourite toy.

Building it is a mix of using a central technic structure and attaching outer plates, making it doable for kids. While putting together the outer plates might need a bit of focus, overall, it's not too tough. What's cool is that the head is attached to a movable knob piece, letting you play around with it in all sorts of ways—bobbing, moving back and forth, side to side, and up and down. And the ears, mouth, and hands? They're all movable too, adding extra fun to the build!

If your child is keen to expand their Star Wars Collection and try a battleship, then the Star Wars The Mandalorian's N-1 Starfighter is a good choice too.

The LEGO Technic range is a fantastic way to get your kids into engineering and STEM through playful building. The 2022 LEGO Technic App-Controlled Transformation Vehicle set is packed with labelled bags of bricks, a cool sticker sheet for customising, two large motors, and a Bluetooth-controlled smart hub, making the building process a blast.

Putting it together is fun and a little challenging, especially with features like the cockpit, suspension, and big, grippy treads that help the vehicle zip around the house. Plus, the wheelie bar and the colour-flipping, winged design add some playful touches.

This cool vehicle works like a charm with the app controller, which lets it move forwards, backwards, and even pull off some awesome 360-degree spins. What's great is that it's double-sided and can switch colours, so your kid can pick their favourite look. Although it's a bit pricey, the LEGO Transformation Vehicle works with other Technic sets, offering tons of long-lasting fun. For kids who love STEM and engineering, this set is definitely a winner in the LEGO lineup.

The LEGO Marvel Spider-Man Final Battle Set takes Spider-Man excitement to a whole new level by recreating the thrilling scenes from Spider-Man: No Way Home. It's not just your average LEGO build – it's a challenging, yet super fun, 360-degree playset that brings to life the battles from the movie. What's really awesome is that it comes with not just one, but three Spider-Man minifigures (Toby Maguire, Tom Holland, and Andrew Garfield), and six other cool Marvel characters like Dr Strange, MJ, Ned, Green Goblin (with super cool goggles), Electro, and Doc Ock.

As your child dives into this build, they should get ready for an adventure because it's loaded with fun stuff like tangible webs and scaffolding, while the head of the Statue of Liberty offers a challenging build. Once built, kids can lift the head to find a portal to the sanctum, discover Sandman's hidden hand, and even uncover a secret sanctum sanctorum inside. After building, this set becomes an engaging desk accessory for endless play. Packed with tons of interactive details, the LEGO Marvel Spider-Man set is a must-have for any child who loves Spider-Man and enjoys immersive building experiences.

Whether your child’s a Harry Potter fan or not, Mumsnet parents and online reviewers can’t speak more highly of the Harry Potter LEGO range, with fun, interactive builds that offer the real 'wow' factor. While new Harry Potter sets are being released all the time, the 2020 release of the LEGO Harry Potter Hedwig never fails to be a hit with older children.

More affordable than some of the larger Harry Potter LEGO sets, this super realistic owl LEGO model not only comes on a sturdy display stand, but Hedwig's wings can be manually activated to simulate flapping, giving the model a sense of lifelike movement. The wings move up and down, adding to the realism of the owl's appearance.

Alongside the Hedwig model, the set also contains accessories such as a miniature Harry Potter minifigure, representing Harry's appearance in the series, and a wand for additional display options, plus a cute mini-Hedwig toy.

Reviewers who have built Hedwig admit that it’s not just a toy, but a collector’s piece that your child can proudly display or swoosh around for some imaginative play. Building this iconic symbol from the Harry Potter series is a delightful experience, offering both fun construction and a stunning addition to any collection.

While this design takes patience and can be complex to build in parts, it’s certainly worth the effort.

Ninjago is a LEGO fantasy world full of ninjas, dragons, vehicles and temples and are some of the best LEGO sets for younger builders who may also watch the TV series. The Ninjago sets come in a range of sizes from large playsets and dragons to more affordable character and vehicle sets without the high piece count of other modern sets.

We love Zane's Dragon Power Spinjitzu Racing Car due to its one-of-a-kind spinning function, (simply push down on the spoiler to make it spin), large wheels, opening cockpit, two hover flyers and four minifigures including Cole, Zane, Imperium Guard Commander and Imperium Claw Hunter, all ready for action.

This vehicle is robust enough to cope with energetic, hands-on play, with striking blue and gold pieces that really stand out from the crowd. The set also features two blue dragon power elements, which are part of a series of collectible elements available in various colours in other sets (sold separately). In a nutshell, this build is cleverly designed for younger kids to dive into on their own, giving them an accessible and entertaining experience that can last for hours. Plus, we like that the fully working axle and wheel set can be repurposed into a few other custom projects too.

Minecraft is incredibly popular with juniors and tweens - and with good reason. One of the most popular video games of all time, Mumsnet parents love that Minecraft is educational as well as entertaining, helping enhance children's problem-solving skills and creativity whilst they have fun.

When it comes to Minecraft LEGO sets, you won’t be disappointed with the 2022 version of the Llama Village. There is so much your child can do with this set as it boasts more than 1,000 pieces and allows your child to create their very own Minecraft village! With six customisable mini-builds, kids get to design a unique village layout – it's like being a village architect in the Minecraft world. Inside this set, you'll find cool LEGO minifigures like the savannah villager, blacksmith, raider, and vindicator, plus nifty gear such as axes, a crossbow, and swords to ramp up the fun.

The llama-themed characters, including the herder and the knight, plus the cute llamas and baby sheep toy add a whole lot of charm and character to this set. The highlight, though, is the giant Llama statue (house). It's like a treasure chest filled with rooms to explore and we love that the llama figure even spits blue LEGO pieces to defend against attackers!

Although this build looks intimidating, it’s relatively straightforward and ideal for keeping older children engaged. For an easier and more budget-friendly Minecraft build, we also recommend the ever-popular Axolotl House set.

LEGO Friends has always been a popular collection but recently went through an overhaul to introduce new diverse characters and locations to Heartlake City. With a real focus on animals, nature and, not surprisingly, friendship, these are some of the best LEGO sets for creative storytelling, role play, and playtime with friends or siblings.

The LEGO Friends Dog Rescue Centre Playset is ideal for animal lovers who want to take care of their furry friends. In fact, Mumsnet testers tried out the LEGO Friends Dog Rescue Centre with their children, and over 63% were very satisfied with the playset, with one tester sharing: "It was a lot of fun to build together. A great chance to spend some quality time together."

This LEGO set features a comprehensive dog rescue centre, complete with a detailed grooming station equipped with a dog bath and accessories. It also offers a fun exercise area with detailed obstacles for the dogs to run through, along with a fun slide and even mini LEGO dog poop for added realism. The main attraction is of course the rescue centre itself, designed to be simple and enjoyable for young builders. It boasts a colourful and lively environment, including a charming purple table at the entrance and a gallery wall behind the reception desk, adorned with heartwarming pictures of adopted pets and their owners.

One of the standout features of the LEGO Friends Dog Rescue Centre Playset is that each mini-dog figure in the set has its very own little dog house, complete with dog bowls and white fences, adding to the play possibilities. To top it off, there's a beautiful tree house with a tree and pretty flowers, providing some shade for the dogs. The set includes three mini-doll figures for children to build and interact with, namely Autumn, Zach, and the new vet Gabriella (exclusive to this set). Additionally, there are three super cute pups – Pickle, Grace, and the endearing black pug, Dash, making this set a perfect choice for dog lovers who enjoy imaginative play.

We know it comes with a hefty price tag, but the LEGO DUPLO Town Big Fair set is a dream come true for little thrill-seekers obsessed with theme parks and fun! Packed with interactive features like a double-carriage train, carousel with detachable white horses, a Ferris wheel with three brightly-coloured carriages, a large ice cream stand, a drinks stall and two slides, this set promises tons of excitement for the five minifigures in the set including two adults and three children.

What's really great is that the Ferris wheel, carousel, and train all move, encouraging fine motor skills, like pushing, pulling, and twisting parts, which help to improve hand-eye coordination and finger dexterity. This comprehensive DUPLO set allows kids to have a blast while enhancing their motor skills. We also love the added accessories such as red balloons, camera, whipped cream and cup. However, because this set has so many different play areas, it might take some time to build, which could result in some initial frustration. The good news is that we think it’s worth the wait!

For more LEGO DUPLO options, check out our 10 best LEGO DUPLO sets.

One of the best LEGO sets for being hugely entertaining after the build is complete, this LEGO City Train Station set comes highly-rated by Mumsnet users and reviewers alike.

The set features a bustling train station with a cafe and ticket booth, a portable loo (which is bound to make your little one giggle!), a road and rail truck with foldable wheels and a popular city bus for excellent imaginative play. It also includes a road plate level crossing for seamless connection to other LEGO City sets and four straight LEGO train track pieces.

It also comes with a coffee bar, control room and platform. However, the most popular feature of this set is undoubtedly the big blue bus that accommodates six minifigures who all come with various accessories like a bike, helmet, tools, and even a small bird.

While not quite as sophisticated as the LEGO City Express Passenger Train, it's also not nearly as expensive and would make a great gift option for kids who love buses and road rail trucks, as well as a brilliant starter set to introduce them to the world of LEGO City sets.

The LEGO City Fire Rescue & Police Chase set is a top choice for kids who love simulating emergency scenarios. Featuring an array of toy emergency vehicles like a fire pickup with a drone, a police motorbike and a robber’s car (with stolen money in the boot of course!) this set offers a range of thrilling play opportunities.

The vehicles come with three LEGO minifigures, including the recognisable LEGO City TV firefighter character, Bob, a policewoman and a robber carrying a sack. There’s also a ginger cat (which is a new figure for 2022) who’s been marked as missing and needs to be saved. We think this is a great way to enhance the imaginative storytelling. Kids can engage in interactive play by shooting water splat elements (a blue water LEGO piece) from the drone, activating a toppling traffic light in the event of a collision, and controlling the flames at the fire scene. The set also includes various toy accessories such as handcuffs, walkie-talkies, banknote elements, and a crook's sack.

With a focus on story-inspired details and an assortment of cool vehicles, it's a thrilling choice for kids keen on roleplaying emergency situations and high-speed chases.