20+ Cool New LEGO Sets That Keep Kids Occupied for Hours
This piece was created for Cubby, our weekly newsletter for families at home. Want more? Sign up here for a weekly splash of fun and good ideas for families with kids. Join us over on Instagram for more!
Cubby. Real solutions for unreal times.
Join us for a weekly dose of fresh, modern ideas for life at home with your kids.
My earliest memories of getting presents all revolve around LEGOs. I still remember my very first sets: a tow truck, a family car, and a little road repair cart. Those initial gifts turned into a lifelong love of the plastic building bricks. I can’t tell you how much my imagination has been shaped by the toys, and I absolutely love seeing them do the same for our two boys. LEGOs stimulate creativity, offer hours of fun for all ages, and bring us closer together. Just like me, my boys are always be excited for a new LEGO set. Even as I write this, my oldest is plotting his next Star Wars LEGO purchase in the next room, and I couldn’t be prouder.
It’s hard to keep pace with LEGO’s latest offerings these days, as every season sees a new collection of must-have sets. My boys and I pore over the catalogues when they arrive in the mail, and we watch for announcements of new sets online. Lately I’ve been scouring through LEGO’s new releases and sets coming soon, and here are some highlights of the summer.
(Quick note: several sets are listed as 18+, usually because of their size and the complexity of pieces, but from my experience, that just means they’re an opportunity for parents and kids to work together!)
A rainbow set for everyone
Released as a celebration of diversity, Everyone Is Awesome (listed for ages 18+) introduces a whole array of bright new colors in a simple but powerful set that lines up a variety of minifigs in a rainbow pattern. You can also download a special set of instructions to create a heart from the pieces. These also look especially vibrant on a bookshelf or in a toy display.
For film buffs
Some of LEGO’s biggest sellers in recent years tie in to blockbuster movie and book franchises. Fans can recreate favorite scenes and locations from Marvel movies, Star Wars stories, and Harry Potter moments. This summer’s additions include:
The Infinity Gauntlet (18+) from “The Avengers”
The Chamber of Secrets (9+) and Hogsmeade Village Visit (8+) from “Harry Potter”
The Bad Batch Attack Shuttle (9+) from the new “Star Wars” animated show
For the sneaker fan
Maybe you can’t quite lace up these Adidas Original Superstars (18+), but the LEGO version is the perfect addition to anyone’s collection. It’s an iconic rendition of the classic version — just plain cool.
For the Minecraft enthusiast
I say “enthusiast” to be polite; if your kids are like mine, Minecraft is an obsession these days. And LEGO is here to feed it with sets like The Illager Raid (8+), The Bee Farm (8+), The Panda Nursery (7+) and The Taiga Adventure (7+). Let them take that, erm, enthusiasm off-screen for some tactile fun.
For the budding florist
One of my favorite new LEGO categories is the floral designs. My wife got me a specialty set of LEGO tulips, in honor of my mother, who passed this spring. The designs are creative and colorful, and make for beautiful centerpieces. A few LEGO floral delights include the full Flower Bouquet (18+), a pair of roses (8+) and the forthcoming Birds of Paradise (18+). Who says toys can’t also become a design moment?
For the little Minion in your life
There’s no denying the infectious fun of Minions, and now they come in LEGO form! Check out the delightful Minion Pilot in Training (4+) or the Minions Kung Fu Battle (6+).
For the nostalgic Batman fan
There’s no shortage of good Batman sets, but there’s something special about the Classic TV Series Batmobile (7+), complete with an Adam West Batman and a Caesar Romero Joker. This is a great one to put together with your kids; it’ll summon that old 90s nostalgia, while giving them a bit of timeless superhero play.
For kids on the go
LEGO has introduced a series of LEGO Friends sets for kiddos that are designed to pack up into portable cubes, perfect for road trips, vacations and visits to friends. Look up Olivia’s Gaming Cube, Mia’s Soccer Cube or Stephanie’s Ballet Cube (all 6+). There are even Disney princess versions with all the favorite characters in miniature form!
For the game master
Hogart’s Wizard’s Chess (10+) is must-have for the Harry Potter fan AND the perfect introduction to chess! This set not only recreates a favorite scene from “The Sorcerer’s Stone,” but it’s a playable chessboard – great for cultivating new fans to game. We love a 2-in-1 play solution!
For the space enthusiast
It’s hard to resist the power of LEGOs combined with the inspiration of space. So when LEGO teams up with NASA, we’re sold! Two summers ago, my boys and I eagerly pieced together the Saturn V rocket (14+), built out of 1969 pieces (get it?). More recently we’ve constructed the International Space Station (16+) and the Apollo 11 Lunar Lander (16+). Now we’re eyeing LEGO’s latest addition to the space race: a 22-inch, 2354-piece Space Shuttle Discovery (18+), complete with a deployable Hubble Space Telescope.
