Lego Mania: The Best Lego Sets for Kids of All Ages

If there is one completely foolproof, never-to-disappoint holiday gift for kids it is LEGO. Like Frosty’s old silk hat, the bricks just have some special magic mojo. And let’s be honest, since constructing the sets is time-consuming and playing with them mesmerizing, they keep the kids occupied throughout holiday break! Best of all, you can tailor a LEGO gift to a child’s particular interest such as Star Wars, Frozen, Minecraft, Wonder Woman … the list goes on.

Oh, and did we mention they’re great for kids’ problem-solving and fine motor skills? What beats that? Now, without further ado, our picks of the best LEGO sets for the season for every age group.

A great starter set for wee ones, with these blocks you can build anything from a train, to a house, to a car. The pieces are ideally sized for little hands and large enough to be safe. Kids love those operable windows.

This set comes with all the accoutrements essential for townhouse living including a kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom equipped with a toilet (the potty-training set will love that!). There’s also a car with on-street parking, something you’ll never find in the city.

This set lets kids build Doc McStuffin’s backyard vet clinic. It comes with a Doc figure as well as Lamby and Stuffie and a number of accessories including a slide.

Batman and Superman battle evil Lex Luthor in this set, which includes the Bat Cave, Batmobile, Lex Luthor's robotic vehicle and a catapult to make Superman fly. This one is going to be seriously fun.

There’s something about ice cream, real or pretend, that makes a girl happy. This LEGO Friends set includes Andrea and Emma mini-figures, a puppy, as well as an ice cream truck with an open roof and side, cash register, toppings and cones, and even banknotes. She will play with it for hours.

Perfect for the vehicle-obsessed child, this set includes two outboard motors with spinning propellers, a canopy with driver’s console and a swiveling chair to fish from. Two mini-figures man the boat, plus there's a shark! Branch out into the larger Coast Guard Head Quarters set for an explosion of high seas adventure.

Um, it’s Elsa’s Magical Ice Palace. Must any more be said?

But just in case your gift-getter has “let go” of the Frozen juggernaut, this sporty and fun LEGO Friends ice resort is well stocked with play items and nicely priced. Yes, a croissant is included for the cocoa-sipping mini-figures. So sophisticated.

Amazon’s number one building toy, this 3-in-1 set builds and rebuilds into a dinosaur, triceratops and pterodactyl.

Help Wonder Woman protect her Golden Lasso in this set, which features the Wonder Woman mini-figure, her dorm room, a bed with a secret drawer, a changing wardrobe and a workstation. 

Constructing the Millennium Falcon is a kid’s right of passage — there is no substitute. Seven main character mini-figures are included to up the play time.

And new this year: BB-8! It’s going to be a sell-out, so don’t hesitate.

Those busy LEGO Friends, now they’re at an amusement park. Do they ever stop? This set includes loads of fun activities for endless play — bumper cars, shaker ride and a cotton candy cart.

I know there was a world before Minecraft, I just don’t remember it. The Cave is the one set any Minecraft-obsessed child must have.

Sure, Barbie has her Dreamhouse, but the Friends have the Heartlake Grand Hotel, a three-story megaplex featuring an elevator to carry guests to upper floors, rooftop pool, outdoor café, lobby, jazz bar, guest rooms, and more. Plus, the girls who build this set get a little smarter just by putting it together. Sorry, Barbie.

Gear up the fun with the DC Super Hero Girls High School with Supergirl, Poison Ivy, and Lena Luthor. This set is action packed and includes a three-level school building with classrooms and a café, which transforms into defense mode. 

For Elves fans, this set is the bomb. It features a two-story castle tower (because it’s all about the stories in LEGO world) and a lava moat with moving stepping stone function, Emily Jones, and Azari mini-figures, the Queen dragon and Dusti the evil fox.

Straight out of the Ninjago movie, it’s Garmadon’s mechanical shark! This set includes trigger-operated snapping jaws, posable legs, and two cannons. It also features the hot dog stand from the movie and six mini-figure characters.

Have a child on the cusp of teen-hood who’s all of a sudden interested in your record collection? Well, here you go. This Beatles "Yellow Submarine" set will be an instant keepsake. It includes the entire Fab Four: John, Paul, George, and Ringo. The submarine is fully operable, with a removable top and cockpit, four rotating periscopes, two propellers, and an adjustable rudder.

For the kid (or adult) who thinks he has aged out of LEGO (come on, we never age out of LEGO), this set has exactly 1,334 pieces to challenge and engage. A replica of the classic 1962 VW Camper Van, it includes authentic features like the pop-up roof, textile curtains, boxer engine, wing mirrors, and folding furniture. #Vanlife in all its glory.