3 best Lego sets that you can build with your kids

Lego is a hobby that millions of fully-grown adults count on for unwinding after a long week, but most of them discovered the brick for the first time during childhood.

With screens more accessible than they ever have been, Lego can be a great distraction for young minds too, engaging both the logical and creative sides of the brain. Even better, enthusiastic kids give you the perfect excuse to join in yourself.

Here are three of the best Lego sets that you can therefore build with your young ones.

Lego Isabelle’s House Visit

We’re still waiting for Nintendo to announce the inevitable next Animal Crossing game, but in the meantime, the enduringly popular social simulation series has also been given the Lego treatment.

The town-building from the game has been authentically replicated in brick form, and the freedom to customise each build is great for creative kids.

All the Animal Crossing sets are great, but you can’t go wrong with Isabelle’s House Visit, which comes with minifigures of the titular Shih Tzu and Fauna, with Tom Nook thankfully nowhere to be seen.

There are loads of nice little details here, but my favourite might be the little cookie and doughnut pieces on the dining table that look a bit too edible.

Lego City Burger Truck

I really like this Lego City Burger Truck set, which Lego says is suitable for children aged 5+.

At 194 pieces, it’s a build you can probably get the kids to attentively sit through in one or two sittings, and as a reward they get to play with a decidedly awesome-looking fast food van with a detachable burger bar.

A hatch adorned with a flame-grilled-burger sign flips up to reveal the interior of the food preparation area, and you get both customer and chef minifigures in the box.

The only issue I have is that you get a brickified ketchup bottle included, but seemingly no mustard, which is very nearly a dealbreaker.

Lego Young Simba the Lion King

Technically, this brickbuilt Simba structure is targeted at Lego’s substantial 18+ audience, but while I definitely wouldn’t recommend letting an eight-year-old have at it unaccompanied, it’s a great build for an adult to take on with a child who has already shown an interest.

Released to mark the 30th anniversary of arguably Disney’s most beloved animated classic, the 1,445-piece Young Simba set features a moveable head that allows the adventurous king-in-waiting to do different poses, and naturally looks superb on display.

Just remember to listen to the original soundtrack while you build it together.