Lego is a low-tech toy for kids (and adults!), but the brand is bringing the building block toys into the technology space with its new Smart Bricks. These bricks work alongside Smart Tags and Smart Minifigures that will be available in special sets, bringing creations to life with sound, movement, and light. While there have been third-party lights and accessories that work with Lego, this is the first time the company is building technology like this into the classic bricks.
The innovation, which was announced among all the exciting tech at CES 2026 in Las Vegas in early January 2026, is an interesting step forward, especially at a time when kids are so focused on screens and video games. But Lego has stood the test of time and remains popular even today. They don’t break. In fact, they come apart but intentionally so to provide hours of fun. What’s more, there are studies that show playing with Lego makes you smarter. With Smart Bricks added to the mix, the toy will become even more dynamic. Arriving soon, Lego Smart Bricks are pretty darned cool.
How Lego Smart Bricks work
Lego Smart Bricks resemble regular Lego Bricks, except inside, they have light and sound sensors and accelerometers, along with a mini speaker and synthesizer. They can be recharged as needed and work with Lego Smart Tags and Lego Smart Minifigures that contain code and work together to power the system. The Brick responds to kids’ movements and actions as they play, with behaviors, sounds, and lights to match. Think of a car’s engine revving, the wheels swerving, even crashing, or a plane swooping in the air, the pilot emoting. They will come with a new Smart selection of sets, but you can use a Smart Brick in other sets or your own creations, too.
The first sets to launch will be in the Lego “Star Wars” family, with three sets to kick things off: the 584-piece Luke’s Red Five X-Wing building set, the 473-piece Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter building set, and the 962-piece Throne Room Duel & A-Wing building set. These sets feature iconic characters like Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, R2-D2, and Darth Vader, some as SMART Minifigures, along with pieces that work with interactive features, like playing laser-shooting and engine sounds, even “The Imperial March” composition.
Who would use the sets and why
Lego is a classic that has transcended generations: kids play with the building block toys today just as their parents did decades ago. Sure, there are companion apps you can use alongside sets. But with these Bricks, kids can enjoy a level of social and imaginative play and storytelling without having to rely on a screen. Parents will love that aspect, while kids will appreciate being able to bring scenes to life with realistic sounds and cool lights that respond to their actions in a fitting way. Yes, there are studies that say playing video games boosts kids’ IQ, too. But for a screen-free experience that still integrates technology, these sets might encourage not just building, but also more play with the sets after they’re built.
Fostering imagination and creativity and breathing new life into otherwise static sets, it’s a reinvention of a toy that has been around for decades. As the line presumably expands beyond “Star Wars” to include other types of sets as well, Lego Smart Bricks will have more widespread appeal. For now, the “Star Wars”-themed Lego Smart Play sets that include the Smart Bricks, Tags, and Minifigures, are available for pre-order and will be coming to stores and online for official purchase starting March 1, 2026.
