LEGO has touched almost every childhood for decades, and in some cases, has continued to build into people’s adulthood. From simply building a structure guided by a manual to stacking bricks to form an original creation, there’s a reason why the toy company has been heralded as the “Toy of the Century“. Living up to its name and reputation, the company has launched the next iteration of its blocks during CES 2026 — LEGO SMART Play.
Integrating tech with play
For decades, the popular building blocks company has continued to bring joy as it balances innovation with creativity and hands-on play. Staying true to its traditional and minimalist design, LEGO SMART Play offers interactive play without the need for apps and screens to enjoy the experience of playing with creativity.
The LEGO Group’s Creative Play Lab has taken the humble, regular LEGO block we know today to create a SMART Brick. This new block can sense SMART Tags and SMART Minifigures for a more interactive experience. The SMART Tags are special tiles that tell SMART Bricks what to do, while the SMART Minifigures are interactive characters that bring unique personalities into play. Together, they make up the LEGO SMART Play set wherein toy creations light up, make sounds, and respond to players — all without the need for an external device. These blocks also support wireless charging.
Classic toy for every era
Chief Product and Marketing Officer of the LEGO Group, Julia Goldin, has emphasized the company’s presence in encouraging creativity in children and their commitment to continuously “innovat[e] to meet the play needs of each new generation.” With that, the first LEGO SMART Play-enabled set debuts this March with LEGO Star Wars. The 962‑piece collection includes three interactive SMART Minifigures: Darth Vader, Emperor Palpatine, and Luke Skywalker (Jedi). A timeless childhood staple, LEGO shows that even the most iconic brands must keep evolving to stay relevant in a world that never stops changing. With the new innovation offering a fusion of traditional and modern designs, the humble building brick continues to push every child’s imagination into reality.
YouTube: Endless interaction, limitless imagination | LEGO SMART PLAY
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Photo credit: The images used are owned by The LEGO Group and have been provided for press usage.
Source: The Strong National Museum of Play
