There’s nothing quite like a good old-fashioned building set, and luckily there are tons of options available to suit every kid, regardless of their age or skill level. Whether a child is just starting out or already has a few years of experience under their belt, there’s a building set here to help them hone their basic construction skills and make their ideas a reality.
Here are our picks for the best toy building sets.
Our Editor’s Best Toy Building Sets Reviews
- Fun and Engaging - Kids will spend hours engaging in pretend play with this medium-sized building kit. Create toy trains or tiger figurines with this classic collection of LEGO bricks in 35 different colors
- Endless Builds - This creative toy for boys and girls includes windows, toy eyes, 18 tires and toy wheel rims that can be placed on a green baseplate for kids to role-play; plus the container can be used as toy storage
- Imaginative Play - Kids can use their imagination, picking an assortment of bricks to bring to life any building toy they want with these colorful toys, fostering kids' playtime and building creativity throughout the process
- Cross Compatible - Kids won't have to stop the role play with just the LEGO Creative Brick playset as these building toys are compatible with all LEGO construction sets.
- Fun for Everyone - In this 484-piece kit, the green baseplate measures over 3 inches long and 6 inches wide; for boys and girls between the ages of 4 and 99 years old
- LEGO Creator 3 in 1 space toy building set features a space shuttle which rebuilds into an astronaut figure with jointed limbs or a spaceship toy
- Kids ages 6+ can choose to build the supercool space shuttle toy with an opening hatch which contains a removable and extendable satellite inside
- Next, kids can use the LEGO bricks to rebuild the set into a cool spaceship toy with moving wings so they can role-play flying into orbit
- The LEGO Creator 3 in 1 set can also be rebuilt into a posable astronaut figure with a jetpack and a flag to be 'planted' on a stand
- With this LEGO Creator 3 in 1 set, kids get 3 different build and play experiences; makes an out of this world gift for kids ages 6+ years old
- CONSTRUCTION VEHICLE TOY – Inspire young construction site fans to create their own building adventures with this backhoe excavator toy
- INTERACTIVE FEATURES – This fun-filled backhoe toy vehicle comes with lots of moving features for interactive play, building and play out scenes and roles on a construction site
- WORKING CONSTRUCTION TOY – The LEGO Technic Backhoe Loader model includes an operating scoop that lifts and lowers using the knob, a back digger and outriggers
- GIFT IDEA FOR LITTLE BUILDERS – This set makes a holiday or birthday gift for kids ages 7 and up who enjoy building with LEGO bricks or playing with construction toys
- INTRO TO ENGINEERING – LEGO Technic buildable model sets feature realistic movement and mechanisms to introduce young LEGO builders to the universe of engineering
- Build, Stack & Imagine: Kids explore endless possibilities by stacking, balancing, and knocking down colorful wood blocks while constructing towers, bridges, and imaginative structures
- Colorful Wooden Blocks Set: Includes 100 lightweight, yet durable, solid wood blocks in 4 colors and 9 classic shapes; pieces store neatly in the included sturdy cardboard toy box with carrying handle
- Montessori Learning Toys: Strengthen fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination & shape recognition, with preschool learning activities to foster early math concepts like counting, sorting & comparing
- Educational Toys for Any Occasion: When buying a birthday gift & holiday gifts for kids, or rewarding little milestones, celebrate the moments that matter with Melissa and Doug toys for boys & girls
- Wholesome Play for 35+ Years: Melissa & Doug inspires kid-powered play with its learning toys for kids, baby & toddler toys, puzzles, games, building toys & stuffed animals, dolls, & even a doll house; This product is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. Please note that FSC certification applies to new inventory only (FSC C156584)
- DELIGHT YOUNG GARDENERS – Help little ones get growing with the LEGO Botanicals Happy Plants building set for kids ages 9+
- A FUN AND COLORFUL BUILD – Green thumbs will love constructing the baby dracaena plant and baby pilea plants, and deciding which to plant in two adorable smiling pots
- HELP CREATIVITY GROW – Kids can build the plants independently or share the fun by building them with a friend or family member
- BUILD, PLAY, AND DISPLAY – Brighten up any play space, shelf, or desk with LEGO plants that double as whimsical, kid-friendly decor
- GIFT IDEA FOR KIDS – The building kit makes a great birthday or anytime treat for girls and boys, or a fun gift for adults who love plants, crafting, or nature
- EXPLOSIVE MINECRAFT ACTION – The TNT Jungle House (21275) lets kids, ages 8 and up trigger brick-built explosions in their LEGO Minecraft world
- AUTHENTIC GAME CHARACTERS – Building set includes Steve, Creeper and zombie minifigures, plus fun accessories like a boat, fishing rod, fish, parrot and jungle foliage
- DESTRUCTIBLE JUNGLE HOUSE – Kids can flick a switch to activate the TNT explosion function, which dramatically collapses the entire house's walls and ceiling
- REBUILD AND REPLAY – After the explosive action, young builders can reconstruct the TNT-shaped jungle house for endless pretend play adventures
- GIFT IDEA FOR BOYS & GIRLS – Makes an exciting birthday or any-time treat for kids who love Minecraft, building toys, and interactive play
- This LEGO Creator 3 in 1 animal toy set features 3 animals for kids 7+ years old: a parrot toy perched on a branch, a playful frog and a toy fish
- The toy parrot is richly colored and comes with jointed parts that allow it to rotate its body on the branch and move its wings and tail
- The parrot can be rebuilt into a toy frog with posable legs or into a LEGO fish with movable fins and a seabed for creative adventures
- Kids can choose their building adventure with 3 LEGO Creator animal figures or fire up their imagination and create a new animal with the bricks
- With details such as the parrot's branch covered in flowers, this building toy set will look awesome on display in kids' rooms when play is over
- Build 8 physics-driven kinetic creatures using LEGO Technic bricks and papercraft.
- Includes every LEGO element you need!
- STEM content about axles, cams, cranks, engineering in everyday machines is included in the 64-page book, alongside the step-by-step instructions.
- Model number: 9781338603453
- English (Publication Language)
- Pirate building toy – Treat Minecraft players to LEGO Minecraft The Pirate Ship Voyage, a versatile, hands-on kids’ toy for boys and girls ages 8 and up
- Minecraft playset with a boat toy – This pirate ship toy is a buildable vehicle playset featuring a squid, camel, 2 pirate minifigures (a Swashbuckler and a Buccaneer), plus accessories
- Building adventure set – This pirate toy can be played with on its own or combined with other LEGO Minecraft sets (sold separately) to expand the fun
- Role-play toy – Accessories include a fish, map, iron sword and a cactus, which can be held by a pirate figure
- Minecraft gift for 8 year olds – Treat boys and girls who are fans of Minecraft, pirates and LEGO ship sets to this versatile building toy for kids
- FERRARI F1 TOY CAR – Boys and girls ages 10 and up and Ferrari fans can build, display and race the LEGO Speed Champions Ferrari SF-24 F1 Race Car and driver set
- 1 DRIVER MINIFIGURE – This vehicle set includes a driver minifigure wearing a special Ferrari outfit and a winged helmet for kids to place inside the cockpit and role-play thrilling race action
- AUTHENTIC DETAILS – F1 race car with design details from the real-life 2024 version, including a rear wing, a halo bar, sponsor stickers and wider rear tires imprinted with “Pirelli”
- F1 FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY – Race for the checkered flag alongside the whole family with other building sets (sold separately) in the LEGO F1 range
- BUILD & DISPLAY – After kids have enjoyed playing out racing stories with the Ferrari F1 toy, they can display it on a shelf or bedside table
Best Toy Building Sets Buying Guide
Before choosing the best toy building set you should consider following options:
1. Age Suitability: Kids differ in their developmental stages, so it is essential to select a building set based on the age of the child. There are sets designed specifically for younger kids, as well as sets designed for older children.
Younger children generally require simpler building sets with larger pieces. Older children may require more complicated sets with specialized pieces.
2. Number of Pieces: The number of pieces included in a building set will vary based on the complexity of the set.
Generally, the more pieces included in a set, the more complex it will be. Typically, sets with more than 300 pieces are for older children.
3. Types of Pieces: Building sets typically include a variety of different types of pieces. These can include different colors and shapes, as well as specialized pieces such as gears and connectors.
The different types of pieces available in a set will dictate the complexity of the set and what types of models the child can create.
4. Number of Specialized Pieces: Along with a variety of different types of pieces, building sets also include specialized pieces. These pieces allow for more complex structures to be built.
Specialized pieces are typically uncommon and rare in everyday life, so children are able to learn what they are and what they do.
5. Cost: Building sets typically include varying amounts of pieces, and therefore, they come at varying levels of cost.
The more pieces included in a set, the more expensive it will be. Typically, lower cost sets have around 100 pieces, while more expensive sets have more than 1000 pieces.
What else you should know about toy building sets
1. What are the most popular toy building sets?
Some popular toy building sets are Lego, Mega Bloks, and K’Nex.
2. What are the benefits of playing with toy building sets?
Some benefits of playing with toy building sets are that they can help with fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, problem solving skills, and creative thinking.
3. How do toy building sets help children develop?
Toy building sets help children develop fine motor skills, spatial awareness, and problem-solving skills.
4. What are the best toy building sets for toddlers?
The best toy building sets for toddlers are the ones that are age appropriate and safe for them to use. Some good choices include LEGO DUPLO, Mega Bloks, and K’NEX. These sets will help your child develop fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and problem solving skills.
5. What are the best toy building sets for older children?
There is no definitive answer to this question since different children will have different preferences. However, some toy building sets that may be popular with older children include LEGO sets, K’NEX sets, and Mega Bloks sets. These sets typically offer more challenging and complex builds than toy building sets designed for younger children, and as such, can be more engaging and rewarding for older children to play with.
Conclusion
On the market, there are numerous best toy building sets. Hopefully, the list of the top ten best toy building sets will save you time researching and deciding on the best one for you.