LEGO Is Fun for Grown-Ups Too

Many years ago, my husband’s grandmother gambled on a birthday gift for him: an Indiana Jones LEGO set. Why was this a gamble? Don’t 8-year-old boys love LEGO sets? Of course they do. But he wasn’t 8. He was in his 20s. And this was before LEGO had really started marketing to adults. (GG was ahead of the curve.)

Like many 20-something men, he’d become difficult to buy for. So she went back to what he had loved as a kid. Turns out, he loved LEGO as an adult too.

That was the gift that kept on giving in gift ideas for many years. I even had friends and family chip in to get him the LEGO Death Star when he turned 30 (it was cheaper then). At this point, he may have maxed out our storage for his collection. He’s added sets that go well beyond 8-year-old interests, like The Office, Seinfeld, and even Steamboat Willie.

As a kid, I mostly just played with my brother’s LEGO sets. But along the way, I realized my husband was having a lot of fun. And we’d gotten signed up for the LEGO catalog at some point, so I started flipping through it. You know, for gift ideas. And I realized that LEGO had figured out millennials’ obsession with nostalgia and was serving up lots of sets that looked fun to me too.

So if you think LEGO is just for boys or just for kids (or just those flower sets they like to market to women), let me share with you some of my favorite sets that just might change your mind. LEGO is fun for grown-ups!

LEGO Vespa

She’s cute. She’s light blue. She’s got flowers in the basket! I got this LEGO Vespa as a birthday present a few years ago and kept it on display in my office until my toddler figured out it can come apart. Apparently you can even get a lighting kit if you want to take your Vespa to the next level. Whether your appreciation of a Vespa stems from Audrey Hepburn or Hilary Duff, building your own can be almost as fun as an Italian vacation.

LEGO Beauty and the Beast Castle

I don’t have this set—yet. But Beauty and the Beast is my favorite Disney movie (obviously because of the library). So I think this Beauty and the Beast castle set would be super fun! I love all the minifigures of movie characters. Belle, of course, is reading a book! Turn it around, and you’ll see a variety of movie scenes and rooms, with the attention to detail LEGO is known for.

Red London Telephone Box

Like the Vespa, this Red London Telephone Box is almost as fun as a trip to London. This was another birthday gift, and it was a fun build. I especially loved that there are different options for the telephone portion depending on what era you want to represent and that the light actually works! Apparently you can also use it as a phone stand, so it’s not totally obsolete. If that’s not enough brick London for you, check out the Tudor Corner set to extend your visit.

Typewriter

I wasn’t able to get my hands on the LEGO Typewriter before the price skyrocketed. (LEGO sets might also be fun for grown-ups as investment vehicles.) But I still think it’s really cool! It would be a great gift for a writer who needs to spend some time working with their hands instead of their heads. And I think it would make really cool office décor! I’m hoping they’ll rerelease another version of this set. Or I could settle for this smaller option with flowers.

Jane Austen

Yes, you read that right. There really is a Jane Austen LEGO set. You can pair it with other sets featuring famous authors, like Jules Verne or Charles Dickens. Or you can go the famous women route and pair her with Amelia Earhart.

Disney

If you do want sets your kids might steal from you, go the Disney route. (You’ll want to keep your kids away from the Beauty and the Beast castle, but these might be ok to share.) Try the house from Up. Recruit your kids to work on the balloons while you do the adorable house.

If you want a more complex house, the Madrigal Casita from Encanto is really cool and detailed. I admit that this set is actually my daughter’s, but I’ve been tempted to steal it! Look at that kitchen!

Harry Potter

In the spirit of liking things lots of people like, I have to mention Harry Potter. I love displaying Harry Potter minifigures in my home library as a nod to my family’s love of both books and LEGO. (Surprise packs like these make a great stocking stuffer.) And I’d love to add this Hogwarts Express Book Nook set to my shelves.

Litte Golden Book

As promised, here’s my Little Golden Book tie-in: How To Be a Unicorn. Sandy the Minifigure Unicorn sounds like any other kid you’ve met who doesn’t want to take their costume off! Of course, since Sandy is a minifigure, if she takes the unicorn hat off, she won’t have hair. I don’t think that’s part of the story. But this sounds fun nevertheless!

LEGO and Enneagram Ones

Personally, I think LEGO is a great activity for Enneagram Ones. There is a right way to do it. The instructions are clear. You have a task you can complete. Some sets are literally black and white. Building a LEGO set can be a really calming activity for me when I have decision fatigue. That’s why I included it in my summer fun list!

Of course, other Enneagram types can enjoy LEGO too! My husband is a Five, and he started this whole thing for our family. I’m sure Sevens might enjoy going off-script with all the pieces. Threes can probably make it better than the instructions suggest. Sixes, it’s true that stepping on a LEGO hurts worse than labor. But you’re a grown-up. You won’t leave pieces all over the floor.

Even if you aren’t a One or a Disney adult, you really might find LEGO is fun for grown-ups. Look for LEGO Ideas or Architecture sets. These tend to be geared for grown-ups. You might think LEGO isn’t for you right now. But don’t rule them out as gifts, especially if you have a 20-something man in your life. I hear they’re hard to buy for.

When’s the last time you did a LEGO set? Do you have a favorite? What activity from your childhood do you think would be fun to restart? Let me know in the comments—I love hearing from you!

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