Lego has spent decades selling simple plastic bricks that let kids invent entire worlds on their own. Now, the company is adding a digital brain to that formula. This spring, Lego will release its first “Smart Play” sets, starting with Star Wars kits that include sensor-packed bricks capable of producing sounds, lights, and reactions based on how kids move and interact with their builds. Announced at CES in Las Vegas, Lego calls the technology its most significant innovation in decades as the Danish company seeks to modernize play without relying on screens, apps, or video games.

At its core, the Smart Brick is still just a regular Lego block, but it can also sense motion, position, and nearby pieces. When kids swoosh an X-wing through the air, the brick generates engine sounds. They also sound off when two ships “battle” as the bricks communicate and respond with lights or music. Crucially, nothing tells children what to do. The tech reacts to play rather than directing it, a deliberate choice in a toy market increasingly dominated by scripted digital experiences. Making responsive technology disappear during play, rather than call attention to itself, proved to be the real challenge. “The idea was it had to be as simple to use as the original brick,” said Lego executive Tom Donaldson. “Simplicity is hard, and incredibly simple is really incredibly hard.”

That restraint has also sparked debate among play experts and fans, who worry that adding sound effects risks replacing imagination rather than supporting it. After all, kids have been making their own laser noises for generations. Lego’s counterargument is that Smart Bricks extend creativity by encouraging kids to revisit sets, remix stories, and play together longer. From a business perspective, the move reflects Lego’s broader challenge: staying relevant in a digital world without becoming just another screen-based toy. The success of Smart Bricks will depend on whether Lego can add intelligence without losing the magic that made its bricks timeless.

Questions:

  1. How do Lego’s Smart Bricks differ from other tech-enabled toys? 

  2. Why are some play experts and fans worried about Lego’s Smart Bricks? Do you think their fears are justified?