Each year Lego unveils its new sets that combine top name franchises and in-house brands. For families though, there’s a tension between block building creativity and the product becoming a way to get children into other franchises.At this year’s Nuremberg Toy Fair we got our first look at how the 2016 Lego sets will break down. It’s a year of consolidation for Lego. Recent innovations like Lego Nexo Knights, Lego Elves and Lego Mixels are all expanded. There are some nice innovations for classic Lego lines like City and Technic as well. The revised mini-figures also continue in Lego Elves, Friends and Disney Princess.It’s an impressive line-up but it’s not cheap. For families it’s important to pick and choose which sets are invested in. Not only how many bricks you get for your money, but the variety of play value that can be had.One way Lego is again upping the value is through tie-in cartoons and video-game apps. This not only extends the number of ways to interact with a toy-line like Mixels but also pulls in gaming mechanics to the toys as well — like the elemental key collection in Lego Elves.These are the sets that will be coming up this year you need to look out for.
Most directly related to gaming are the sets for The Angry Birds Movie. These use the video-game flinging of birds as inspiration along with characters from the movie. The success here will rest on how well the movie does in theatres, but the toys also relate to the original app game source material as well.The Mixels are collectable characters sold individually in waves. Unlike the mini-figures you can see what you are getting in each bag — which makes it easier and cheaper to collect. Series 7, 8 and 9 were on show at the Toy Fair and will be appearing in both the related cartoon and app through 2016.The final pillar in Lego’s gaming sets this year is the Lego Nexo Knights. These extend the classic, and popular, Lego Knights range in a video-game direction. Characters in the packs unlock different skills and abilities in a virtual world to create a role-play like adventure experience.In more classic territory, there are new sets coming for the popular Lego City range. These offer a couple of different building scenarios from everyday life.
Additions to the Lego City Airport adds a range of different aircraft, hangers, support vehicles and passengers covering all aspects of Airport life. Our highlight is the new VIP passenger jet.Slightly more fantastical is the Lego City Volcano Explorer sets that take the city in more extreme direction. Mountains and volcanoes are the focus of an array of different vehicles here - both heaving, drilling equipment and haulier trucks.The realism is taken a step further with the 4,000 piece Lego Technic Bucket Wheel Excavator. Including both the motorised excavator and related trucks and diggers, the scale here is impressive. Be warned though, this is for expert builders rather than casual Lego fans. Perhaps one for dad to tackle with the kids.The new sets are rounded off with three themes utilising the larger mini-figures. Although these were initially criticised as being too overtly aimed at girls they have proven popular. Also, the sets have diversified not only in a gender-binary direction but also offering play-schemes absent from Lego in the past.
Lego Friends is the most style-centric set and this year focuses on a fairground. A range of different rides and attractions are available with the highlight being the fully-functioning rollercoaster. This isn’t powered but still looks impressive when built.Lego Disney Princess again uses the slightly larger Lego mini-figures. Here though, the focus is on the various Disney Princesses. Inevitably this gets into boy-girl territory, but the presence of the films helps a little.New at Toy Fair was Bell’s Enchanted Castle. This is a nice set not least because it includes Mrs Pott, Cup, Cogsworth, Lumiere and the Beast in mini-figure form.Finally, these fantastical play sets are rounded off with additions to the Lego Elves line. These feel a bit like Lord of the Rings meets Pixie Hollow with a combination of pastel shades and wooden glens. Happily this moves the sets away from anything overtly home-making or shopping oriented.There are also more sets incoming for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Minecraft and Ninjago although they weren't available to film.
With the New York Toy Fair in a couple of weeks, you can expect to see more news on this front from there.Overall, the 2016 Lego sets do a good job of extending existing lines. This is a year of consolidation for Lego, and after the massive innovation of 2015 (Lego Dimensions, Nexo Knights and the like) that’s probably no bad thing. Especially for parents' pockets. parents can find all the advice they will need to keep their children safe online. Designed specifically for parents, the site offers a wealth of up-to-date, unbiased information and advice about how to deal with online safety. Parents can learn about the latest issues and technologies, get great tips on how to talk about online safety with their children and get the best advice on dealing with issues and taking action. Created with experts, Internet Matters provides detailed information, but also signposts to best-in-class resources from individual expert organisations. Our goal is to ensure parents can always access the information that they need, in a format that is clear and concise.
The best LEGO sets for Christmas 2016 As LEGO fever hits London and the brand new LEGO store, Bianca Barratt rounds up the best sets to buy this Christmas Friday 18 November 2016 18:22 GMT The best LEGO sets- in pictures LEGO has always been one of the most beloved gifts received on either a birthday or Christmas. The huge satisfaction taken from building something from scratch and then actually getting to play with it is something that only the LEGO company has ever really managed to capture. With the opening of the biggest LEGO store in Leicester Square this week, we got caught up in the LEGO excitement and have rounded up the best sets to buy this year, proving that it's not just for kids. 1. LEGO Star Wars Millennium Falcon 75105 Build the most iconic spaceship of all time with this fantastic Millennium Falcon kit. Once built, you can enjoy the rotating top and bottom laser as well as the dual spring loaded shooters. This comes with mini-figures of the whole gang and is suitable for ages 7- 11.
£89, Tesco, Buy it now 2. LEGO Friends Amusement Park Roller Coaster 41130 Build your own amusement park with this set, including a roller coaster and a Ferris wheel. As you build each part you’ll notice a new activation, including the rotating gondolas on the Ferris wheel and the moving roller coaster cars. Suitable for age eight and up. £71, Tesco, Buy it now 3. LEGO Parisian Restaurant This stunning set will take you right to the cobbled streets of Paris. Capturing the heart of a French restaurant, it includes a chef, waiter and romantic couple as well as a second floor apartment, plates of food and even a little rat- perfect for fans of the film Ratatouille. Suitable for age 16 and up. £133, LEGO, Buy it now 4. LEGO Creator 10220 VW Camper Van Create your own model of the legendary VW Camper and reminisce about the swinging 60s. the attention to detail is excellent- the interior strikes an uncanny resemblance to the real thing. There’s a front cabin bench seat, gear stick and the iconic spherical speedometer.