Lego unveils Smart Bricks — sensor-packed play
- Key Takeaways:
- Lego announces Smart Bricks at CES 2026: 2x4 blocks with sensors, lights and sound to react to motion and position.
- The Smart Play System pairs Smart Bricks with Smart Minifigures and Smart Tags to trigger sounds and reactions.
- Play experts warn the tech could undermine imaginative, open-ended play; Lego says digital tools will expand physical play.
- The first Smart Play sets, including a Star Wars kit, arrive in March as part of a longer-term platform.
What are Lego Smart Bricks?
Lego’s Smart Bricks are electronic versions of the classic 2x4 block that contain motion sensors, a small sound synthesizer, LEDs, an accelerometer and a custom silicon chip. The company says the bricks can detect movement, position and distance and respond with lights and sounds.
How the Smart Play System works
The Smart Play System pairs Smart Bricks with Smart Minifigures and Smart Tags — small tiles with digital identifiers. When the components detect one another they trigger specific reactions, like a birthday cake that plays a song when candles are "blown out" or a helicopter that makes whooshing sounds while rotating.
Lego also developed a wireless communication system so multiple Smart Play parts can interact in coordinated ways. Tom Donaldson, head of Lego’s Creative Play Lab, says the technology is designed to respond to children’s actions and “inspire and surprise” to encourage sustained play.
Critics: what play experts are worried about
Not everyone welcomes the move. Josh Golin, executive director at children’s wellbeing group Fairplay, warned the bricks risk taking play "out of the hands of children" and putting it into tiny sensors, potentially reducing imaginative open-ended play.
Andrew Manches, professor of children and technology at the University of Edinburgh, highlighted both the appeal of the bricks and the need for critical scrutiny. He praised the physical-digital integration but urged attention to design, influence on daily play and potential privacy or security issues — especially as toymakers add more connected and AI-enabled features.
Why Lego is pushing digital
Lego frames the move as an expansion of physical building rather than a replacement. Julia Goldin, chief product and marketing officer, said the company sees digital tools as opportunities to “expand physical play.” CEO Niels B. Christiansen has said Lego is accelerating investment in digital technology as a strategic priority.
When and where
Lego unveiled the Smart Bricks at CES 2026 in Las Vegas and plans a March launch that includes a new Star Wars set. The company says it intends the Smart Play platform to evolve over several years.
Bottom line
Smart Bricks mark Lego’s biggest hardware innovation since the minifigure, blending sensors and wireless communication into familiar pieces. Parents and experts should weigh the potential for richer interaction against concerns about imaginative play, privacy and long-term design choices.
