Lego's Smart Play system is a new foray into digital technology that promises to bring an exciting interactive experience to its iconic building sets. The demo showcased at CES 2026 was just the beginning, offering a glimpse into what this innovative system has in store.
The Smart Brick, the brain of the operation, houses a range of sensors and technologies that enable it to interact with its surroundings. Each brick is identical on its own but becomes unique when paired with Smart Tags or Minifigures. These smaller components contain specific instructions that help the Smart Brick understand its context, allowing it to respond accordingly.
The demo began with three simple Lego builds – a car, helicopter, and duck – each accompanied by a unique Smart Tag. The Smart Brick was able to recognize these tags and respond in kind, generating sounds that matched the real-world stimulus. For instance, as the car was tilted or flipped over, it produced realistic screeching and crashing noises.
The Star Wars-themed sets took center stage next, showcasing the full potential of the Smart Play system. Darth Vader's TIE Fighter and Luke's X-Wing were among the first sets to be demonstrated, highlighting how kids could engage in dynamic play scenarios with their friends and family. The Smart Brick was able to identify the ships as Star Wars vessels, allowing it to produce specific sounds that matched the battle scenes.
One of the most impressive aspects of the demo was the ability to create complex battles between the two ships. Kids were shown flying the X-Wing and TIE Fighter around each other, engaging in laser battles and taking damage. The Smart Brick's responses were seamless, generating realistic sounds that added an immersive touch to the play experience.
As exciting as these Star Wars sets were, it's clear that Lego is looking to expand the capabilities of its Smart Play system in the future. Tiles and Minifigures will be made available for existing sets, allowing kids to mix and match components from different franchises like Jurassic World, DC Comics, Marvel, Despicable Me, or Bluey.
The most crucial aspect of Smart Play, however, is its focus on social interaction among kids. By removing the need for screens and apps, Lego has created a system that encourages children to engage with each other, fostering collaborative play and creativity.
With CES 2026 now underway, it will be fascinating to see where this technology takes Lego in the coming months and years. As we've seen so far, there's tremendous potential for innovation and fun in the world of Smart Play.
The Smart Brick, the brain of the operation, houses a range of sensors and technologies that enable it to interact with its surroundings. Each brick is identical on its own but becomes unique when paired with Smart Tags or Minifigures. These smaller components contain specific instructions that help the Smart Brick understand its context, allowing it to respond accordingly.
The demo began with three simple Lego builds – a car, helicopter, and duck – each accompanied by a unique Smart Tag. The Smart Brick was able to recognize these tags and respond in kind, generating sounds that matched the real-world stimulus. For instance, as the car was tilted or flipped over, it produced realistic screeching and crashing noises.
The Star Wars-themed sets took center stage next, showcasing the full potential of the Smart Play system. Darth Vader's TIE Fighter and Luke's X-Wing were among the first sets to be demonstrated, highlighting how kids could engage in dynamic play scenarios with their friends and family. The Smart Brick was able to identify the ships as Star Wars vessels, allowing it to produce specific sounds that matched the battle scenes.
One of the most impressive aspects of the demo was the ability to create complex battles between the two ships. Kids were shown flying the X-Wing and TIE Fighter around each other, engaging in laser battles and taking damage. The Smart Brick's responses were seamless, generating realistic sounds that added an immersive touch to the play experience.
As exciting as these Star Wars sets were, it's clear that Lego is looking to expand the capabilities of its Smart Play system in the future. Tiles and Minifigures will be made available for existing sets, allowing kids to mix and match components from different franchises like Jurassic World, DC Comics, Marvel, Despicable Me, or Bluey.
The most crucial aspect of Smart Play, however, is its focus on social interaction among kids. By removing the need for screens and apps, Lego has created a system that encourages children to engage with each other, fostering collaborative play and creativity.
With CES 2026 now underway, it will be fascinating to see where this technology takes Lego in the coming months and years. As we've seen so far, there's tremendous potential for innovation and fun in the world of Smart Play.
"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." – Eleanor Roosevelt 
! The Smart Brick is like a mini-computer that actually makes sense 
, allowing kids to unleash their creativity without relying on screens or apps. It's all about the interaction – the way the brick responds differently depending on what you build with it is pure genius 
. But, more importantly, this tech encourages kids to socialize and play together, which is essential for their development 
.
. Still, considering the complexity of the technology involved, I think it's worth every penny 
.
! Can't wait to see what Lego comes up with next 
. It's intriguing to see how the Smart Brick's sensors and technologies enable it to respond to its surroundings, effectively blurring the lines between physical and digital play 
. The emphasis on social interaction among kids is particularly noteworthy, as it promotes collaborative play and creativity – skills that are essential for cognitive development 
.
.
The way the Smart Brick recognizes the tags and makes sounds is SO COOL, like it's real life or something! 
. I mean, don't get me wrong, it sounds like a sick way to bring playtime into the digital age... but what happens when these little kids get hooked on this tech? They'll be trading in their creativity for a bunch of screens and algorithms 
. Don't get me wrong, social interaction is cool and all, but is Lego really taking away our kids' chance at pure imagination?
and its so cool that they can play without needing screens or apps it feels like a whole new level of fun for kids gotta support this innovation it would be awesome if our teachers used smart bricks in the classroom too maybe we could build brain models or something 
. I mean, being able to bring those Star Wars ships to life with all that realistic screeching and crashing noises is just mind-blowing 
. And it's not just about the cool effects – I think what's really clever here is how it's designed to encourage kids to play together in a more old-school way, without relying on screens 
. That's like, so refreshing in this age of gaming consoles and stuff. Can't wait to see where Lego takes this tech next 
and it was literally the best thing ever! I spent like 3 days just feeding her chickens and collecting eggs 
. but anyway, this Lego thing sounds super cool, especially the Star Wars part... can you imagine playing with your own TIE Fighter and X-Wing? 
i mean who needs screens when you have smart bricks that can make realistic sounds? this star wars stuff looks like so much fun, my kids would literally freak out playing battles between vader's tie fighter and luke's x-wing 
. But what I think is even more genius is that it encourages kids to play together without needing screens, promoting social interaction and creativity 
. Now, I'm curious to see how they'll expand the system in the future, maybe with new franchises or features 
Sources, anyone? Also, are we really expecting kids to play with these sets without screens? Isn't that just gonna make 'em more bored after the novelty wears off? 
. I'm also worried about what kind of data Lego's collecting on all these kids and how it's gonna affect their lives later on. We gotta be careful with this kind of tech, you know? It's like one thing leading to another before we end up with a bunch of mini robots taking over the world 
. I'd love to see more details on how this tech works behind the scenes 
. Can't wait to see what Lego comes up with next! 
i love how they're making tiles and minifigures for different franchises too, that's gonna open up so many possibilities for customization and creativity...and i think its super cool that they're focusing on social interaction among kids, getting rid of screens can only be a good thing for their mental health