How to Play with LEGO® SMART Play™ Sets Together

In January 2026, we launched our biggest technological innovation since the creation of the minifigure in 1978. You may have heard of it... It’s called the SMART Play™ system and it features a brick that plays back. No, like, actually plays back.


All these exciting new developments – including 25 new patents – are opening up a whole new dimension of play for kids to get stuck into.

And the good news is that you can get involved too! Even though we designed LEGO® SMART Play sets to be as easy as possible for kids to play with, there’s plenty you can do to help them dive into this exciting new phase of LEGO play.

In other words, you don’t need to help… but we know you want to…
In this article, we’ll be discussing all the ways you can join your kids in the SMART Play fun – and how you can help them understand the basics of this exciting new world. But first, let’s have a quick recap.

What is the LEGO® SMART Play™ system?

The LEGO SMART Play system is made up of 3 key elements:

• The SMART Brick. This 2x4 LEGO brick is crammed with tech that responds to taps, twists and more! It also recognizes nearby SMART Tags and SMART Minifigures to bring play to life.
• SMART Tags. These clever little tiles tell the SMART Brick what object to ‘become’ and how to behave. Will it make the SMART Brick sound like a car? A duck? A… toilet?
• SMART Minifigures. SMART Bricks play unique sounds, moods and reactions for every SMART Minifigure they encounter. You’ll soon discover the different personalities of each SMART Minifigure!

Role-playing with the LEGO SMART Play sets

The amazing thing about the SMART Brick is that it plays back with you, responding to your every move with dynamic lights, sounds, behaviors and so much more! What does this mean for the stories you tell during playtime? Well, they’re going to get a whole lot more immersive and exciting! 


Think of the SMART Brick as just another participant in the play. One who is VERY good at making helicopter sounds and who can reveal the personalities of SMART Minifigures.


When it comes to all the things the SMART Brick can do, there are simply too many to mention. But whatever abilities you discover, you and your kid are always in total control of how you weave them into the narrative of your shared playtime!

Easter Egg Hunt

But while we’re on the subject of the incredible number of cool things to unearth...
 Remember, each SMART Tag and SMART Minifigure unlocks different sounds and reactions from the SMART Brick. Even the most seasoned LEGO builder would have their work cut out finding them all!

Like, would you know that if you placed two SMART Minifigures near a SMART Brick, they’ll start having a conversation with each other?

That’s not including all the minigames and features we’ve packed into the play for you to unearth. Like discovering the SMART Brick reactions when you battle play between two starships. Or EVEN what happens when you move SMART pieces into different sets…

Plus, there are a bunch of hidden features we’ve crammed into the play experience. We’d tell you about them now… but then they wouldn’t be all that hidden, would they?

Point being is that you and your kid are going to love this journey of exploration – and you’ll both be grateful to have an extra pair of hands to help discover all!

Build together with LEGO SMART Play sets

There are two types of SMART Play sets: All-In-One and Compatible.

As you might expect, All-In-One sets have everything you need to get fully started – including, most crucially, the SMART Brick.

SMART Play Compatible sets are packed full of fun LEGO building play, and also include SMART Tags and often SMART Minifigures. These activate new interactive play features when you add a SMART Brick from an All-In-One set.

Both types of sets feature the same great building experience you’ll find in every LEGO set. Which means you can help join your kid in the building fun! Especially when you use our nifty LEGO Builder app, which has a Build Together feature to allow for easy co-creation!

One last way for you to help…

So yeah, there’s a lot of tech involved with the LEGO SMART Play system.

And although we made the conscious decision to make the LEGO SMART Play experience completely screen-free for kids (which you can read more about here), all this tech does need to be managed in some way.

That’s where you can come in clutch, with the LEGO SMART Assist app. This is the companion app for adults to manage and maximize the potential of LEGO SMART Bricks, helping you control SMART Brick settings, update new play features, and get quick help when you need it.

Basically, it’s an app for adults that helps get the most out of the SMART Play experience, while allowing your kid to focus purely on playing (and playing and playing). What a selfless and noble act from you. Well done. (You look great.)