How to be the perfect sidekick for your LEGO® | Disney loving kids

Disney has produced some of the most beloved sidekicks in cinematic history. They’ve been as scene-stealingly funny as Mushu, as constantly caring as Pua, or as unwaveringly loyal as Pascal.

And when watching Disney movies with kids and playing with our huge range of LEGO® | Disney sets, it’s probably a good thing you’ve got lots of sidekick inspiration to draw on. Because in every family-bonding playtime you share with them, that’s exactly who you’re gonna be.

But being a sidekick is no bad thing! In fact, when it comes to role play with kids, it might just be THE most important role...

So, let’s find some BFF inspiration and see how Disney sidekicks can help you get the most out of your family playtime!

Dreams of being the main singer? Be like Olaf…

In Disney’s Frozen, the lovable snowman Olaf doesn’t mind getting his head accidentally punted off when he first meets Anna.

It’s a level of chillness (pun intended) we can all aspire to after watching Disney movies with kids and then jumping into playtime as their beloved Disney characters. Their direction might involve you being asked to sing, then not sing, then wear the dress and sing, or – this writer’s personal favorite – sing while not being allowed to use words.

If it seems confusing, just remember how many of history’s visionaries were also misunderstood at the time.

But it might be worth getting used to the idea that you’re more likely to be a backing singer than the ballad-belting Elsa.

So, practice those harmonies! And if you ever get lonely in the background, we can heartily recommend gathering your LEGO | Disney characters, or even building some of your own out of spare bricks, to help build up a choir for your little one’s starring role.

Be as welcoming as Lumière

Just because you might be a guest to their playtime, doesn’t mean you can’t make your little ones feel at home in their role play.

Experimenting with storytelling and laying their creative side bare can make even the most confident of kids feel a bit vulnerable at times.

You might not have to pull out as many stops as Lumière does in Beauty and the Beast, but by staying engaged in their weird, wacky and wonderful narratives, you’ll be giving them the confidence to truly express themselves, in the way that only kids can.

So ask questions! Concentrate on their story! And definitely don’t check those emails on your phone until well after the epilogue of this family playtime!

Be like Flounder, never flounder

When going along with all your kids’ ideas, you may end up under the sea, over mountains and into snowstorms – all in the space of approximately 3.4 seconds.

The best thing to do is go with the flow. Or if you are in a The Little Mermaid-inspired family-bonding play session, perhaps that should be go with the current...?

On that fishy point, it’s a unique challenge to role-play with kids around a movie YOU grew up with. There may be an urge to speak up when your kid takes certain… ahem… creative licenses with a story you’ve known and loved for LITERALLY DECADES… See what we mean?

The best thing here is to think of Flounder the fish. He’s never pleased with Ariel’s choice of adventures. But ultimately, he always follows her lead.

So, when your kid sends your beloved childhood characters on adventures that fly in the face of lore, don’t correct them. They’re the main characters, and that has certain privileges.

Say “yes” and support their narratives! You’ll be building up confidence in their storytelling abilities, helping boost their creativity – one of the most important 21st-century skills.

Be like Mushu. Make them laugh!

Joy is one of the most powerful ways kids learn new skills. So much so that 90% of kids agree play is the best way for them to pick up new abilities and express their true selves.

And yet, in the same survey (the 2024 LEGO Play Well Report), 3 out of 4 parents revealed their kids had fewer opportunities to play than they themselves did as kids.

So, just by taking the time to be the sidekick in their play, you’re helping them develop those 21st-century skills we work so hard to incorporate into our LEGO sets. Particularly in our LEGO | Disney sets, which strongly prioritize role play with kids through their lineup of iconic characters.

And the more joy kids can have while playing, the more they’ll pick up skills like collaboration, critical thinking, communication and creativity.

So, put on your pun cap, dial up the Bit-O-Meter to 11, and get ready for some goofy times.

And if that involves reenacting Mushu’s funniest quips... so be it!

So, when it comes to playing out Disney movies with kids, being a sidekick doesn’t mean getting pushed to the side. Embrace it! Your role will aim the spotlight directly at your little one. And you have the best seats in the house to watch them shine. All while wearing at least 3 dresses, probably.

Plus, you get to experience family bonding in one of the most powerful ways possible – through a whole lot of joy.

Now that’s worthy of a spin-off.