Lego building blocks have been transformed from their traditional primary colors to non-traditional pinks, purples and other pastels. While traditional Lego building blocks remain popular, they largely appeal to boys. The newest line of Legos, Lego Friends is designed to appeal to girls, particularly those aged six through 12.
About Lego Friends
At the heart of the Lego Friends line are five characters:
- Mia, who is into living green and loves animals
- Stephanie, who enjoys party planning
- Olivia, who is an inventor and a builder
- Emma, who loves fashion and giving makeovers
- Andrea, who loves everything musical
All five girls live in Heartlake City and the majority of the sets contained in the Lego Friends collection are designed based on a place in the city. Other sets relate to the girls' homes and interests. On the LEGO Friends website, girls can play games and watch videos related to the girls, their interests and the buildings in the collection.
Olivia's House and Tree House
Olivia's House and Olivia's Tree House are two of the most popular items in the Lego Friends collection. In fact, Olivia's Tree House is regularly listed in the best seller's section of Amazon's LEGO store.
Olivia's House
Olivia's House is an extensive building set that sells for around $75. A traditional two-story house, girls can re-arrange the Legos to change up the layout of the house, make it all one-story or turn it into a grand, three-story home. Inside the house, girls will find multiple rooms and accessories. Included with the house are:
- Three mini doll figures and Olivia's cat
- Multiple accessories, such as a diary, chicken drumstick and a frying pan
- Multiple pieces of furniture, including a sink, dining room table, bed and flat-screen TV
- A lawn mower
- Garden accessories, including 12 flowers and miniature lady bugs
Since the house is pre-built in sections, girls can quickly put it together and then enjoy playing with the mini dolls and other accessories.
Olivia's Tree House
Girls can build Olivia's Tree House right next to Olivia's House. This $20 set comes with 191 different pieces used to build the tree house and play with all of the Lego friends. The tree house can be built in multiple ways, but works best when it is built as designed and then decorated with the butterflies, flowers and other accessories included in the set. In addition to the basic blocks to build the tree house and decorations, the set also comes with:
- A mini telescope
- Folding ladders
- A hidden compartment
- Multiple animals, such as the tree house cat Maxie, a bird and a dog
- An Olivia mini-doll
Places Around Town
Olivia's house is not the only place the friends hang out. The collection includes multiple building sets for other favorite places around Heartlake City. All of the sets contain pieces for creating the building and the accessories that go inside. They are typically priced between $30 and $50.
Heartlake Vet
Heartlake Vet is where Mia assists the local veterinarian, Sophie. Mini dolls of both characters are included in the set. After putting the vet clinic together, girls can examine the animal figurines that come with the set and listen to their heartbeats with the included stethoscope.
City Park Cafe
City Park Cafe is where Andrea spends her time with her boss Marie. In the kitchen area, the Andrea mini doll can cook tasty treats with the accessories. She can then ring them up with her friends on the pretend cash register as they pay with special money bricks.
Butterfly Beauty Shop
Emma practices her styling skills alongside stylist Sarah at the Butterfly Beauty Shop. She can give all of her friends makeovers when they come by to sit in the salon chairs and use the miniature hairbrush, hair dryer, hair accessories and lipstick to make them look their best.
Summer Riding Camp
One of the largest sets in the collection is the Summer Riding Camp. Both Emma and Stephanie attend the riding camp and mini dolls are included of them and their instructors, Ella and Theresa. While at camp, the friends can head to one of the four buildings, including a two-story house, a camp canteen, a classroom and a paddock, or prep their horses in the horse staging area. Multiple accessories also come with this extensive set, including:
- A mini bus, complete with seatbelts
- Three horses and a hedgehog
- A miniature animal accessory set with a brush, shampoo and other grooming supplies
- Riding accessories, including a riding helmet, saddles and bridles
Heartlake Stables
Mia also likes to work with horses alongside Katharina at Heartlake Stables. The 400-piece set comes with mini dolls of the characters, plus two horses and everything a girl needs to exercise, feed and groom the horses while they are at the stables.
Smaller Rooms and Play Sets
For those on a budget or girls who do not want as extensive a set, the collection also includes affordable building and play sets. These sets relate to each friend's interests and sell for between $10 and $20. Some of the sets you will find include:
- Andrea's Stage
- Stephanie's Cool Convertible
- Emma's Splash Pool
- Mia's Puppy House
- Olivia's Inventor's Workshop
Each set comes with a mini doll of one of the friends so girls can jump right in and enjoy the set after they build it.
LEGOS for Girls
The history of Lego has pegged these building toys as mostly for young boys. Now girls can enjoy building too. The Lego Friends collection is compatible with all Lego blocks, including those found in the 260-piece Pink Brick Box. While the sets in the Friends collection are designed to look a certain way, girls should be encouraged to switch up the designs and use their creativity and imagination to create new places for the friends to visit.
