LEGO Launches SMART Play With Sensor-Packed Bricks for Interactive, Screen-Free Play

• LEGO Smart Play uses built-in sensors to make brick creations respond during play.
• The technology debuts in three LEGO Star Wars sets launching March 1, 2026, with pre-orders opening January 9.

LEGO is introducing a new way to interact with its bricks. Called Smart Play and unveiled at CES 2026, the system uses tiny sensors built into the bricks to react to movement, sound, and touch. As builders interact with their builds, the sets respond with lights, sounds, and real-time reactions without requiring any screen. LEGO says this "represents one of the most significant evolutions in the LEGO System-in-Play since the introduction of the LEGO Minifigure in 1978".

“The launch of LEGO SMART Play™ brings creativity, technology, and storytelling together to make building worlds and stories even more engaging, and all without a screen. We truly believe we are setting a new standard for interactive, imaginative experiences and can’t wait to see this innovation in the hands of kids when we launch this year," said Tom Donaldson, Senior Vice President & Head of Creative Play Lab at the LEGO Group, in an official news release.

At the center of the system is the LEGO Smart Brick, a tiny module smaller than a single LEGO stud, packed with more than twenty patented technologies. It includes sensors like accelerometers, light and sound detectors, and a built-in speaker with an onboard synthesizer. When combined with Smart Tags and Smart Minifigures, the brick lets LEGO builders respond to physical movement with sounds, lighting, and effects triggered by real-world play.

The first Smart Play sets are launching through a collaboration with Lucasfilm, adding interactive features to three LEGO Star Wars builds. Each set includes a Smart Brick, along with characters and tags that trigger specific sounds, scenes, and actions. They will be available starting March 1, 2026, with pre-orders beginning January 9.

🌀 Tom’s Take:

Sensors underpin the next wave of computing, waking up static things to give them the ability to do more things. Smart Play shows LEGO moving toward toys that can sense and respond during play. It points to a future where physical play is enhanced by simple, built-in tech, without the need for more screens.

Source: LEGO