10 Classic Lego Sets the Kids Will Love

Toy trends may come and go but with sustainability at the forefront of our minds, we can't afford to be so throwaway with our choices for our family. One toy that has stood the test of time - and, yes although made out of plastic - is Lego, the toy that never dates or, ultimately ever gets thrown away. From the young to the much older, Lego has fans the world over who hand down their treasured bricks for a new generation to build, create and enjoy. Lego is still owned by the family of Kirk Kristiansen (who founded Lego in 1932) and it takes its name from an abbreviation of the two Danish words "leg godt", meaning "play well".

For Christmas 2019 the LEGO Group are set to donate 1 million Lego boxes to children in need through its 'Build to Give' campaign. With an aim to bring a smile to the faces of children that find themselves in difficult and vulnerable circumstances during the holiday season, those who are in need of one of life's most simple pleasures - play. Lego fans can get involved by building a fun LEGO holiday ornament and, for every ornament built and displayed in a Lego store or shared online, the Lego Group will donate one Lego set to a child in need within hospitals, children homes, or underserved communities.

Kathrine Kirk Muff, LEGO Group Vice President of Social Responsibility and Engagement, says:

Being able to follow up on last year’s amazing donation and even doubling our commitment is an achievement we are all very proud of. The enthusiasm from LEGO builders across the world to build beautiful and fun ornaments to help children in difficult circumstances warms our hearts. We cannot wait to see how builders of all ages will unleash their creativity again this year and help us bring LEGO play into the hands of one million children in need.

'Build to Give' events are taking place around the world during November and December and anyone can join in. Use your own bricks at home or build something in store and then share on social media using the hashtag #BuildToGive.

With this in mind we thought we would share our 10 Classic Lego sets that kids (and adults) will love for 2019

1. For 50 years Duplo, the bright, chunky starter collection has ignited our lifelong love affair with Lego. Fun, educational and sturdy the pieces are specially designed to be safe for small hands, stacking together with ease. The vibrant colours, printed numbers and letters help toddlers recognise and sort colours, help develop language skills and of course stimulate imaginative play. Many Duplo bricks come in a handy storage box too - meaning one less Lego brick to stand on! LEGO DUPLO All-in-One-Box-of-Fun £24.99 Age 18mths - 5yrs

2. Put simply, it is what it says on the tin - a box of bricks. The ultimate starter pack for budding builders to create with 1,500 bricks of all shapes and sizes. The mix of colours means it is great for boys and girls to really let their imagination go wild with their builds. The included ideas booklet will get them off to a flying start too. Lego Classic Bricks, Bricks, Bricks £49.99 Age 4-99

3. Lego City opens up a whole realistic world of creative play with fire stations, police headquarters, hospitals and airports - in fact, any building or vehicle you would expect to find in a modern bustling city. We especially love the NASA inspired space designs launched earlier this year that coincided perfectly with the 50th anniversary of the moon landing. Lego City Deep Space Rocket and Launch Control, £89.99 Age 7+

4. Many years ago Lego was only available in primary colours but with the introduction of Lego Friends came an array of pretty colours. Aimed primarily at girls, this hasn't stopped all children from getting excited about building the infamous Heartlake City that is the home of Emma, Mia, Andrea, Stephanie and Olivia. We say anything that inspires children to create, build and use their imagination is a great thing, especially if there's more colour involved! Lego Friends Mia's House £59.99 Age 6+

5. Lego teaming up with the powerhouse that is Disney is a no brainer. Themed sets based on the infamous Disney characters, movies, princesses and heroes was always going to appeal. From old school Micky Mouse to the latest Frozen 2 movie, the stream of Lego and Disney sets is endless. The ultimate Disney and Lego collector piece has to be this Cinderella showstopper though, right? Lego The Disney Castle, £299.99 Age 16+

6. For budding palaeontologists, new for November 2019 is this Lego Ideas Dinosaur Fossils set, which include three infamous dinosaurs - the T-Rex, the Triceratops and the Pteranodon. These prehistoric figures are all posable, meaning they can be used to recreate ferocious stances. Perfect for any natural history enthusiast, it comes with a palaeontologist toy mini figure with various accessories for continued imaginative role-play fun. They also make a great display pieces as each dinosaur is built to 1:32 scale and comes with its own stand to create your very own desktop museum. Lego Ideas Dinosaur Fossils set, £54.99 Age 16+

7. Being able to build Lego sets of your favourite characters from movies and TV shows is what makes Lego Ideas so appealing to all ages. The Lego Ideas range is inspired and voted for by fans who influence which original concepts and sets inspired by films are commissioned. From Marvel and DC Super Heroes to comic classics like Spiderman and Batman and not forgetting Harry Potter, there is something to appeal to every movie buff. What has really caught our eye though, are the fabulous retro builds, including The Flintstones and Friends. We also love the Stranger Things House. The possibilities for these Lego creations are endless and we can't wait to see which iconic shows they release next. Perfect for playing, displaying and of course, a little nostalgic trip down TV memory lane. Lego Ideas Central Perk (from Friends) £64.99 Age 16+

8. Lego Architecture is a inspiring collection of iconic buildings and skylines from all around the world. The perfect build and display pieces, we think they make great gifts for overseas friends and family too. Lego Architecture London, £44.99 Age 12+

9. Junior loves the Lego Junior range, of course! These sets are a great starting point for building with Lego bricks for school aged children who are ready to move on from Dulpo. The Junior range helps your child to feel independent while building Lego with easier to follow instructions, slightly bigger than average Lego bricks with more curved edges and less time consuming builds, meaning they can complete them without help. We have a soft spot for the Toy Story collection that launched earlier this year. Lego Juniors Toy Story 4 RV Vacation £29.99 Age 4+

10. Lego is for life not just for Christmas. Although they do a fabulous range of festive builds and sets. The amazing advent calendars are a massive hit each year and continue to expand in themes. This years there is a Harry Potter and Star wars version alongside the classic Lego Friends and Lego City versions. But, f0r 2019 we absolutely love this Gingerbread House. The attention detail, the colours - its a holiday gift and display ornament in one. The smaller decoration sets and BrickHeadz make perfect sticking fillers too. Lego Creator Expert Gingerbread House, £84.99 Age 12+

MAIN IMAGE: New for 2019 Lego Original's Wooden Mini Figure

** The LEGO sets will be donated in countries where the campaign is active as well as countries where the LEGO Group has large offices or factories. For more details about their local charity partners, visit LEGO.com/BuildToGive.