Building a Foundation in Construction Toys

Building kits, led by Lego, have been one of the bright spots in the toy industry over the past several years. In the U.S., construction toy sales were up 16% in 2024 compared to 2023, according to Circana figures, representing a significantly higher rate of growth than any other supercategory tracked. The same was true globally, where the category led with 14% growth for the year.

Since 2019, building kit sales are up 97% in the U.S., making this the second-fastest-growing toy sector after plush during that period. Plush sales have risen 102% since 2019 but, unlike construction kits, have experienced flat sales for the past two years, Circana says.

One indication of the health of the building category is the fact that leading toy-industry players are stepping into the space with high-profile new launches: 

• Jazwares introduced its new BLDR construction brand, which includes buildable playsets, action figures, and mini-figures, in January. The initial range includes Jazwares’ own Squishmallows IP as well as products tied to its new Hello Kitty and Friends license, Adopt Me!, and, through its deal with Crunchyroll, Chainsaw Man and Jujutsu Kaisen. The sets are aimed at children aged 8 and up, as well as collectors. Each set has innovative features. Examples include a SquishBrik to give Squishmallows figures a squishable belly, double-sided playsets and tilting heads for Hello Kitty and Friends, QuikBriks that lend more customization and strength to Crunchyroll buildable action figures, and articulated features on Adopt Me! figures. 

• Mattel announced its new Mattel Brick Shop brand in January, timed to the Nuremberg International Toy Fair. The company has not publicly provided many details leading up to the May 2025 retail launch. But it promised that the products would incorporate new materials and techniques to disrupt the category; would include surprise features, authentic details, and customization opportunities to extend play after the initial builds; and would be priced competitively. Mattel will also continue its Mega Brands building program (featuring Mega Bloks, Mega Construx, and Mega Collector), which it acquired in 2014 and is the industry’s second biggest player after Lego. The Mega universe encompasses Mattel IP including Fisher Price, Barbie, Masters of the Universe, and Hot Wheels, as well as third-party licenses including Halo, The Beatles, Fallout, Godzilla vs. Kong, an extensive range of Pokémon sets, and others. 

• Spin Master’s Melissa & Doug preschool division, which it acquired in fall 2023, introduced Blockables, a line of snap-and-play construction sets consisting of classic wooden blocks, connectors, and felt components. The range encourages open-ended play for builders as young as age 2. With initial themes of safari, farm, vehicles, and town, the sets are cross-compatible and first hit store shelves for holiday 2024. For older consumers, Spin Master also offers 4D Build, acquired in November 2022, which encompasses building set-like model kits and 3D puzzles. The brand counts Stitch, the Mandalorian, Harry Potter, and now Pokémon among its licenses. 

Each of the new brands is hoping to carve its own niche based on innovation, price, or other characteristics. But none of them, nor the many other companies that offer building sets, are likely to surpass Lego’s dominance any time soon. Lego, the world’s largest toy maker, says its global revenues were up 13% (to record levels) in 2024, with consumer sales up 12%, compared to a worldwide toy industry that was essentially flat for the year. Its revenue has almost doubled since 2019. 

The company holds an 11.3% share of the U.S. toy industry, according to Numerator, which estimates that more than a quarter of U.S. consumers purchased a set in the past year, more than any other individual toy brand tracked. Most importantly for the topic discussed here, researchers including Euromonitor have estimated in recent years that Lego holds a 70%-80% share of the construction toy segment. 

In 2024, Lego offered a growing range of 840 sets (up from 780 in 2023), 46% of which were new. Over the years it has added kits tied to architecture, flat art pieces, cityscapes, and, most recently, flowers through its Lego Botanicals brand. Its array of licensed kits has exploded since it signed its first property, Star Wars, 25 years ago, and it has added a number of brands to its extensive licensing roster of late, including Formula 1, Fortnite, Bluey, Nike, and One Piece, among others.  

If you missed our coverage of the 2025 edition of New York Toy Fair, you can read it here. The detailed summary touches on the building category as well as many other topics and trends.