Chinese LEGO Sets: Lunar New Year, Culture, and Landmarks
Whenever I share my Chinese gift guide for kids, parents always get excited about the very cool Chinese LEGO sets! Due to popular request, I’ve rounded up the best Chinese LEGO toys for kids – and us parents.
These Chinese LEGO sets are perfect gifts for birthdays, Lunar New Year, and other holidays.
Our children were so excited to receive several of these LEGO sets from generous friends and relatives. And I’m so grateful that these toys connect them to their Chinese heritage.
To help you find the best Chinese LEGO sets for your family, I’ve included LEGO’s recommended age level as well as number of pieces in each set.
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Benefits of Chinese LEGO sets for kids
In case you need any convincing, Chinese LEGO sets offer loads of educational and social benefits!
In general, Legos are among the best open-ended toys for kids, and these durable STEM toys can be passed down the generations.
LEGO building is fantastic for independent play as well as family-bonding.
Research shows that LEGO toys are fantastic tools for oral communication and story telling. If you’re raising multilingual children, interactive LEGO toys can be a fun tool for boosting the minority language.
Moreover, diverse toys are a wonderful way to introduce culture to kids of all backgrounds. Through LEGO toys, children can learn about Chinese culture. And when kids see Chinese characters in their LEGO sets, they may get curious about learning a second language.
Last but not least, research also shows that playing with LEGO toys can boost math and visuospatial skills.
Chinese Lunar New Year LEGO sets
Each year, LEGO releases special sets to celebrate Chinese Lunar New Year! Also known as Spring Festival, these LEGO sets feature important cultural traditions like Chinese banners and red envelopes. Here are our children’s favorite LEGOs plus a few on their wish list.
Chinese New Year Lion Dance
If you’re impressed by Chinese lion dancers, you’ll love this LEGO set! It includes 5 adorable dancing lions, an obstacle course for the lions, a mini cabbage to feed the lions, a trio of drummers, a beautiful temple gate as the backdrop, and 5 more LEGO people for imaginative play.
- Age: 8+
- Number of pieces: 882
Story of Nian
This dramatic LEGO set tells the story of the Nian dragon monster. Chinese communities protect their people from the Nian monster with fireworks, firecrackers, lanterns, and Chinese banners; all of these elements are thoughtfully included in this set. In addition, 6 LEGO people are included for role play, including Chinese elders cleaning and decorating plus a cute Year of the Ox hat.
- Age: 8+
- Number of pieces: 882
Lunar New Year Display
This set of Chinese Lunar New Year displays are actually gorgeous decorations! One display features golden ingots, red envelopes, koi fish, and a traditional Chinese greeting, 招財進寶 (zhāocái jìn bǎo), which means “welcome fortune and treasures”. The other has beautiful peony flowers and the phrase 花開富貴 (huā kāi fùguì), which means “blooming prosperity and happiness.”
- Age: 8+
- Number of pieces: 872
Chinese Money Tree
According to ancient legends, the money tree can bring fortune into the home. This LEGO Chinese Money Tree set includes several mandarin oranges, lucky red envelopes, and gold coins which represent prosperity and good luck.
- Age: 9+
- Number of pieces: 336
Lunar New Year Parade
This interactive Lunar New Year parade set was released during the Year of the Rabbit! This Chinese LEGO set includes a Rabbit float, a music float, a dragon float, and 18 mini people ready to party! Whoohoo!
- Age: 8+
- Number of pieces: 1653
Lunar New Year Traditions
This LEGO set features 6 mini dioramas with snapshots of common Lunar New Year traditions in Chinese culture:
- Spring cleaning
- Shopping for food and sweets
- Putting up lucky decorations
- Giving red envelope gifts
- Visiting the God of Prosperity at a temple
- Watching a Lunar New Year celebration on TV (how modern!)
- Age: 8+
- Number of pieces: 1066
LEGO Monkie Kid Journey to the West toys
Journey to the West is an ancient Chinese novel that remains culturally important in modern times. Monkey King, also known as 孫悟空 (Sūnwùkōng), is one of the main characters that inspired an entire line of Chinese LEGO toys – Monkie Kid™!
Here are some of the most popular Monkey King LEGO sets for big kids, teens, and parents to build!
Age 10+ | 1629 pieces
Age 10+ | 2433 pieces
Age 10+ | 1949 pieces
Age 8+ | 529 pieces
Chinese culture LEGO sets
There are SO many options when it comes to learning about Chinese culture with LEGO toys! These LEGO sets celebrate iconic Chinese symbols and other important festivals.
DUPLO Learn about Chinese culture
DUPLO bricks are designed specifically for little ones, and this set is great for introducing Chinese culture to toddlers and preschoolers! It includes a Chinese café, temple, and activity area with the Chinese Go game and ruan instrument.
The Chinese characters featured in this set are 春夏秋冬 (chūn, xià, qiū, dōng) which means spring, summer, fall, and winter.
- Age: 2+
- Number of pieces: 124
LEGO Dragon Boat Festival
The iconic LEGO Dragon Boat Festival playset includes 2 dragon boats with moveable heads and wheels under each boat for gliding. Plus, there’s a judge’s stand, snack stand, and 15 LEGO people for role-playing.
- Age: 8+
- Number of pieces: 643
LEGO 3-in-1 tiger, red panda, koi fish
This very cool LEGO set can be used to create 3 majestic creatures that are important in Chinese culture:
- A Chinese tiger (which symbolizes bravery) accompanied by a small red bird
- A red panda (which has a “lucky” fur color) with bamboo and a bonsai tree
- A koi fish (which represents harmony and wealth) and a water lily
- Age: 9+
- Number of pieces: 755
LEGO Chinese panda family
Considered China’s national treasure, pandas are a symbol of peace and friendship. This LEGO set features an adorable panda family with a lucky mandarin orange tree, 3 Chinese lanterns, and green bamboo.
- Age: 10+
- Number of pieces: 249
LEGO Orchid flower
Orchids are an important flower in Chinese culture. They symbolize love, beauty, wealth, and fortune. Confucius also famously said “Orchids grow where others cannot.”
This life-sized Phalaenopsis LEGO orchid and vase is impressively detailed with stems, blooms, roots and leaves.
- Age: 18+
- Number of pieces: 608
Famous Chinese landmarks LEGO sets
If you can’t travel to Asia, take a tour of famous landmarks with these intricate LEGO models!
LEGO Beijing Postcard
This 3D LEGO postcard honors Beijing, the capital of China, and 2 famous landmarks: the Great Wall of China and the Summer Palace. You can also add a English sign with “Beijing” or a simplified Chinese characters sign “中国北京” (zhōngguó běijīng).
- Age: 9+
- Number of pieces: 276
LEGO Great Wall of China
The Great Wall of China is one of the most iconic landmarks in Chinese history and culture. This accurately designed Chinese LEGO set features 2 towers connected by a winding section of the Great Wall on a lush green mountain. English and Chinese nameplates are also included.
- Age: 12+
- Number of pieces: 551 pieces
LEGO Architecture Singapore
This impressive LEGO set celebrates Singapore, a country near China that is home to a large Chinese community. It includes the Marina Bay Sands, the OCBC Centre, One Raffles Place, Lau Pa Sat food market, The Fullerton Hotel, Supertree Grove at Gardens by the Bay, and the Singapore River.
- Age: 18+
- Number of pieces: 827 pieces
Chinese zodiac animal LEGO sets
Each Lunar New Year, LEGO releases a new Chinese zodiac animal set. If you’re interested in collecting the Chinese zodiac animals, check out the Lunar New Year rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig sets.
The Chinese zodiac LEGO toys are geared for ages 7 years and up. Each set includes just over 150 LEGO pieces.
In future years, keep an eye out for a special Chinese dragon, snake, horse, and goat!
Review of our favorite Chinese LEGO sets
Currently, my children have completed the following Chinese LEGO sets: Lion Dance, Story of Nian, Lunar New Year Display, Monkey King Warrior, Dragon Boat Festival, 3-in-1 Majestic Tiger / Red Panda / Koi Fish, Chinese Panda Family, and Orchid Flower.
It’s been wonderful to see my children having so much fun building and playing while learning about Chinese culture. Although we rate these amazing toys 5 stars across the board, there are a few caveats:
- In the LEGO Story of Nian set, the large dragon monster is rather delicate and can break apart easily.
- As for the Lion Dance set, if I have to be nit-picky, I think it would be more consistent with Chinese culture to include a lucky even number of 6 lions rather than 5.
If you are still debating about which LEGO set to get, I absolutely love the Chinese Lion Dance set despite my slight criticism above. It is such a fun rendition of the cool Chinese lion dances that we’ve seen.
I also adore the Lunar New Year Display. Normally, I prefer my children’s LEGOs in their room or play corner, but this is the one set I would enjoy seeing on my own desk!
As for my children, my daughter’s favorite is the LEGO Orchid, while my son’s is the Story of Nian.
What are your favorite Chinese LEGO sets?
Which of these LEGO sets did you decide to get? Are there other amazing sets that you recommend? Please share in the comments below!