Finding LEGO experiences in Virginia for kids is a breeze with this ultimate guide. LEGO experiences for kids range from exhibits to conventions, clubs, dedicated shops and even birthday parties. LEGO has been a beloved toy for generations, capturing the imaginations of children and adults alike. Whether you have a preschooler just starting with DUPLO or a teen tackling an expert-level set, LEGO offers endless possibilities for creativity, learning, and family fun. In this guide, we’ll explore the benefits of LEGO, how to choose the right sets for different ages, and tips for incorporating LEGO into your family’s routine.
The Benefits of LEGO for Kids
LEGO isn’t just about building—it’s about developing essential skills that can benefit kids for life. Some of the top benefits include:
- Fine Motor Skills: Handling small bricks helps improve dexterity and hand-eye coordination.
- STEM Learning: LEGO encourages engineering, problem-solving, and spatial awareness.
- Creativity & Imagination: Open-ended play allows kids to build anything they can dream up.
- Persistence & Patience: Complex builds teach perseverance and attention to detail.
- Social Skills: Playing together fosters teamwork, communication, and cooperation.
LEGO Events & Experiences in Virginia
Build the Thrill
- Location: LEGO Discovery Center, Washington DC
- 2025 dates: March 6-April 27
- Details: Get ready to race! Create a minifigure driver and build an ultimate race car, before putting them through their paces with Master Model Builders and Playmakers on hand for inspiration.
Art of the Brick
- Location: The Rhode Island Center, Washington DC
- 2025 dates: March 18-April 30
- Details: The collection includes many sculptures from dinosaurs to re-imagined versions of some of the world’s most famous art masterpieces, such as Van Gogh’s Starry Night.
FIRST LEGO League Explore Festival
- Location: Blue RIdge Boost in Charlottesville, VA
- 2025 Date: May 4
- Features: Festivals celebrate the work for our Virginia – D.C. FIRST LEGO League Explore teams! Each team may choose one festival.
Towers of Tomorrow with LEGO® Bricks
- Location: Science Museum of Virginia in Richmond
- 2025 Dates: February 1–August 24
- Features: This popular touring hands-on exhibit showcases showcases 20 of the world’s most iconic skyscrapers. Created with more than half a million LEGO bricks and more than 2,000 hours of dedicated craftsmanship, these towers will leave you inspired to head over to the building area to create your own masterpiece. This is an amazing LEGO experience in Virginia for kids!
BrickFair LEGO Fan Expo
- Location: Chantilly
- 2025 dates: Aug 2-3
- Features: Virginia LEGO themed experiences for kids include this cool event with group builds, demos, shopping, games & more.
BRICK Convention
- Location: Roanoke Valley
- 2025 Dates: September 6–7
- Features: LEGO creations from professional artists, Brick Pits, LEGO retail, and more.
Choosing the Right LEGO Set by Age
LEGO offers sets for every stage of childhood, making it easy to find the perfect one for your child. Nick Gerow, owner of the Bricks & Minifigs at the Stonefield shopping center, gave some wonderful insight into how LEGO creates their age range recommendations, “the ages are based on ability level, and interest level once above age 8.” The Bricks & Minifigs Store definitely qualifies as an amazing LEGO Experience in Virginia as you can buy, sell, trade and play all day!
Ages 1.5-3: LEGO DUPLO
Large, easy-to-handle bricks designed for little hands. Great for color recognition, basic building, and imaginative play.
Nick explained that the DUPLO line was created with LEGO learning benefits in mind, “they are educational for the 3 and under sets, the DUPLO line. That means they help children learn about something specific like the alphabet, animals, emotions, or light and sound – which features trains.They come up with more each year.”
Ages 4-6 (4+): LEGO Classic Sets
Simple sets with fewer, larger pieces. Encourages basic engineering concepts and storytelling.
Nick added, “kids are moving up the age range and difficulty level as they progress through the sets. Once they’re older they can move on into themed sets. LEGO licensed Marvel and Star Wars for 4+ for once they graduate from DUPLO sets, while introducing Minifigs and sets more in general.”
Ages 7-12: Themed LEGO Sets (City, Friends, Harry Potter, Star Wars, etc.)
More complex sets with detailed pieces. Enhances problem-solving skills and creativity.
Nick explained what the city theme includes, “LEGO has released a series of food trucks the past several years, with ice cream, burger, and the most recent: donut trucks.”
Ages 12+: Advanced Sets & LEGO Technic
Challenging sets with moving parts and mechanics. Great for STEM learning and long-term projects.
Ages 18+: Display Sets and More
Nick explains, “LEGO makes the sets larger and with more detail as the age range increases. Most of these include minifigs and have more complex designs. The 18+age range includes display level sets.”
Nick further explained the fun for all ages, “LEGO has introduced product-wide themes the past several years, with the year of Space last year and Formula 1 racing this year. You can find products for these themes in the City, Friends, Speed Champions, and Technic lines.”
Making LEGO a Family Activity
Want to make LEGO time more than just play? Here are some ways to incorporate it into family bonding:
- Family LEGO Nights: Choose a set to build together over several nights.
- Creative Challenges: Have a family competition to build unique creations from random pieces.
- Stop-Motion Animation: Use LEGO to create fun short films.
- Storytelling: Build scenes and characters to act out stories together.
- Educational Builds: Turn LEGO into a learning tool—build famous landmarks, design a math challenge, or explore physics with Technic pieces.
Keeping LEGO Organized and Clean
With so many tiny pieces, keeping LEGO tidy can be a challenge. Nick suggests storing pieces in “bins, bags,” and “for my kids, cubes with a door are great for storing the sets out of sight. Storing them is always up to the individual, it really depends on their needs.”
Try these tips for LEGO storage ideas:
- Storage Bins by Color or Set: Keep everything sorted and easy to find.
- Display Shelves or Acrylic boxes: Show off completed builds instead of taking them apart.
- LEGO Mats & Tables: Special play mats and tables with built-in storage help contain the mess.
- Labeling System: Use clear bins with labels so kids can clean up independently.
Nick’s store, Bricks & Minifigs, carries a good selection of storage options for various needs and he is happy to answer questions about methods that work best. Nick explained that the best way to keep the LEGO collection clean was to dust them with makeup brushes “because they do not spread the dust and they last a long time.” Other methods people use to keep them clean are sealing their created sets in acrylic boxes, hermetically sealing them, or dusting them with compressed air or paint brushes.
Finding LEGO Fun in Charlottesville and Beyond
Looking to expand your LEGO collection or join a local building group? Here are some great LEGO themed experiences for kids in the Charlottesville, VA area and nearby:
- Jefferson-Madison Regional Library (JMRL): Many branches hold LEGO-building events and STEM activities for kids. The Northside Library hosts a Teen LEGO Club on Saturdays from 2-3pm and LEGO Mania Marathon for kids ages 4-11 on select Saturdays, offering a day of LEGO play. This event doesn’t require registration, and you can call the Children’s Desk at 434-973-7893, ext. 5, with any questions.
- Bricks & Minifigs Charlottesville: A fantastic place to buy, sell, and trade LEGO sets and minifigures. Talk to Nick, the owner, about all things LEGO. Build your own creation or even celebrate a birthday at Charlottesville’s only lego-themed store – this is a great way to keep the LEGO fun going all the time!
- LEGO Discovery Center (Washington, D.C.): A must-visit attraction with life-sized LEGO builds, interactive play zones, and a 4D cinema. Families can enjoy hands-on building stations, a LEGO-themed ride, and an impressive Miniland showcasing DC landmarks built entirely from LEGO bricks. The Discovery Center also offers creative workshops and a LEGO retail store, making it a fun-filled day trip for LEGO enthusiasts of all ages.
- FIRST® LEGO® League guides youth through STEM learning and exploration at an early age. From Discover, to Explore, and then to Challenge, students will understand the basics of STEM and apply their skills in an exciting competition while building habits of learning, confidence, and teamwork skills along the way.
- Local LEGO Clubs: Some community centers and libraries offer LEGO playgroups for kids and families. One interesting Charlottesville group “LEGO League” is a Neurodiverse Play and Social Skills Group with rolling registration for ages 5-9. Contact Kerri for all the details.
Fun Fact: A new LEGO factory is currently being built south of Richmond, Virginia! The new LEGO factory is scheduled to open in 2027.
Meet the LEGO Masters of Virginia
- Long time Charlottesville residents Liam Norris and his mom competed in season 3 of LEGO Masters (now living in Arizona).
- Bed Edlavitch, a former “LEGO Masters” competitor and current University of Virginia student in Architecture competed with his Grandfather, Poppy, in Season 4 of LEGO Masters.
LEGO is more than just a toy—it’s a tool for learning, creativity, and family connection. Whether your child is just beginning their LEGO journey or is an expert builder, there are endless ways to make LEGO a meaningful part of your family’s routine. So grab some bricks, get building, and enjoy the memories you create together! We hope you love all of your Virginia LEGO themed experiences!
NICK GEROW has loved LEGO since early childhood. Fifteen years ago he rediscovered that love following a brief hiatus after receiving a complete Santa Fe train set from his mother for Christmas. That fateful present started him, his wife, and their three children down a path that has led to opening a local Bricks & Minifigs. “We look forward to sharing our love of LEGO with the Charlottesville community and all the enjoyment, creativity, and education it brings”.
CHARLOTTESVILLEFAMILY EDITORS are locals who care deeply about family and community. We are almost all parents who serve alongside our readers in the PTO and band boosters, coaching sports teams, helping with the school fun fair and more. Our insider perspective, combined with great research and expert input from our wonderful CharlottesvilleFamily Advisory Panel helps us to provide you with trustworthy advice as you raise the next generation of brilliant and compassionate kids.
