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From orchids to Tuxedo Cat: The best adult LEGO sets for boosting mindfulness
Swap doom scrolling for brick building
It’s a scientific fact that so-called ‘grandma hobbies’ – also known as cosy hobbies – are good for us. From working with clay to help boost mental health to learning a new skill to enhance cognitive function, calming yet challenging hobbies can help take our mind off work and other worries.
I’ve recently discovered the joys of LEGO building. Because LEGO isn’t just for kids, you know – the best adult LEGO sets, from the Titanic to the Eiffel Tower are made up of hundreds of tiny blocks and are very much intended for grown-ups.
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These sets are all part of the ‘Adults Welcome’ collection and are designed to be more challenging (and even more imaginative) than their child-friendly counterparts, making them an excellent way to engage the brain in a mindful activity.
For me, my LEGO projects have offered a welcome respite from doom scrolling on social media and hours of screen time. Instead, I can digitally switch off, get out a set and lose myself in a few hours of building a masterpiece, brick by brick. There’s something very calming about the methodical step-by-step challenge of creating a mini ship or bunch of flowers – you have to pay attention (you’ll soon be stuck if you’ve put the wrong block in the wrong place) and some of the smaller pieces can be fiddly, but it’s not the kind of challenge that becomes stressful or too difficult.
My latest build is the Pretty Pink Flower Bouquet from the Botanicals Collection. It took a few hours, so my partner and I spent a whole evening without the TV on or our phones in hand, working together to create orchids, daisies, roses, and pretty greenery. The delicate bunch of LEGO flowers has now earned a place in my living room (set in a gorgeous vase, of course).
Below, I’ve rounded up some of my favourite sets available to buy now but, whatever you choose to build, make sure you switch off the digital distractions and fully give yourself over to the joys of the tiny bricks.
Just don’t step on one...
As one of the more affordable LEGO sets, this sweet Kingfisher is a good option if you want to try your hand at building without spending a fortune.
There are under 1,000 pieces, making it less time consuming to make, but the majestic water scene really brings the bird to life. The head and claws can be moved and positioned to create a more dynamic display.
Including over 2,000 pieces and nine mini figures, this is the ultimate build for fans of The Lord of the Rings. You’ll create the iconic round door of Bilbo’s hillside hobbit hole and bring Gandalf’s horse and cart to life.
Spanning a width of 45 centimetres, this will make an impressive display wherever you position it.
Potterheads will adore this iconic set, which is packed full of details and references to the series, from the flying Ford Anglia to the Durmstrang Ship on the Black Lake. While still pricey, this is one of the cheaper models in range, and well worth the investment if you love the books and films.
Fantastic as a gift (to someone or for yourself), this Mini Orchid set is both elegant and compact – let’s be realistic, not everyone has the space for a full miniature castle.
Set in a little terracotta pot, the orchid includes five flowers in bloom and a few in bud. Plus, if you catch the building bug, there are lots of similar floral sets to inspire indoor gardeners, including a Chrysanthemum or Plum Blossom.
One for music-lovers, this cool build includes functioning dials and there’s a slot in the back for your phone so you can pretend to listen to your playlist through the 1970s radio. If you love vintage decor, you can even use it to hide your existing radio or Alexa device!
Made up of over 1,700 pieces, this cute black and white cat is one for animal-lovers (and allergy sufferers!). You can create different poses by rotating the head and adjusting its paws, ears and tail. Plus, the set includes different coloured eyes and expressions so you can build and rebuild.
Love Disney but don’t want to spend hundreds on a LEGO set? Meet the Mini Disney Castle. This set is aimed at both kids and adults, so it will be simpler than the giant Disney Castle.
However, there are still over 550 pieces to fit together so it will provide an hour or two of solid building, and you can always team up with the kids or grandkids, for a fun bonding activity.
Create your own replica of one of Vincent Van Gogh’s famous paintings without any artistic skill required. This 2,600-piece LEGO set features 3D elements, adjustable sunflower petals, and a hanging system for easily displaying your masterpiece when it’s finished. There’s even an iconic signature tile to bring the painting to life.
Intricate, yet rewarding, this LEGO project is designed to bring the same level of harmony and peace you get from an actual bonsai tree (without the stress of trying to keep it alive and healthy). The leafy elements are made from sustainable materials, and you can swap out the greenery for pink blossoms depending on your style or the season.
A new release from LEGO, this pretty French Cafe makes a lovely build and a great way to spend an afternoon. With 1,100 pieces, it’s a time-consuming build with lots of little details, including a LEGO croissant, cupcake and hot chocolate. You’ll even build a cosy interior tucked behind the central double doors to enjoy that hot chocolate in. Time well spent.
Megan is the Good Housekeeping Institute’s senior homes and lifestyle writer. She loves diving into the latest product releases to find the very best buys on the market and has written hundreds of product reviews on everything from the best vacuum cleaners and coffee machines to the best ice cream makers and robot window cleaners.
When she’s not writing about the newest gadgets and gizmos for your home and garden, you’ll find her running every distance from 5km to 100km or relaxing at home with her cat – there really is no in between.
Megan has an MA in Magazine Journalism and has previously written for Stylist, Glamour, Women's Health, TimeOut, SquareMeal, and YOU magazine. You can find Megan on Instagram @meganlouisegeall.
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