Harry Potter LEGO Sets - Make Your Own Magic

The most famous children's book series leaps to real life in popular LEGO building block sets based on the renowned work of author J.K. Rowling. You must be a muggle if you don't know what I am talking about... why, its Harry Potter! The most amazing boy wizard ever to face "You Know Who," and the star of seven fast-paced books and 8 blockbuster Hollywood movies.

LEGOs originated in Denmark, in the 1930s as wooden, interlocking blocks. About 20 years later, the toys were primarily manufactured out of durable plastic, and were rapidly rising in popularity. Just 10 years later, in 1967, the LEGO logo was recognizable world-wide. Parents and children alike loved these unbreakable bricks of varying sizes, shapes and bright primary colors.

Eventually, doors, windows, wheels and LEGO people were added to the mix. Creativity soared! All of these pieces could be snapped onto the basic blocks for innumerable varieties of creations. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, LEGO sets were added based on popular franchises such as Star Wars, Spongebob Squarepants, Bionicles, Batman, Indiana Jones, and - of course, Harry Potter! Individual boxes are now sold with instructions as to how to build scenes from a movie and/or how to make specific buildings or characters.

Its no wonder these toys are a hit! Take a look at LEGO Harry Potter above. The details are any enthusiast's delight - right down to the scar on his forehead! Many other characters sport wizards' capes. The designs will not chip or wear off easily, either. These are quality items that you can count on lasting a long time.

Harry Potter Lego sets delight young and old like. Anyone that loves the books and movies will enjoy creative play at home.

There are many Harry Potter sets available, in a variety of price ranges and difficulty levels. Although LEGOs may be appropriate for any child over the age of 4 (children younger than age 3 should not play with these toys as they are too small, and may be choking hazards), most specialized box sets are marketed to ages 7 and up because they are not easy to put together without adult assistance. Instructions are always included, with diagrams. If you lose or misplace the instructions, you may obtain replacements at LEGO or Brickfactory.

Organized by book/film, here are the sets that are currently on the market:

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone:

• Escape from Pivet Drive
• Sorting Hat
• Dumbledore's Office
• Hogwart's Express
• Flying Lesson
• Troll on the Loose
• Gringott's Bank
• Hogwart's Classroom
• Gryffindor House
• Diagon Alley Shops
• Chamber of Winged Keys
• Snape's Classroom
• Forbidden Corridor
• Hagrid's Hut
• Final Challenge

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets:

• Knocturn Alley
• Quidditch Practice
• Quality Quidditch Supplies
• Chamber of Secrets
• Dobby's Release
• Dueling Club
• Slytherin
• Aragog in the Dark Forest

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban:

• Knight Bus
• Harry and the Maurader's Map
• Shrieking Shack
• Draco's Encounter with Buckbeak
• Professor Lupin's Classroom
• Sirius Black's Escape

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

• Rescue from the Merpeople
• The Durmstrang Ship
• Harry and the Hungarian Horntail
• Graveyard Duel

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

• Hogwart's Castle

Most of the large and medium sized box sets come with at least one LEGO person. Be sure to check the box before purchasing or ordering to be sure that the character you wish to be included is part of the set beforehand! You can find popular replacement people on Amazon.com, as shown below. However, for true excitement, check out the amazing range of Harry Potter LEGO people available at FindMyBrick.com, including Mad Eye Moody with a peg leg, Tom Riddle with a Magic Flute, Professor Karakoff, Professor Quirrell (with two faces!), Professor Trelawney, Dolores Umbridge, and even Deatheaters!

The special box sets such as Harry Potter, are great to add to basic LEGO collections. It is easy to buy original blocks by the pound on eBay for between $7 and $20 per pound (plus shipping). At our house, we store all the "regular blocks" in one large plastic bin that slides under my son's bed. We then have separate storage bins for LEGO Batman, Indiana Jones and Harry Potter, respectively. Of course, we keep the instructions in the bins with each of the sets, as well. Sometimes the kids follow them, and other times, they simply get creative with their own imaginations!

Harry Potter and Han Solo have been friends, you know. And Indiana Jones has ridden on Buckbeak. Why keep the characters apart? I crack up at the stories my children come up with! And lest you think they are alone in their silliness, check out some of the blended LEGO character stories showing now on YouTube! Each of the specialty sets fits with all others, including original LEGO blocks.

Probably the best thing to remember when purchasing these toys is that there is no right or wrong way to play with them! Sure, there are instructions to put the castle together, or to make Hagrid's Hut, etc., but the blocks all interlock together, and there are so many other combinations that can be made. Allow your children the freedom to express their creativity through new and different combinations, and the characters may even enjoy a whole new adventure beyond the pages of Rowling's books!

Is there a video game like LEGO Indiana Jones and Star Wars? Yes and no. You can purchase the game shown to the right through Amazon.com for $10 less than the Indiana Jones game right now. It is reviewed with 4 out of 5 stars, but several words of caution. It only plays on your PC, and is not available for other gaming platforms. In addition, the game has been discontinued. That being said, the children that have reviewed it generally love the game, which is based on the second year at Hogwarts school. Quidditch practice and games are involved, and Harry and his friends must go through the school collecting frogs! Some say that it is slower than the other LEGO video games, but that may be a blessing for some children.

Harry Potter may be a wizard, but nothing is more magical than the wonder of an entire theme park devoted to LEGOs! LEGOLAND exists in four locations around the world, Southern California, Denmark, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Much like Disneyland, this theme park is organized into unique neighborhoods where you can explore a "Land of Adventure," "Dino Island," "Fun Town," "Pirate Shores," "Castle Hill" and "Miniland," among other areas. Of course, there are rides for the kids, as well as entertaining shows. Amazing LEGO creations everywhere you look.

Don't go looking for a specific Harry Potter ride or neighborhood at the park. But you will find a wonderful Potter and Hagrid creation at the California LEGOLAND, as of the date of this publication (see the photo below). In addition, you can feed your desire to add to your HP collection at the premier LEGO store on your way out. If you can't find what you are looking for, there are endless resources at some of the online sites cited in this article, including lego.com. Major stores such as Amazon.com and Target usually have a vast selection of the popular blocks, as well.

Just as J.K. Rowling's books know no boundaries with respect to age, these colorful, durable blocks are fun for everyone from ages 4 to 84. I guarantee that once you open one of these boxes up, you too will be "spellbound" for hours!

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