The 10 Best Erector Sets 2024

Quick Facts:

• Type: Construction set, plastic
• Batteries Required: No

The LEGO Classic Medium Creative Brick Box is a well-known building kit made to cater to kids of all ages and persuasions. Whether your child likes to build animals, machines, or vehicles, this modular erector set allows for maximum creative expression packed into one handy, portable case.

This toy contains LEGO bricks in up to 35 different colors, with a hefty variety of additional features such as windows, tires, wheel rims, and eyes so your kid can build anything they like. A green baseplate is included in the container for posing and roleplaying use. We especially love that this set is compatible with other LEGO construction sets, so you can add to the fun any time, anywhere.

The LEGO Classic Medium Creative Brick Box is great for improvising and coming up with the wildest ideas for kids who like to go all out with their creations. It also contains a set of instructions in a pamphlet for kids who prefer a bit of guidance before venturing forth.

LEGO toys are made according to international toy safety standards – every piece is subject to rigorous testing to make sure that they can hold up to any kind of stepping on or impact that would normally happen during playtime.

We love that this toy is made for endless creativity! However, older kids might enjoy more challenge and complexity in their erector sets. The Meccano Erector Super Construction Building Set is great for older children aged eight and above, as it contains parts that allow kids to make motorized construction vehicle models.

For even older kids who are looking for a proper challenge, we like the LEGO NASA Apollo 11 Lunar Lander, kids who complete the build get a gorgeous LEGO model replica of the Apollo 11 Lunar Lander that they can then either take apart to rebuild or put on display.

Quick Facts:

• Type: Construction set, plastic
• Batteries Required: No

The PicassoTiles 100 Piece Set is made up of cool geometric shapes – combined with bright colors and magnetic sides for attaching to one another; kids stand to develop their sense of color and understand design concepts at an early age.

We like that this toy comes in a box for storage, where they can be put away neatly after playtime, so pieces don’t go missing. The pieces are made with strong magnets, so constructing cool structures that don’t collapse is easy as pie.

The PicassoTiles pieces are also made to have smooth, flat surfaces and heavy-duty lattice to reinforce the structural integrity of the pieces – kids don’t have to worry about accidentally breaking them during play.

As with most erector sets, this toy is great for groups of children! This makes for an entertaining, educational toy that helps kids learn how to share and collaborate creatively for endless hours of fun. We think this toy is a great first introduction to building models for kids as it’s relatively simple to put together without limiting what children can build.

That being said, this erector set from PicassoTiles poses a choking hazard if pieces are broken, as the magnets inside the toy can fall out and be ingested. While the manufacturer’s recommended age is three years old and above, children who still have the habit of putting toys in their mouths should be supervised.

If magnetic building blocks are not your thing, consider Lincoln Logs as an alternative – the high-quality wood pieces slot neatly into place to create structures, much like the PicassoTiles, but without the plastic and magnetic materials that come with most erector sets geared towards younger children.

Quick Facts:

• Type: Construction set, plastic
• Batteries Required: No

This Brickyard Building Blocks erector set goes back to basics, allowing kids to experience putting together and taking apart creations using the set of tools included. With 163 colorful pieces, including wrenches, movable wheels, plates, blocks, and nuts and bolts, what this toy can do is only limited by your child’s imagination.

This set comes in a sturdy storage box, so the pieces can be neatly stowed away after play. We especially like that this toy is a great stepping stone to learning more about STEM fields while keeping kids entertained and engaged. Your child can opt to create whatever their heart desires, or they can follow the included instructional guide with 42 different designs in full color. The guide contains designs of different difficulties to match the abilities of all age groups.

All of the pieces are non-toxic and certified free of phthalates, lead, cadmium, and BPA – so kids can explore their creative horizons safely, while parents need not worry.

With up to six different tools available for use, this toy is great for households with more than one child, play dates, and group activities, so kids can play together, learning how to share and collaborate with one another to build bigger and better things.

If fiddling with parts that require tools is not your child’s jam, the LEGO Classic Medium Creative Brick Box is a great alternative as kids still get the fun of building models without the need to wrestle with finicky tools, nuts, and bolts.

Quick Facts:

• Type: Construction set, wood
• Batteries Required: No

The Lincoln Logs erector set comes with 111 real maple wood pieces – every one of them has indentations meant to connect them with other pieces. The wood pieces are stained bright brown, with muted red and forest green used for the roof pieces.

Each kit comes with pieces that can make a roof, roof facade, walls, chimney, porch, fences, bonfire, and bonfire seats, so kids can build the ideas included in the guide: a tall tower, two houses with a bonfire, and a cabin. Your child can also build their own structures using this toy!

We love that this set is easy to care for – the pieces are easily wiped clean, and they can be stored in the sturdy collectible tin that comes with it so children’s play spaces can be kept tidy. This toy is made up of classic pieces made to stand the test of time – they’re pretty enough that they can even be used in displays.

Lincoln Log toy pieces are non-toxic and tested to meet United States CPSIA standards, so parents can rest assured that their little ones are playing with toys that have their safety in mind. That being said, this toy is not recommended for children under three years old due to choking hazard concerns.

This erector set is great for younger kids who are just starting out, but older kids might find it boring. For kids who like more of a challenge, the LEGO Boost Creative Toolbox packs plenty of punch and allows for an immersive, interactive model building experience that also introduces kids to coding.

Quick Facts:

• Type: Model car, plastic, motorized
• Batteries Required: No

The LEGO Technic WHACK! erector set lets kids try their hand at building a model crash car that’s great for racing against other toy vehicles! This action toy comes together as a toy car with a powerful pull-back motor, sturdy front bumper, large rear spoiler, wide black rims with low profile tires, and a toy engine that pops out on impact. With these accessories, kids will be unstoppable, pitting their creation against other toy cars in races.

We like that this erector set features tough building materials that are compatible with other LEGO building sets, so kids can mix and match LEGO pieces and come up with new creations. Being modular with other LEGO sets and racing car toys, this toy is great for both group play and individual play.

On top of existing LEGO toy safety standards, the LEGO Technic WHACK! toy comes with wide rim tires and a toy car engine that pops out on impact for added safety. The toy pieces are also sturdy, holding up to all kinds of rough play that will come about from bumping the toy all over the place.

This toy is best for kids seven years and older due to small and fiddly parts that younger children may have trouble with. Younger children will prefer bigger toy pieces that are easier to handle.

For kids who prefer robots to cars, the CIRO 12-in-1 Solar Robot Kit is a great erector set that lets kids build robots powered by solar energy. Both the LEGO Technic WHACK! and the CIRO 12-in-1 Solar Robot Kit are great for kids who love building interactive models, but the CIRO erector set gives kids more options so they can build models of varying complexity.

Quick Facts:

• Type: Model robot, plastic, motorized
• Batteries Required: No

Comprising 190 pieces, the CIRO 12-in-1 Solar Robot Kit is great for scientifically inclined kids who like solving puzzles and building things with their own hands. The pieces include moving and connecting parts like gears, plates, tires, and shafts that can be easily assembled and disassembled again and again to create up to 12 kinds of robots of different complexity levels.

Kids with this toy can follow the steps included in the instruction manual or explore other possibilities by building their own creations. We like that this motorized erector set includes a solar-powered engine, so the robots built can crawl, roll, or float as long as there is direct sunlight.

The CIRO 12-in-1 Solar Robot Kit is good for kids playing on their own and for kids playing in groups – it’s also great for scientifically inclined families where parents and children can work together building the robots. This toy helps build communication and collaboration skills in group settings while kids problem solve on the fly.

We like that this toy gives kids plenty of fun building time – the solar-powered energy source included helps parents teach kids about renewable energy and environmental consciousness. However, this erector set might be complicated for younger kids. For kids who aren’t ready for robotic, motorized erector sets, the PicassoTiles 100 Piece Set is a great alternative.

Quick Facts:

• Type: Construction set, plastic
• Batteries Required: No

We love that this building set comes with a whopping 480 parts and pieces, including rods, connectors, wheels, wings, rotors, and tracks that allow kids to build anything they like. The pieces snap and fit together securely without being too difficult to pry apart, so putting models together and disassembling them to make new creations is a breeze.

That being said, the sheer amount of options can be daunting when it comes to building models – the K’NEX 35 Model Building Set comes with an instruction booklet that guides builders through 35 different models step by step. Kids can opt to build their creations according to the instruction booklet guidelines, or they can build just about anything else they can imagine.

This erector set comes in a handy box built like a treasure chest, so all the small plastic toy parts can be collected and kept safely in one easy-to-access place. K’NEX has a part guarantee policy where they replace any missing or broken parts, so parents need not worry about kids losing important pieces from this set.

K’NEX keeps safety in mind by ensuring their toys are United States CPSIA certified. All of their toys are first tested by an accredited third-party laboratory and then further reviewed by their internal product safety committee before being released to the public.

While the K’NEX 35 Model Building Set has plenty of options for kids who like assembling and disassembling models, some kids may prefer a more interactive building experience. For kids who like motorized erector sets, the LEGO Technic WHACK! set lets kids build a car that can then be used in racing and other games.

Quick Facts:

• Type: Model spaceship, plastic
• Batteries Required: No

Made to commemorate the 50th anniversary of man’s first steps on the moon, the LEGO Creator Expert NASA Apollo 11 Lunar Lander was developed in cooperation with NASA, bringing a piece of interspace technology into your child’s hands.

We love that this toy can be built and rebuilt over and over again, and the sheer amount of detail makes it a great display model for kids who like to collect and commemorate their achievements.

This LEGO set comes with plenty of cool details, including detachable ascent and descent stages, a lunar surface display base, and two astronaut mini-figures with NASA-detailed spacesuits. The descent stage has a ladder, an opening camera, laser hatches, and gold-colored landing pads and panels, while the ascent stage comes with a detailed interior that fits two astronauts.

The LEGO Creator Expert Apollo 11 Lunar Lander model is an advanced level model created for kids who love a challenge – it is best suited to kids 16 years and older due to its complexity.

This specialized erector set lets kids build a model that can then be displayed or played with, but that can feel limiting for kids who like to have more building options. For kids who want more options in their builds, check out the K’NEX 35 Model Building Set it has plenty of pieces that can be combined in different ways, so kids can explore the limits of their creativity building all kinds of models.

Quick Facts:

• Type: Model robot, plastic
• Batteries Required: Yes, 6 AAA 1.5V batteries (not included)

The LEGO Boost Creative Toolbox sure packs a punch with 847 LEGO pieces that can be assembled into five different multifunctional models. Kids can build an interactive robot that plays music and dances, a robot cat, a guitar, a rover, and an automated LEGO builder using the instructions included in the LEGO BOOST app.

The LEGO BOOST app makes it easy for kids to learn coding through an intuitive, icon-based interface, with a good variety of activities designed for each robot model configuration. Every program included for the robot configurations leaves plenty of room for customization, so kids can choose what functions to keep while building and coding their robot.

We especially love that kids can use distance, color, and tilt sensor technology to encode behaviors into the robots they build, so their creations can make decisions on their own and interact accordingly. This toy also comes with a playmat that can be used for specific activities with the robots.

This erector set combines model building with motorized robots that can be custom coded – it’s geared towards children seven years old and up due to its complexity. Kids below seven might find non-motorized erector sets less daunting, as fewer moving parts are considered. For younger kids who are building models for the first time, Brickyard Building Blocks lets them assemble creations to their hearts’ content using tools provided in the set.

Quick Facts:

• Type: Construction set, motorized, metal
• Batteries Required: Yes, 4 AA batteries (not included)

The Meccano Erector Super Construction Building Set is a crowd-pleaser for children who like building construction vehicle models! With 638 pieces, a 6V electrical motor, three tools, and an instruction sheet, kids will love building and taking apart models for hours on end.

The instruction sheet included in this erector set guides kids through 11 construction vehicle models, including a helicopter, a buggy crane, trucks, cars, and tanks. We think kids will enjoy building models with this toy on their own and with family and friends – creating something with your own hands is a challenging, but rewarding experience.

The sturdy metal parts that come with the Meccano Erector Super Construction Building Set provide children with a taste of engineering. Metal screws and bolts hold the model together firmly, so the vehicle created can be put to the test lifting and moving things, giving kids practical experience using the models they built.

This erector set is made for kids who love building complex construction vehicle models, but for kids who prefer something more simple, the LEGO Classic Medium Creative Brick Box provides plenty of building fun without introducing the motorized element that this Meccano erector set has.