LEGO Marvel Spider-Man Mech 76146, 152-Piece

Legos have come a long way since their early days as simple building blocks. Today, you can buy full-blown pieces of art that you craft yourself and kits that would take even the most skilled adult several days of hard work.

Maybe the best thing about the growth of Lego is that kids can easily find sets that feature licensed characters, vehicles and buildings from their favorite movies, TV shows and other entertainment properties. This allows them to get fully immersed in imaginary worlds that they already have a close connection to.

Nowhere is this better demonstrated than with Lego’s line of Marvel products. No matter which properties within the Marvel Cinematic Universe are your favorite, there’s a set for you. Marvel Legos can also be a great gift for your kids, assuming they don’t already have all the sets.

Since Marvel’s umbrella is enormous, though, it can be tough to decide exactly which sets to get. One thing to look at is the type of set you want. The iconic Marvel characters come in Lego miniatures that go with whatever objects and vehicles you’re buying. But you can also create Mechs that are larger than everything else in the set to give the illusion of even more power.

If you’re buying for kids, though, age appropriateness is an important part of the process. These sets often contain smaller pieces, making them not ideal for younger children. Often, they’ll be limited to children who are at least 6 or 7 years old.

• Lego sets typically come with step-by-step directions for putting things together. Make sure your set will include that even if your kids tackle the project first, then look at the instructions later. Often, you can download an app for the more complicated sets that will walk you through the process of putting things together with detailed images and videos.
• The minifigures — Lego’s name for its pieces that look like people — may not have advanced features like being posable or having helmets that can be manipulated. Pay attention to this before ordering to avoid disappointment.
• If you are ordering a particularly impressive set, you may not want to tear it apart after it’s built. Consider buying a display case or stand that it can live on to become a unique decorative piece for years to come.
• For younger kids and beginners, generally the higher the number of pieces, the more complicated it will be to put together. Look for one with fewer pieces if you’re concerned about them losing interest or getting frustrated.
• Some Marvel Legos are sold in sets, while others can be purchased individually. Shop around to see if there are some pieces you can add to your existing sets before buying an entire set for one desired figure.
• If you see a Lego set pictured, make sure you’re getting everything advertised in the set you’re buying. Sometimes extra products are pictured to show how it can be combined with other sets.