Following the launch of the re-imagined LEGO Friends universe in January 2023, The LEGO Group has released three new LEGO Friends sets and here's our review of the builds!
The new Lego Friends sets seek to offer endless possibilities for builders to roleplay their very own friendship adventures and develop their passions. Alongside Aliya, Autumn, Leo, Liann, Nova, Olly, Paisley and Zac – children can learn to navigate new friendships as diverse passions are brought together through these new sets! With the new range, builders can discover various fun and educational elements to create their own storytelling universe, while learning about the importance of environmental issues such as animal conservation and ocean cleanups.
LEGO Friends 41734 Sea Rescue Boat
Recommended Age: 7+ Years
No. of Pieces: 717
Pricing: $139.90
The LEGO Friends 41734 Sea Rescue Boat is a 717-piece set and is stated as suitable for 7 years old and above. It is the largest of all the three sets we've received.
The set comes with a buildable catamaran-style boat, as well as a little submarine, which can nicely seat one character inside the cockpit. My 6-year-old particularly loved the fact that the sub can be stored on a hook and then lowered into the "water".
The set features four LEGO Friends characters - Aliya, Nova, the boat’s captain Gunnar, and Marco. There are also some interesting accessories that come along with the set, such as a net, a stick, life jackets for all the characters, recycling cans, bottles and bins.
I was also very impressed by the details of the boat's interior, which had a lot of interesting elements, such as research equipment, bunk beds, a shower area and a kitchen.
This Sea Rescue Boat set can be combined with LEGO Friends sets 41736 (see our review below) and 41752 for even more sea rescue adventures (sets sold separately).
LEGO Friends 41736 Sea Rescue Center
Recommended Age: 7+ Years
No. of Pieces: 376
Pricing: $84.90
This Sea Rescue Center comes with 3 LEGO Friends characters (namely, Autumn, Leo and Kayla), 2 sea otters, a seahorse, a sea turtle. as well as a water scooter.
Overall, the Sea Rescue Center is a really fun build as the building is made up of three levels. The base of the building depicts the sea bed, and includes interesting features, such as water plants and even an treasure chest. The second level sits above the water, and includes fun elements, such as a yellow slide and a flight of stairs. The third and highest level features a lookout point. What I like most about this set is that it comes with lots of interesting accessories that promotes pretend play. Some of these details include an X-ray machine and a microscope, which provide great opportunities for the kids to act out stories as they rescue and care for the sea animals.
LEGO Friends 41749 Newsroom Van
Recommended Age: 6+ Years
No. of Pieces: 446
Pricing: $47.90
The Newsroom Van set features two buildable elements, the Newsroom Van and a tree.
The tree is setting for the news story. The tree can be "knocked down" and casue the egg to fall from the nest. The tree setup also features accessories, such as an owl with an egg, a chainsaw, and a sign prohibiting the use of chainsaws. The three LEGO Friends characters featured in this set are Aliya (who's reporting the news), Peter the logger (who's trying to cut down the tree), and Darrel (who's trying to save the tree and owl).
I personally love the unique design of the van, as the back of the van can be opened into two panels, transforming it into a mobile newsroom studio. Each of the panels also features some added details, such as computer screens, as well as accessories, such as a walkie-talkie, a microphone, and a satellite transmitter. Another unique feature of the van that I particularly like is the extendable video recorder/camera that is placed on top of the van to film the news.
The kids will definitely enjoy acting out the story with this news-reporter playset as they film and report the news.
