Think Lego is just for kids? These grown-ups would like a word.

Sahara Haney's first brush with Lego wasn't love at first sight.

Haney, 36, and her husband had been looking for an activity for date night. They bought a small Lego set to put together.

"We hated it," recalled Haney. "I'm like 'Yeah, no, Lego is not for me.'"

But then earlier this year, Haney wanted to redecorate her home office. She was searching for "cutesy little trinkets" and came up with a rose and sunflower Lego set.

"I fell in love with it," she said. She enjoyed following the directions and putting together elaborate sets. "My brain turned off."

Now she's among a legion of adults who are passionate about Lego. Some participate in fan clubs, attend conventions and share about their love on social media.

Haney estimates there are months when she spends $1,000 on Lego sets.

And these aren't your kids' Lego. Some intricate sets adults put together can cost hundreds of dollars. Lego recently released its most expensive Lego set – a Star Wars Death Star for $999.99. And the Lego Icons Star Trek: U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D, which will be released on Nov. 28, will set you back $399 .99.

Adult Lego passion taps into nostalgia

Feelings of nostalgia have fueled the popularity and growth of the adult Lego market, said James Zahn, editor-in-chief of The Toy Book.

"Nostalgia has always been an important part of the toy industry," Zahn said. There has always been a market of toys or items that "evoke the warm feelings, the special feelings of the good memories from when you were a kid. And for generations now, Lego has been part of that."

Lego's rising popularity also coincides with the replacement of popular traditional model kits, like cars and planes, which had been around for decades and have lost their luster and become less available, Zahn said.

Before it got into licensing the rights to make sets like Star Wars, Lego was making its own, Zahn said. They sold well, but Lego was not nearly as successful as it became once it was able to license sets based on franchises like Harry Potter, Marvel and DC Comics, he said.

The company has also developed sets that span price ranges and skill levels. In the new F1 racing series, for instance, there are sets designed for kids and sets designed for the oldest members of the family, Zahn said.

Some enthusiasts are also using Lego sets as an investment, holding on to a factory-sealed box since some "Lego can outpace the stock market. It's truly a unique scenario that I don't think anyone ever could have predicted," he said.

Lego embraces adult fans

“We at the Lego Group have long recognized that the joy of Lego building transcends age and provides plenty of benefits for adults," Genevieve Cruz, head of adult consumer group and franchises for The Lego Group, told USA TODAY. "Building with Lego bricks allows adults to relax, tap into their creativity, and earn a sense of achievement while further exploring their passions."

The Lego botanical collection of flowers "has been quite popular with adult builders seeking mindfulness, self-care and a way to decorate their personal spaces; meanwhile, Lego Icons sets modeling pop culture icons such as The Lord of the Rings: The Shire offer a nostalgic and creative exploration of fandom," she said, adding that there are more than 100 sets designed for the 18-plus age market.

Lego lets adults slow down

Haney said she loves being able to "shut off" her mind to relax and build a Lego set.

"As adults, and especially as a professional, you are always working. I lead a team of 30 plus people, so my mind's always on the go, go, go," said Haney, who lives in Denham Springs, Louisiana, and is a director of digital learning for higher education. "Sometimes I just need that brain break."

As a millennial, Haney said she also really loves the childhood memories that come up when she puts together Lego sets that feature Mario, Pac-Man, or a Game Boy.

Haney, who earlier this year started creating videos about her Lego passion, said she has found a large community of people online who share her love of the building blocks.

"We just all bond over something that's so simple, but that really kind of sparks the inner child in all of us," she said.

Haney estimates she has 100-plus Lego sets. Many are built and on display in her home office and others are in a closet waiting to be built.

Lego lets some adults relive childhood love

Simon Hemmings, 47, who grew up in the United Kingdom and immigrated to the United States in 2009, has been building Lego sets for as long as he can remember.

Hemmings, who lives in Denver, recalls putting sets together through his early teens and then taking a break when he was in college.

Then, about 10 or 15 years ago, he started noticing the Lego architecture sets, and they reignited his interest.

"It's great fun," said Hemmings, who works in sales for a telecommunications company. "It's a way to turn off the noise."

Hemmings also noticed there were Lego sets marketed toward his Gen X age bracket: for instance, a Beatles-themed set with the Fab Four and a yellow submarine.

"They do a really good job catering to the adult audience now,'' Hemmings said.

Hemmings said while he has disposable income to pay for his hobby, he probably wouldn't spend more than $250 or $300 on a Lego set and often buys sets that cost only $25.

Reliving childhood and also working with more complex sets has been satisfying for him.

"There's just a feeling of the bricks and the way they click together, which is very satisfying," he said. "I haven't quite figured out what is going on in my brain, but I think it's the tactile nature of it. There's a comforting aspect to it."

There's also a satisfaction in taking a "big pile of bricks and then before you know it, you've got this Mini Cooper or whatever."

"I think hobbies are massively undervalued in today's society," Hemmings said. "I think it's really worth carving out a bit of time to do something that means something to you."

Betty Lin-Fisher is a consumer reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] or follow her on X, Facebook, or Instagram @blinfisher and @blinfisher.bsky.social on Bluesky. Sign up for our free The Daily Money newsletter, which breaks down complex consumer and financial news. Subscribe here.