But some of those bricks, or collections of them at least, are worth considerably more than others.
If you’re a child of the 80s and you held onto your old Lego set, it could earn you a small fortune today.
BrickEconomy.com lists the most valuable Lego sets out of those released each year during the 1980s.
One is worth more than £7,400 today, while another has seen its value soar by a staggering 19,100% since it first went on sale 38 years ago for £15.79.
To put that into perspective, according to the Bank of England’s inflation tracker, £1 in 1980 would be worth £4.35 today, making Lego a considerably better investment than putting your money in a bank.
Below are the most valuable Lego sets from each year in the 80s, including castles, spaceships and motorised trains.
The prices we’ve listed are for unopened sets in as-new condition. But even if yours has been well-loved, it could still fetch a tidy sum.
Do you own any of these Lego sets? You might also be interested in our round-up of the most valuable Lego minfigures ever made.
9. 1988: Knight's Challenge
LEGO 1584-1 Knight’s Challenge is the most valuable Lego set today out of all those released in 1988, according to BrickEconomy. The 132-piece jousting tournament set, with eight minifigures, including two knights on horseback, is worth an estimated £3,035 today. That represents a 19,119% increase on its original £15.79 retail price. | BrickEconomy/Lego Photo: BrickEconomy/Lego
10. 1989: Emirates Airliner
The LEGO 1973 Emirates Airliner is the most valuable Lego set today out of all those released in 1989, according to BrickEconomy. The 136-piece set, with two minifigures, was given away for free as a promotional set for the airline. It is today worth an estimated £3,645 today, with its value having increased by 24.36% in the last year. | BrickEconomy/Lego Photo: BrickEconomy/Lego