Official LEGO® image · © LEGO Group and/or the respective rights holders. Source: LEGO Italy ↗

Friends · SET 42601

Hamster Playground

A hamster course with a wheel, tunnel and orange slide, surrounded by natural details and little accessories.

Pieces: 167
Release year: 2024
Theme: Friends
Set number: 42601
LEGO recommended age: 6+
Archived regional retail price · Germany: 19.99 €

Official LEGO archive Official building instructions

Archived regional retail price in the stated market and currency. It does not establish the Italian launch price; no estimated currency conversion. Brickset ↗ · Reference checked on 22 October 2026

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Official English name verified at: LEGO English archive ↗ · Checked on 26 October 2026.

TIME TO BUILD

How long does it take to build Hamster Playground?

Individual build

A starting point for planning your build. Times for each experience level are editorial estimates, not measurements submitted by HowLongToBuild users.

Editorial estimate · first build

Beginner

≈ 1 h 22 minSuggested range49 min – 2 h 12 min

Intermediate

≈ 55 minSuggested range33 min – 1 h 28 min

Experienced

≈ 38 minSuggested range22 min – 1 h 1 min

Based on one person building the set for the first time, following the original instructions and using numbered bags where supplied. Includes normal piece-finding and minor adjustments; excludes long breaks, filming, dismantling and modifications. Sources may use different methods. This range is neither a statistical interval nor a limit: your build may take less or more time.

How we estimate times · sources and method

Editorial assessment: A hamster course with a wheel, tunnel and orange slide, surrounded by natural details and little accessories. Tree, wheel and slide spread the build across different levels. A first build following the instructions, including normal piece finding; an adult may help when needed. Breaks and subsequent play are excluded. For older sets, unnumbered bags or previously mixed pieces may prolong sorting. No verified timed build: indicative values with substantial variation.

Sources do not always specify the builder’s experience. The three experience bands are our editorial assessment, based on the complexity of the set and individual accounts where available.

LEGO · set-specific instructions ↗
Official name, pieces, age and imagery; no timed building data.
LEGO · set manual ↗
Document for this set number. The duration is an editorial estimate, not a LEGO timing.

Checked: 26 October 2026 · Method v1.0 · Limited reports; not a statistical average.

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MAKE ROOM FOR YOUR NEXT BUILD

How much display space does it need?

Assembled-model dimensions are not yet documented for this set. Box dimensions cannot tell you how much display space it needs.

BEYOND THE BRICKS

Did you know?

The model, the history, the ideas

Inside the set

Transparent tunnel

Coloured curved sections shape the course.

LEGO source

Different heights

Tree, wheel and slide spread the build across different levels.

LEGO source

Beyond the set

The stories, places and inventions behind your build.

Cheek pockets

Hamsters carry food in cheek pouches before eating it or storing it in a sheltered place.

Read the full story

Cheek pouches transport food for consumption or storage in shelter. Filled cheeks do not mean all contents are being chewed; the distinction explains how a hamster moves resources before using them in a more concealed location.

RSPCA

Little foragers

In the wild they seek seeds, cereals and insects too: they are not exclusively seed eaters.

Read the full story

Hamsters forage for seeds, cereals and insects, carrying and storing food. Supplies and hiding places evoke behaviours beyond eating: exploration and resource management connect movement through space with how these small animals organise feeding.

RSPCA

Expanded stories updated on 29 October 2026

Written by HowLongToBuild · Sources are linked with each story · Checked on 26 October 2026. Historical facts and story details refer to the context described.

BEYOND THE BRICKS

Keep the story going

Films, series, games, books and music connected to this model or its universe.

TV series

LEGO Friends: The Next Chapter

2023

Another adventure in the same universe, for before or after your build.

Title on Netflix ↗Find streaming services · Italy ↗

Title search on JustWatch: choose the result matching the title and year above.

Streaming: Italian catalogue. Check availability, languages and terms on the external service. Searches are labelled; book results may include different editions.

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THE COMMUNITY’S EXPERIENCE

What was it like to build?

Three separate scores from 1 to 10. For difficulty, 1 means very easy and 10 means very difficult.

No approved ratings yet. Scores are never generated by this site or inferred from the recommended age.

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Building tips from the community

Specific steps, useful checks and sticking points. Contributions appear after moderation, in their original language. Do not upload instruction pages or personal contact details.

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SET THE MOOD

A soundtrack for your build

· Selected for the subject and atmosphere

Instrumental conversation and a small-club character accompany urban and sociable interiors. It is a way to imagine the completed place being lived in.

OUR PICK

Time Out

The Dave Brubeck Quartet

Rhythmic and lively

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Your listening moodChoose a different soundtrack

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