droolicious : building blocks

Twig: The Ultimate Building Blocks?

Aaron Burgess — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 18:30:00 GMT

As much as we're drawn to gadgets, gizmos and other blinking gobbledygook, when the subject turns to longevity, few toys can top a simple set of building blocks. Which is why we're loving Twig, the newly debuted company (and former Etsy seller) whose building toys are as inspiring to look at as they are to play with.

Beyond merely stacking, Twig's brightly colored pieces slide into, between and next to one another, offering an experience that's equal parts problem-solving, spatial arrangement and basic engineering. And if green-conscious toys are your thing, Twig's renewable materials and simple, eco-smart packaging offer added bonuses.

$49.95 for the 72-piece set at Fat Brain Toys. [Ohdeedoh]

Play with a Piece of Pisa

SunnyChanel — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 01:58:00 GMT

Forget those regular old building blocks. B-O-R-I-N-G. What you need for your little one is a set of wood blocks that will create not just some regular fort or castle. No, this set lets you create your own Leaning Tower of Pisa by HABA. This set comes with 27 pieces in 10 different shapes. It has some chocking hazards so it’s for the over three building crew. You can create your own landmark here for $42.74.

Eco-Friendly Stocking Stuffer: EnviroBlox

Aaron Burgess — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 19:04:00 GMT

Made from corn starch, Cadaco's EnviroBlox are the biodegradable alternative to traditional plastic building blocks. You wet the packing-peanut-style Blox with the included sponge to stick them together, and instead of having to shelve away a bunch of pieces when playtime is over, you just run the kids' creation under water to watch it melt away. Warning, though: EnviroBlox' melting capabilities can be alluring enough that more mischievous kids may get off on simply watching the blocks dissolve.

The EnviroBlox 400-piece X-Treme Builder Set (pictured) is $9.99 from Amazon, while the more stocking-sized Deluxe Set is $6.99.

Antics Ant Blocks Go Marching Into the Playroom

Aaron Burgess — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 16:04:00 GMT

New from Uncle Goose, Antics Ant Blocks aren't your everyday wooden cubes: Each of the set's 16 blocks features a creepy-crawly design -- from parading ant soldiers to an enemy spider to the queen and her eggs -- that grows into an imaginative scene no matter how you place or stack things.

Made in the U.S. from sustainable basswood and kid-safe inks -- $20 from Wild Dill. [Via Cool Mom Picks, which is also offering a pretty sweet coupon code through mid-January.]

Little Cave-People, Big World: Duplo Dino Valley

Aaron Burgess — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 15:04:00 GMT

Creating dinosaur toys that'll appeal to little kids is like shooting fish in a barrel, but as our review from yesterday of a new Hot Wheels toy proves, not all dinosaur play sets are created equal. Scoring high marks for both durability and preschooler appeal, the Duplo Dino Valley from LEGO delivers a prehistoric experience that rivals anything in big brother or sister's toy chest.

The jungle play set is inhabited by three cave-people (one a cave-kid), as well as big and little Triceratops, Pteranadon and T. Rex figures, and despite a few potential choking hazards (hence the 3-and-up age recommendation), the blocks and figures are chunky enough for little fingers to manipulate without coming off like "safe little-kid toys." Admittedly, your 3-year-old may not be able to build the set exactly as it appears in this photo, but that's why you're here to help.

$49.99 from the LEGO Shop.

Very Big Toys: Ultimate Workout Tool for Tomorrow's Architects

Aaron Burgess — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 15:04:00 GMT

I am unwavering in my LEGO worship, but after countless attempts at building skyscrapers out of the blocks only to watch them crumble at the slightest touch, even I've got to bow before the majesty of The Young Architect's Skyscraper Construction Kit.

That picture's no exaggeration: You and the kids can use the set's 3,200 pieces and 24-page blueprints to build a nearly 8-foot-tall skyscraper, among a variety of other structures, while also learning architectural fundamentals and plotting out how and where your buildings would fare in the real world via an interactive world map on the manufacturer's website. Cripes, they'll even send you a PDF building permit featuring seismic and wind loads for your proposed structure.

The skyscraper will still leave you around 89 feet short of the world's largest LEGO structure we recently covered, but considering that one needed support cables and a crew of hundreds to get it off the ground, this looks like a decent start.

$299.95 from Hammacher Schlemmer.

More Blocks with 'Tude

Erin Behan — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 20:33:00 GMT

If you, like me, are into blocks with attitude, then you'll appreciate these builders with modern-day imaginings of Little Red Riding Hood and Peter and the Wolf. The Fidoodle blocks are hand-printed and have illustrations on two sides. Flip them to the unpainted sides and you can assemble a puzzle. You get 22 blocks in the set in two sizes. Best of all (for the environment, anyway) the blocks are made of sustainable birch, are painted with nontoxic paints and finished with a food-safe sealer. A metal tin keeps the set together when not in use. The blocks are $88 at ReForm School.

Blocks with Attitude

Erin Behan — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 19:57:00 GMT

I already mentioned my silly mood today, and I'm continuing in that vein with these blocks. My parents would probably be horrified if they came over and little Devin were playing with blocks that inclued random male chest hair. But, I think that a sense of humor and a good understanding of irony is just as important a first-years skill as stacking one block on top of the next, and if you can accomplish both tasks with one toy? All the better I say. Each side of the block has a facial expression, meaning every creation is actually two faces (front and back), and the blocks can be endlessly rearranged for variety. The hardwood blocks have the images screenprinted on them, and each block is 1.75 inches thick. Find Blockhead Blocks by Fred at Exit 9 for $18.

Droolworthy: Selecta Arcadia Crazy Arches

Mir — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 17:03:00 GMT

They come in a variety of shapes and colors, but they're all wacky and wonderful. The Arcadia Crazy Arches set from Selecta is all wood with child-safe colorants, and bound to be a building good time when mixed in with a more conventional block set or used on their own. $29.95 from Rosie Hippo.