10 Top Building Toys For Kids (Gift Guide)
The one most consistently sought after type of toy in our house are construction toys.
Building toys appeal to boys and girls, and encourage mathematical skills, inspire creativity and creative problem solving, build hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills, and are a wonderful way to help a child develop focus and concentration.
Here are some of my favourites, ranked from youngest to oldest!
Tobbles Neo (Fat Brain Toys)
Tobbles Neo is the perfect first stacking toy with a texture and shape that is easy for little hands to manipulate. Help your little one build a tower, and watch them squeal in delight when it comes tumbling down!
Antics Ant Blocks (Uncle Goose)
These durable blocks from Uncle Goose are a favourite in my house. They can be used for building and stacking, or you can line them up to make twisting, turning ant trails, and hunt for the Queen and the spider. They are made in the USA from sustainable wood sources, so you can feel good about your gift, too!
Tegu blocks have magnets safely embedded inside, allowing the pieces to click together to create the most amazing creations. They are easy for small hands to manipulate and the magnets embedded in the blocks and wheels provide an added dimension to your child's play that regular wooden blocks cannot, encouraging them to build inspired vehicles and gravity-defying buildings. This set holds great appeal for kids young and old!
Q-BA-MAZE 2.0 (Outset Media)
Who doesn't love a good marble run? Q-BA-MAZE 2.0 teaches cause and effect as you kids build towers and tunnels and see where the marbles go. My four older kids (2yrs - 15yrs) all love playing with our marble runs, and it can be a great cooperative activity in addition to solo play.
If you haven't already invested in Lego, it's never to early to get started! With Duplo for the youngest, and Lego kits for older kids and adults, there is really something for everyone in the Lego catalogue, even robotics!
Building Block Tape (SuSenGo)
Already have Lego? I can't think of a better stocking stuffer than this self-adhesive building block tape from SuSenGo! Use this to create building surfaces on walls, tables, ceilings -- the possibilities are endless!
Goldie's Crankin' Clubhouse (GoldieBlox)
GoldieBlox is a line of engineering and building sets aimed at girls to encourage STEAM creativity. Each set works on a different set of concepts and storyline, and children learn the how's and why's as they create and problem solve with Goldie and her friends.
VEX Robotics Gear Racers (Hexbug)
My 13yr old loves the Vex Robotics sets. Each set is designed to teach a certain concept as it is constructed, leaving your child with a fun toy to play with once it is completed. Race cars aren't your thing? There are a variety of other sets available at prices that don't break the bank!
Snap Circuits (Elenco)
Forget the electronics kits of our era, all the cool kids these days are doing Snap Circuits! Help your child start building a solid basis in electronics with these fun kits. Elenco has a variety of different sets available, in a wide range of project sizes and pricing.
UNO R3 Project Complete Starter Kit (Elegoo)
Snap Circuits not challenging enough for your older child? This starter set by Elegoo is designed for beginners, and comes with instructions for 63 different projects to get your child engaged in electronics and programming.