From toddler-friendly stacking bricks and simple snap-and-fit shapes to London skylines. light-up planes and build-your-own 3D marble runs, we’ve tested and rated the top construction sets and kits for children of all ages from under 2 to over 12
Building toys are a hit with girls and boys of all ages. And in amongst all the fun of the build, a good construction toy will develop fine-motor skills, imagination and logical thinking – and always reward with the sight of something cool you’ve built all by yourself.
There are so many kits and sets out there – from simple toddler-friendly blocks and bars that click or stick together to more complicated structures that take time and more discount use Modu Toy Coupon, care and older, nimbler fingers to build, piece by tiny piece.
We’ve pieced together loads of different construction kits and building sets and, with the help of our child testers, selected the very best, in a range of prices, for all ages from under 2 to over 12…
1. GraviTrax Obstacle Starter Set, £80
Age suitability: 8+ | Best for age: 8+ | Batteries: None
Awards: Gold, MadeforMums Toy Awards 2021
What it is: A 140-piece construction set from which you can quickly build super-cool-looking multi-level tracks for magnetic balls to run along and do stunt tricks. Comes with bridges, a magnetic cannon, a spiral, a zipline and 2 trampolines. Includes instructions, tasks and blueprint tracks to follow, plus access to a (free) GraviTrax app, where you can design more complicated tracks, and view the track from the ball’s perspective.
Why we love it: It’s pricey but it’s super cool – and there are so many tracks to build and stunts to devise. It’s definitely a step up in stunt fun from the original GraviTrax starter set. Amelie, 8, one of our child testers, said: “This toy was really exciting to play with. I enjoyed building the obstacles and it kept me and my brother and sister busy for hours.” Her mum Hollie added, “I like how this toy encourages them to really concentrate and use their brains: they have to pick the right pieces and use their minds to really imagine the layout first. I really think this toy will get a lot of use.”
2. Geomag Supercolor 78 pcs
Age suitability: 5+| Best for age: 5+| Batteries: None
Awards: Silver, MadeForMums Toy Awards 2021
What it is: A 78-piece set of magnetic rods, balls and shapes that ‘stick’ together so you can build all sorts of 3D constructions. The rods and shapes (each roughly 5cm) are made of recycled plastic. Comes with an instruction booklet, featuring 7 builds to get you started.
Why we love it: The step-by-step instructions for the suggested builds are really clear and easy to follow but the real value in this toy is that the magnetic parts are so versatile, your child can then go on to use their imagination to build other designs of their own. Our child tester Brooke, 7, said, “This is so cool. It’s really fun building all the things. I want to play with it all the time.” It has to be said that this is pretty pricey but, as Brooke’s mum Sarah-Jane said, “You can instantly see the quality: this is a toy that would last for years and is definitely a toy that all older ages would play with, so you can look at it as an investment.
I really like the use of recycled plastic and that the sticks and balls come in little containers – so you can store them safely once you’ve finished playing.”
3. Learning Resources Design & Drill Bolt Buddies Fire Truck, £46
What it is: A 16cm x 18cm x 33cm fire truck that comes with a (play) power drill for you to use to fix the wheels on (and take them off). Features a hinged ladder, 13 drilling spots, 24 bolts, 8 snap-on fire and water toppers, 2 firefighter figures and a little dog. The eco-friendly packaging is design to be turn inside out and used as a burning building and fire headquarters.
Why we love it: The little drill is great – there’s loads of fun to be had taking the wheels off and putting them back on. And the engine is nicely design for post-drill play: we like seat on the ladder and the diverse skin tones of the firefighters, although, oddly, you can only access the driver’s cab through the roof as the cab doors don’t open. Our child tester Casper, 4, loved playing mechanic and fixing the fire engine, as well as carrying out daring rescues. His mum Robyn said: “The box turning into a scene (that can then be turn back into a box) is genius!”
4. Laser Pegs Multi-Models, from £14.99
What it is: A set of plastic bricks – including LED bricks – that build into 4 or 5 (depending on the set) different light-up vehicles on the same theme. Choose from sets featuring aircraft, racing cars or construction vehicles. Comes with step by step instructions.
Why we love it: Adding a light-up element to traditional building bricks is a genius touch – as our child tester Abubaker, 8, said as soon as he saw his set: “This is awesome – it actually lights up!” – and his mum, Heena, says he’s barely stopping playing with his aircraft set since he received it. The bricks are quite small and with between 75 and 100 needed for each build, this is definitely not a construction toy for under-8s – or for over-8s with small reserves of patience for the occasional fiddly bit.
5. Stickle Bricks Fun Tub, £19.99
Age suitability: 18 months+| Best for age: 2+ | Batteries: None
What it is: A starter set of Stickle Bricks in a variety of shapes and colours, all contained within a lidded storage box.
Why we love it: This is one of those classic toys that every child should own (loads of us did when we were little, didn’t we?). The bricks are colourful and tactile and lend themselves to creative construction: you can try to recreate builds on the box or just make your own thing. Sharley, mum to twin child testers Joe and Rose, 2, said: I’m now a Stickle Bricks convert and would choose this over any other construction toy for younger toddlers, as it’s much easier for them to build with.”
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