MAGNA-TILESClassic 100-Piece Magnetic Construction Set, The ORIGINAL Magnetic Building Brand

These are very fun and probably beat Legos for kids under 9 or 10. You can snap together large and interesting structures in minutes.They are quote expensive relative to the knockoffs, especially when you buy a second set. But seems worth it for the peace of mind. They're durable, stick together and don't put off chemical odors. Not much anyway.

We have Magnatiles for our grandkids to play with when we watch them each one day a week. They are now 5, 4 and 3, and never seem to tire of these at all. They build great houses and garages for the Paw Patrol pup figures and vehicles, and even for stuffed animals, have done mazes on the base plates (more about them in a second), and the little guy even likes to write out his letters on the floor using squares and triangles. I started with the 100-piece Magnatile set after reading a bunch of reviews. These are the pricier choice, but I believe the quality is worth it. It's been over a year and we haven't had a single problem with any tiles. I also got a set of two 12x12" baseplates from ShapeMags, because Magnatiles does not offer baseplates, and find that their quality is also excellent. We find the baseplates invaluable to aid stability when building large and tall constructions. They also make it easier to move the constructions, if necessary, once built. Since that initial set, I have added another large set, two sets of the Magnatiles Rectangles, the "House" set, and the set of two car bases. All were great. Kudos to Magnatiles for making tiles in almost all the rainbow colors (there's only one blue, so no "blue and indigo" is possible). The kids are obsessed with rainbows and enjoy using the color tiles in purposeful patterns. Really pretty! I totally recommend these as a wonderfully creative toy that the kids will play with for years. Adults like them, too! I can see another 100-piece set in our near future! (We have lots more pictures of the bigger constructions but I had trouble finding ones without the kids in them!)

This has been my kids' favorite toy for 2.5 years now. Nothing else even comes close. We bought the 32 pc. starter set when they were 2.5 yrs old, and quickly followed up by buying the 100 pc set. They just turned 5, and we've added two more of the 100 pc sets to their collection. I have BGG triplets and all three love to play with them, and every kid who comes over loves them. As my kids have gotten older, they've learned to build larger and more complex structures, and even use them to interact with other toys (e.g. building castles for figurines or bridges over railroads). I don't see them falling out of use for years to come. I recommend getting the translucent set as the kids like to put figurines and other toys inside their creations and want to be able to see what's inside. I don't recommend the 32 pc set as its difficult to build much with 32 pieces and its simply not a good value.Pros:* Durable - We've never broken a piece despite being routinely stepped on, dropped, toppled, and thrown into a storage drawer.* Excellent play value - Kid's play with them frequently, and for long periods of time (up to 4 hours). The manufacturer recommends age 3+, but they're also great for kids younger than that. The magnets are pretty strong, so they hold structures well, and the kids don't get frustrated by things falling apart.* Easy to clean up and store - They're flat and magnetic, so they pick up fast, are easy to stack, and don't take up much space. Consequently, they're the first toy my kids pick up when asked to clean their playroom. If you're short on space and looking for a limited number of high-quality toys, this has to be at the top of your list.* Safe - The magnets are completely enclosed in plastic and can't come out.* Educational - You'd be surprised what can be made out of them.Cons:* Not cheap - Sometimes you just gotta pay for the good stuff. They're still a great value, though.

This was a gift for my two grandchildren.I thought the collection was good value - large and with a good variety of pieces. The colours are beautiful and glow in the light.

I bought these for my Grands, ages 4,5 and 9. They all three really love these blocks. Easy to use, fun, engaging and allows them to be creative. They work well for solo play but also when they play together. They are so creative. Had these for over 6 months and they pick these to play with quite often and they hold their attention a long time.