Childhood101

playing. learning. growing.

  • Learning Activities
    • Mathematics
    • Literacy
    • Best Books for Kids
    • Feelings & Emotions
    • Distance Learning Resources
    • Coding for Kids
    • Science & Nature
    • Art & Craft
    • Holidays/Celebrations
    • Products We Love
  • Play Ideas
    • Group Games for Kids
    • Sensory Play Ideas
    • Outdoor Play
    • Fun Play Spaces
    • Pretend Play
    • Lego Challenges
  • PRINTABLES
  • Activities By Age
    • School Age Learners
    • Pre+K Learners
    • Toddler Play
    • Baby Play
  • Family Life
    • Family Time
    • Positive Parenting
    • Parenting Tweens
    • Potty Training
    • Fun Kid Spaces
    • Organising Kids
    • Family Travel
  • Food
    • Birthday Parties
    • Lunch Box Ideas
    • Family Friendly Recipes
    • Cooking with Kids
    • Holidays & Celebrations
  • SHOP

15 Awesome Building & Constructing Toy Sets for Kids

When a reader recently asked the Childhood 101 Facebook community for building and construction toy set suggestions the responses were too fabulous not to share! So I have combined my top building and construction toy set suggestions with those popular with readers to bring you this list of 15 awesome building toy sets for kids.

15 Super Cool Building and Construction Toy Sets for Kids

15 Fabulous Building Toy Sets for Kids

Each of the products listed below is linked to Amazon. I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.

 1. Magna-Tiles

My girls (aged 7 and 11) received a large set of Magna-Tiles for Christmas six years ago and they still play with them! They really are an investment (as are many good quality construction sets) but these magnetic tiles are easy for children of all ages to use, and they are fabulous to build with. Place them alongside a window with sunlight streaming through or use them with short strings of LED Christmas lights or on a light table for a fabulous burst of colourful construction fun.

Magna-Tiles are available in classic colours (the big set really is worth the investment), glittery Stardust tiles, glow in the dark tiles and clear Ice tiles. The cool Metropolis set is also worth a look, especially for those wanting to expand their Magna-Tiles set!

Featuring a similar building style, Magformers are also worth a look.

2. Duplo & Lego

We can’t have a fabulous construction toy list and not feature Duplo for smaller fingers and its big brother, Lego, for bigger kids (though even big brother has a younger sidekick thanks to the Lego Junior sets). I may be a little embarrassed by how much Lego my children have – they LOVE it…and I love their creativity when they’re playing with it.

Invented more than 40 years ago, I think part of the enduring appeal of Lego is the fact that it has been played with by parents and grandparents who love sharing a passion for building and creativity with their own children and grandchildren.

3. Tree Blocks

Tree blocks are particularly fabulous as a building set for children who love imaginative play. Teamed with a set of small figurines – animals or fantasy characters, and a collection of natural materials such as shells or stones, my children will play for hours, building wonderful imaginary worlds.

4. Marble Run

If you are looking for an awesome way to encourage the development of a range of problem solving skills, then you can’t go past a marble run. With a vast range of marble run sets available, both wooden and plastic, most sets include a combination of straight and curved tracks, inclines, support pieces and accessories (both functional and decorative). The pieces can be arranged in many different ways, each sending the marbles down through the system on a new route, and it is this flexibility and open-endedness that promotes both problem solving and creative thinking.

We like the Quercetti sets but the Q-Ba-Maze system recommended by a reader looks pretty awesome too.

5. Wooden Block Sets

You can’t go past a wooden block set for great constructive play for little people. From around 6 months of age, sitting babies can help to stack (or rather, knock down!) small wooden blocks. The addition of a set of fabulous architecturally inspired shaped blocks continues to challenge older children to play with blocks.

6. Wooden Train Set

We often think of train sets being merely for preschoolers but for many children it is not until they are in kindergarten or early primary/elementary school that they can independently construct complicated track configurations. My two year old loves playing with our train set but it is Immy (at almost seven) who actually plans and constructs the interesting track combinations.

7. Mobilo

I cannot tell you how many classes of children I have taught, aged anywhere from 5 to 8 years of age, that have loved building with Mobilo, especially those interesting in creating vehicles for use in imaginative play.

8. TinkerToy sets

Another new find for me, I love the look of the TinkerToy sets. Sets include a whole range of interestingly shaped pieces including spools, rods, flags, washers and end caps that snap together and stay together, allowing children the flexibility and creativity of both constructive and imaginative play.

9. K’Nex

Another great set for primary/elementary aged children, K’Nex sets include collections of rods, connectors and bricks for children to use in construction.With a range of more open ended sets and single construction projects, K’Nex sets remind me a little of Lego but with a whole different world of possibilities thanks to the shapes of the pieces.

10. SmartMax

A reader suggestion, the manufacturer says, “SmartMax is the magnetic discovery system that enables children to experience both the wonders of magnetism and the fascinating world of construction in a safe way. The extra-large pieces make it easy for small children to manipulate them. Outstanding, colorfully-illustrated guides in each set demonstrate the basics of magnetic phenomena, ways to strengthen structures, steps in building towers and bridges, and much more.” I must say I was impressed by the size of the pieces and think this is a great set for children who like to build BIG and TALL!


11. Lincoln Logs

Now I must confess I have never, ever heard of Lincoln Logs but they were probably the favourite choice with Facebook friends, I am thinking that these must be friends located in the US and Canada??? They certainly look like a lot of fun and are clearly a cross-generational classic, a bit like Lego.

12. Snap Circuits

Combining building with science, Snap Circuits are top of my list for Christmas presents for AJ this year. The manufacturer says, “With its easy-to-follow instructions, Snap Circuits give your child a hands-on education in how electrical circuits work to run the everyday devices that they’re familiar with. They’ll also gain valuable lessons in building and in following instructions. The project manuals include large color illustrations and simple directions for each project.”

13. Zoob

A reader suggestion, these look fabulous for older children. From the manufacturer, “ZOOB pieces snap, click and pop together to form joints that rotate, limbs that extend, axles that spin and lots more. Kids can create simple models in minutes or get absorbed and spend hours at a time. There’s no limit to what they can build: from animals to aliens, from dinosaurs to DNA. The pieces can be moved after being put together, so kids can play with their ZOOB creations, instead of just looking at them.”

14. Tegu

Another reader suggestion, the manufacturer of these wooden magnetic blocks says, “Tegu has reinvented the wooden block in a way that brings new life to a favored classic. By safely embedding magnets into each piece, Tegu Blocks become curiously attractive for both kids and kids at heart. Defy gravity and push your imagination in ways never before possible. No instruction manuals or electronics; just toys that demand imagination and inspire limitless creativity across all ages.”

15. Hammering Shapes Set

The classic tap tap sound of children making pictures form wooden shapes is one I remember fondly from my days in the classroom. A more 2 dimensional take on constructive play, these really are worth a look for children well past the age of mouthing toys.

Remember, building is not just for little kids, many of these sets and kits are much more suited to children in the early and even middle years of primary (elementary) school. Each product listed is linked to an Amazon page where you can find reviews and age recommendations for those you might not be personally familiar with. As construction sets can be expensive to buy, doing a little research and choosing to invest in a larger set of one product that your child will really love can often be a better idea than buying lots of different small sets. Whichever you choose, I hope you have fun building and constructing together.

See more ideas for kids who love to build in our engineering gift list.

STEM Engineering Gift Ideas for Kids of All Ages

SEE THE ENTIRE KIDS GIFT GUIDE COLLECTION FOR MORE GIFT IDEAS FOR KIDS OF ALL AGES!

15 awesome building and construction toys for kids

Christie Burnett is an early childhood teacher, presenter, writer and the editor of Childhood 101. More importantly, she is a Mum who believes wholeheartedly in the value of children learning through play, the importance of quality early education, and the togetherness of family.

Filed Under: Bigger Kids Play, Featured, Preschool Play, Thinking & Reasoning Tagged With: building and constructing play

Previous post: 21 Halloween Movies for Kids & Families
Next post: 15 Magical Christmas Books for Preschoolers

Read the comments or scroll down to add your own:

  1. Kathleen says

    September 16, 2015 at 7:15 PM

    I'm from the US (living in Australia) and I agree with the Lincoln Logs comment. I have so many memories of building the coolest things with these. I wish we could buy them here!
  2. Angela says

    February 22, 2016 at 10:46 PM

    Hi. I'm an AmeriCorps representative at a stem elementary school in central Ohio. The librarian is in need of these types of building toys for her students during their "design" time. Do you have any idea who I can reach out to get these toys donated? Tried Microsoft, Amazon, Walmart, Target, and Meijers already. Toys R Us wants too long to complete the request. School ends the first week of June. Thanks for your help!
  3. Stu says

    December 20, 2016 at 6:47 AM

    Love K'Nex! Thanks for the good picks.
  4. kids toys blog says

    December 22, 2016 at 7:29 AM

    my kids very happy if i bought lego and duplo for him ^_^
  5. Maria says

    January 10, 2017 at 7:59 AM

    This is a great list, this list of toys is very helpful to the kids in a way that they will have fun while learning. What I love on the list is the wooden train set because I love collecting train sets, here is one of my wooden train collection http://toytraincenter.com/best-wooden-train-set/ and I think I want to add more train set in my collection. Thanks for sharing
  6. Online Toy Stores Australia says

    October 7, 2017 at 6:53 PM

    Thanks for sharing. keep posting.
  7. Juliet says

    December 21, 2017 at 3:08 AM

    Every time I see an online recommendation for books/games/toys etc. where all the links lead to Amazon, I just want to cry. I realize my opinion is unpopular, but why in the world should anyone promote sending more dollars to this corporate behemoth that has so thoroughly proven it values money over humanity? It would only take a little more time to find a different source to link for the item and whenever possible, encourage prospective buyers to shop local.

Trackbacks

  1. Naturals Blog says:
    June 9, 2017 at 7:28 PM
    The Primary Building Block [...] ion sets can be expensive to buy, doing a little research and choosing to invest [...]
  2. Christmas Quotes from Movies 2019 - Happy New Year 2020 says:
    November 27, 2019 at 4:29 PM
    […] children throwing snowballs, Instead of throwing heads. They’re busy building toys, and absolutely no one’s dead!” — [The Nightmare Before Christmas […]
Welcome
pinterestinstagramteachers pay teachersyoutubefacebook

Tips & Resources


Search

Latest

Graphic Novel Adaptations of Classic Novels for Tweens and Teens

13 Graphic Novel Adaptations of Classic Books for Tweens & Teens

Encourage your child to get to know a classic novel from your own childhood with … [Read More...]

String art heart card craft for school age kids

String Art Heart Card for Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day

Looking for a sweet Valentine's Day or Mother's Day card idea to make with … [Read More...]

101 Days to Celebrate in 2021- Celebrations Around the World for Kids

Celebrations Around the World for Kids Calendar 2021

Use this printable Celebrations Around the World Calendar for Kids to learn … [Read More...]

The Book

Learning Resources


Activities by Age

Baby
Toddler
Preschool
School-age
Family

Copyright ©2020 · Childhood101 - All Rights Reserved ·

  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Shop
  • PRIVACY POLICY