21 Awesome Building Kits and Sets for Kids

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 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, 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. 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.

3. Duplo & LegoWe can’t have a fabulous construction toy list and not feature Duplo for smaller fingers and its big brother, Lego, for bigger kids. 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.

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 readers 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. This Melissa & Doug Wood Building Block set is a great starter kit for wooden block building.

6. Rainbow Wooden Blocks

A set of rainbow wooden blocks near a sunny window offers a wonderful invitation to play for toddlers and preschoolers.

7. Rainbow Stacking Nesting Shapes

These rainbow shapes a wonderful for stacking and nesting, and offer wonderful problem solving opportunities for young builders.

8. Castle Building Wooden Blocks

The addition of a set of fabulous architecturally inspired shaped pieces continues to challenge older children to play with blocks.

9. 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 eight) who actually plans and constructs the interesting track combinations.

Look for train sets that include interesting features such as bridges and drawbridges, inclines, switch tracks and merge tracks.

10. Tegu

Another innovative, magnetic construction set, Tegu combines the natural feel of wooden toys with the magic of magnets. 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.”

11. 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.

12. K’Nex

A 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.

13. SmartMax

A great magnetic building option for younger children, 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 small children who like to build BIG!

14. Picasso Tiles Building Set

This STEM designed building toy is wonderful for helping develop problem solving and logical thinking skills

15. Lincoln Logs

Now I must confess I am more than a little sad that Lincoln Logs did not feature in my childhood but they were probably the most popular choice with Facebook friends located in the US and Canada.  They look likeso much fun and are clearly a cross-generational classic, a bit like Lego.

16. Snap Circuits

Combining building with science, Snap Circuits offer such a challenging way to build for older children. 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.”

17. Zoob

Another 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.”

18. 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 early years classroom. A 2-dimensional take on constructive play, these really are worth a look for children past the age of mouthing toys.

19. Light Stax

Who would have thought illuminated building bricks would be a thing! These cool colored construction blocks do not need connectors or wires, they magically light up as they are stacked.

20. Kapla

Great for experienced kid builders who love to use their imagination while building, the simplicity of Kapla blocks offers so many construction possibilities.

21. Fort Building Kit

The joy of a fort building kit has to be constructing a space big enough to fit your whole body it! Just add a bedsheet and you have a cubby to hide in.