Building toys. Can’t live with them, can’t live without them. So what’s worth buying, and which knockoffs are worth considering?
F
irst, the Big Five, the basics everyone needs at one point or another.
Best for: Ages 2–10
Magnetic tiles top everyone’s list of playroom necessities — that one toy kids pull out every day. Consisting of plastic shapes with magnetic edges, they connect with no effort, and they’re addictive.
Unfortunately, you need a lot of them to play without frustration: Think at least 100 pieces per child. And a 100-piece set of Magna-Tiles will set you back $120. What’s a sensible family to do?
Buy Picasso Tiles. Or Playmags. Or ShapeMags. All three brands run about $50 for 100 pieces, all are compatible with the original Magna-Tiles, and all of them are as good or better quality. It’s important to note that the quality of the knockoffs has improved over time — and the quality of Magna-Tiles has declined. A lot. So if you’re doing research, make sure you’re comparing recent versions and current reviews.
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