Tag: magnets

Unlimited Fun for the Whole Family

With two boys and a husband, we play with blocks, legos, and cars A LOT. According to my husband we can never have too many of each. 

Honestly, I kind of agree with him. 

I love toys that spark creativity and imagination; each of which those toys do. We’re able to play, learn, create, and grow with our children as we help them and watch them build and imagine. 

One of our recent favorites has been magnetic tiles. These block-like magnets are buildable and offer endless imagination. Building in 2D or 3D, there are really a ton of opportunities for everyone in our family to build and create something unique of their own. 

Not only are these tiles great for building and imagining, but they are great for other learning opportunities. We use them with our youngest to practice shape recognition and color sorting. 

We have recently discovered the Magformers tiles and love this brand. Keep reading to see why I like them more than some of the other magnetic tiles we have. 

 

Magformers offers many types and varieties of sets on their website. The set we received is the Amazing Rescue Set. 

Included in the set is:

  • 8 triangle
  • 14 squares
  • 1 rectangle
  • 1 super square
  • 2 characters
  • 24 accessories. Including wheels
  • step-by-step idea booklet

This set comes with 50 building pieces and is good for kids ages 3 and up. 



The Amazing Rescue Set allows you to create and build your own fire adventure. Options include, but are not limited to, a fire station, fire truck, rescue vehicles, and many more. The booklet that is included is super helpful and gives 50+ ideas and models to build. There are options for at least 20 rescue-concept models, 20 basic models (that you can make with basic pieces), and 10 planar figures (2D transformed into 3D). 



The step-by-step booklet is great for my learning three year old. I love that he can look at the pictures and figure out which shapes he needs to collect and then how he needs to put them together to get the end result. Great cause and effect play, but also great following directions practice. 



The Magformers are all compatible with each other, no matter the shape or accessory. Each of their geometric shapes contain magnets that will never reject. You will always hear the “click” of the Magformers tiles when connections them together. 

The plastic is BPA free too - safe for kiddos. 



One of my favorite aspects of the Magformers are the idea booklets that are included in each box. There are so many options to choose from and I love that they have so many laid out for you. The non-creative parents really appreciate it! 



This may go without saying, but I’m going to disclose this information anyways because I have made this mistake with a different magnet set.. 

DO NOT submerge your tiles in water. Don’t place them in a sink full of water OR the dishwasher to clean them. If they need to be cleaned, simply wipe each tile off individually. Sounds tedious, but you will be thankful that you did it. Submerging the tiles allows water to get in between the plastic and magnets which, in turn, can cause rust to form. 

Shape Mags for Kids

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The hottest toy in the Fox house for 2016 was Shape Mags – the magnetic bricks perfect for all ages. I have recently seen magnetic tiles for sale in stores and online. It peaked my interest for several reasons. First off they looked super fun! Colorful items and magnetic things are top forms of attraction for all toddlers. They can build fine motor skills, develop critical thinking skills, and sharpen math skills. Then I noticed there are tons of brands and companies making these tiles so I knew I needed to take a step back and see which brand is worth the investment.

I have come to the conclusion that Shape Mags are the top choice for all families for several key reasons.

  1. Shape Mags feature many shapes and styles other brands do not offer (“L-shapes, windows, people, several types of triangles…” allowing for a broader variety of creations
  2. Shape Mags are perfect for building STEM skills
  3. Shape Mags come with a lifetime replacement warranty.
  4. Shape Mags are easy for small children to hold and figure out, but interesting enough to truly engage older children.

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laughing-with-shape

My husband is a scientist and loves Shape Mags. He see’s how interactive they are and all the benefits which a child can gain while playing with them. We love that Shape Mags show that magnets have positive and negative charges. This show’s children some of the initial fundamentals to a science.  This peeks interest to a child in a way they can see and feel. They are able to see the magnets pull together and push apart. They can see the cause and reaction in a real and tangible way.

These toys are safe and fun for the while family. With tons of shapes and sizes of mags, you are sure to have hours and hours of entertainment. I know that when I sit down and start playing with them I get addicted! I have such a fun time playing with them. I have even noticed that I am still playing with them after my kids walked about to another toy! I just cannot help myself, it brings out your creative side. Your curious nature in a safe and engaging environment.

Connect with Shape Mags:

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Fun things to create using Shape Mags:

  1. Castle for Elsa and Anna
  2. Jail for Joker and other Bad Guys
  3. Maze for Chase and Skye to race through
  4. Tower for Rapunzel
  5. Carnival for Little People
  6. House for Peppa and George
  7. A Shopkins city

Encourage your children to use their favorite characters with their Shape Mags