Building Set Reviews

"Slightly" disappointed.

Our 2-year-old found them instantly intriguing, but quickly became frustrated by the difficulty of stacking them without knocking them over. We are not worried about that, as we expect this to be a skill-building process in dexterity, balance, large-motor coordination, and so on. But it is worth mentioning that some children, depending on age or taste, may not instantly love these blocks; and we can't say for sure that our child will either, until more time passes.

I think it also important to note that the stackability of these blocks will depend somewhat on the precision with which you fold each one during assembly. There always seem to be a couple of blocks that don't fit together quite as well as others, leaving a bit more tilt than one would like to blocks piled atop it.

However, one does get a very sturdy block when all the folding is done. The design creates "walls" of cardboard within the body of each block, making it strong enough that a small toddler can lean or even sit on one without flattening it.

We will have to wait a while to find out if our child "grows into" the specific skills required to really enjoy these blocks, or if they remain piled in a corner somewhere. The immediate reaction has not been as glorious as we were led to expect from other reviews,

And we really felt that the "assembly required" issue should have been mentioned quite clearly. Although we assumed that these came in "knock-down" form, a clerk at the local [store] (where we would have bought the blocks if they had been in stock that day) said she thought these came pre-assembled. I think that example alone proves that the information should be included in the product listing.

Pros: it takes some dexterity and even hand strength to snap the pieces together. It has a nice, compact case with a handle. K'Nex teaches another kind of connection than the standard block. The abstract nature of these kits really engages kids' imagination.

Cons: A few of the pieces are a choking hazard to anyone under three. Even the long "sticks" could prove disastrous to a child that is unable to resist mouthing and running around. You child may need your help a lot in the beginning until they get the hang of how the pieces attach to each other.

Yes. There are small parts but I just keep an eye on my 2.5 yr olds. They have yet to put the small pieces in their mouth but did once chew on a bigger piece.

Yes. As another reviewer said, I wish it had a bigger case. A parent has to pack it and pack it carefully or it won't close. That said, it is a nice sturdy case and has held up well to my kids sitting and standing on it.

Worth every penny!

The toy seems very durable and offers many ways for a child to use his imagination. I will say based on reading the previous reviews I was a bit worried about getting the parts back into the carrier. After his mother figured out the large parts needed to go in first, it was really a breeze.

If you have a child who enjoys building things, I highly recommend this toy.

Some parents may not care about this, but another thing I *love* about this toy is that it's completely gender-neutral. No stupid stereotypes about what a kid should or shouldn't like. And his friends (boys and girls alike) like to play with his blocks with him.

I guess it would be nice if they were Duplo and connected with the Legos he'll undoubtedly move on to, but we're putting the price difference in his college fund :). This is easily the best value for the money or any toy for this age that I've seen.

Great.

Now, here's the kicker. She had had a set of Maxi Mega Blocks for ages, but hadn't used them much (because of the tower-building problem). It turns out that Maxi Mega Blocks will also fit on this baseplate! You can't build Duplos on top of them, but that's not a big problem here. The Duplo baseplate rejuvenated the Maxi Mega Blocks as a cool toy for a toddler who likes to build.

If you're thinking about buying something for a kid who is too young for Duplos, try Maxi Mega Blocks and a Duplo baseplate (the Primo sets are nowhere near as good as MMB for actual building).

The only bummer is that the baseplate we have is rather thin and flexible, and I'm worried about her stepping on it and breaking it (hence the 3 stars for durability). It hasn't broken yet, but I've taken a fair bit of care to make sure of that. But don't let this deter you!

FOR YOUNG USERS This product will immediately engage young users in building and programming the layouts that come with the kit. This alone makes it worth twice the cost. The programming environment is easy, yet the possibilities it offers will draw your kids into thinking and problem-solving. Learning and having fun at the same time: What a great idea!

FOR ADULTS Lego robots are used in graduate courses at MIT and Indiana University, among other schools. The programming environment is robust enough that it can support exercises in artificial intelligence. Check the NET: there are people out there posting advanced code for the Lego OS, writing new operating systems for the Mindstorms platform, and posting instructions for their own robotic creations. It is fun and educational for adults, too!

PURCHASING RECOMMENDATION The Robotics Invention System is the best entry point to Mindstorms, in my opinion. The programming options are much greater because of the ability to program on a PC with this kit. The lower-priced Mindstorms kits, such as the Robotics Discovery set do not allow programming from the PC. The programs are limited to what is included in the on-board processing module. That means the Robotics Discovery robots cannot do nearly as much as you can program the Robotics Invention System robots to do.

P.S. THIS IS ALSO A VERY ENTERTAINING TOY