When I was a kid, I can remember spending so much time playing with our wooden blocks and Lincoln Logs with my sisters. So many memories were made playing with these toys and I can still remember the wicker basket that my mother stored those wooden blocks in! There is a reason that every preschool classroom has a large selection of blocks and other building toys available to the kids. Open-ended building toys offer so many benefits to younger children and help them develop skills that will help them develop problem solving and critical thinking skills that will help them both academically and socially when they are older. I tried to include a few more options for older kids this year that work on developing higher level executive functioning skills such as focus and sustained attention, following directions and improving frustration tolerance. Building and construction toys are great for working on improving fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills, improves visual motor and visual perceptual skills, encourages hand-eye and bilateral coordination skills and works on improving focus, attention, problem solving and organizational skills. Building toys also offer a number of social benefits for kids including the development of important skills such as cooperation, communication, conflict resolution and being able to successfully negotiate and take ideas from others. What I have suggested below is just a small sampling of building and STEM toys that I love. If you don’t see something just right for your kiddo, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at otmeghan@gmail.com for other suggestions. I am always happy to help people find the perfect gifts for their little ones.
1. Art-chitect Architecture Kit-it was important to me to find more advanced building/STEM kits for some of the older kids. I f I have to be honest, I had my own niece in mind when I found this architecture kit who is a senior in high school and would have loved to have been able to give this to her when she first showed interest in the field. This STEM kit is a 3-D home model-building kit that teaches kids about design, drafting and creativity who are showing an interest in the field of architecture. The kit comes with a detailed guidebook, real architectural tools such as a drafting triangle and compass, base boards, walls, tracking paper and static-cling doors and windows drafting pencil, eraser and glue and a set of colored pencils to help bring their architectural and interior designs to life. This set is great for working on improving visual motor and visual perceptual skills, encourages problem solving and spatial reasoning skills, develops critical thinking and works on improving executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, organizational skills and time management skills.
2. Melissa and Doug Blockable Sets-I am loving this new line of building toys from Melissa and Doug, especially how perfect they are for younger builders such as toddlers and preschoolers. These line of wooden building blocks with connectors allow children to easily snap pieces together to build, stack and create a variety of structures, figures, animals and more. There are a bunch of sets to choose from and they can all be mixed and matched with one another. Each of the sets comes with a bunch of themed blocks, felt pieces, connectors, play people and an illustrated building guide. An added bonus is that the packaging folds out and can be used as a play space; once your child is done playing, the box can be used for storage and since it has a handle, it is a great on-the-go toy. Blockables are great for developing fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills, encourages hand-eye and bilateral coordination skills, works on improving visual motor and visual perceptual skills and works on improving problem solving and focus and attentional skills all while encouraging creativity and imagination skills.
3. Bluey Magnetic Tile House-another one of those meet kids are where they are at and what they are interested in and have them work on developing a variety of skills. Bluey is a big deal with the kids I work with and when I saw this magnetic tile kit featuring Bluey, I knew it had to go on this year’s gift guide. This Heeler Home Tile set comes with 44 magnetic tiles, 2 action tiles, 1 vehicle and figurines of Bluey and her family members. Kids are encouraged to build the Bluey family house using the different colored and shaped tiles. The two action tiles are activated by putting the figurines on them. One of the nice things about this magnetic tile set is that they are compatible with other magnetic tiles you might already have which allows them to be more creative and use their imagination while building. Building with any magnetic tiles works on improving fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills, improves visual motor and visual perceptual skills, encourages bilateral and hand-eye coordination skills and works on improving problem solving and organizational skills all while encouraging creativity and imagination skills
4. Brio Builder Construction Set-if you have a kiddo who loves to build and you want something that will last for a long time, Brio building toys are a great gift for them. Brio building toys are an open-ended construction toy made of high quality wood and plastic that are designed to encourage kids to develop fine motor skills through creative and imaginative play. This particular set comes with 136 pieces including a variety of different shaped and sized wooden pieces, a variety of tools like screwdrivers, hammers and wrenches and various pieces including nuts, bolts and gears which allow kids to build vehicles, robots, structures and whatever else their imagination comes up with. For kids who have a hard time with coming up with ideas on their own, it also comes with a guidebook with building ideas. Building and creating with Brio works on developing fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills, improves visual motor and visual perceptual skills, encourages hand-eye and bilateral coordination skills, works on improving problem solving, organizational and spatial awareness skills while encouraging creativity and imagination. Kids can build solo or work with a sibling or friends to create.
5. Clixo Building Toys-I just love these magnetic building toys because they encourage so much creativity and imagination while working on so many occupational therapy skills. Clixo are a flexible magnetic building toy that combines origami, magnets and building blocks to create both 2D and 3D structures. While intended to be an open-ended building material, each of the sets comes with step-by-step projects. Over the last few years, they have created many more themed kits such as dinosaurs, ocean animals, jewelry and so much more which come with unique Clixo blocks. These building sets are great for working on improving fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills, improves visual motor and visual perceptual skills, encourages hand-eye and bilateral coordination skills and works on improving executive functioning skills such as focus, attention and patience, problem solving, planning and organizational skills. Because these building toys are flat, they are great for taking on the go to keep kids entertained while traveling, out to eat or waiting for appointments.
6. Design and Drill Marble Run-I have had a variety of these Design and Drill sets from Educational Insights and the kids always love them. Marble runs are also a big hit with my kiddos so when I saw this set, I was really excited and thought of a lot of kids that I know who would love it. This STEM toy for older preschoolers and school age children allows kids to make marble mazes using a kid-friendly power drill and colorful bolts to build and customize their own mazes on the design board. This set includes 15 track pieces, 20 bolts, a marble and 10 double-sided challenge cards that kids can follow. Kids can replicate the mazes that are on the cards or they can create their own marble mazes. This toy is a great way to work on improving fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills, improves hand-eye and bilateral coordination skills, works on improving visual motor and visual perceptual skills and works on improving executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, problem solving and organizational skills.
7. Gecko Marble Run-I have always been a fan of marble runs because they work on so many occupational therapy skills. I discovered the Gecko marble run sets on a fluke last year and was so excited to share them with everyone this year. Gecko Run is a marble run system that uses a special kind of adhesive pad to attach flexible tract to smooth, vertical surfaces such as mirrors, windows, doors and some walls allowing for gravity-defying builds. The tracks are interchangeable and different paths can be created time and time again. Because the pads are not glue-based, the tracks can be moved and repositioned easily so kids can work on problem solving and organizational skills. I have found this to be a great collaborative building toy for some of my older school-aged kids who are struggling with social skills, One of the things I like about the Gecko systems is that they take up less space because they are meant for vertical surfaces which makes it better for those of you who live in a smaller space. Marble Run toys are great for working on improving fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills, works on developing hand-eye and bilateral coordination skills, works on improving executive functioning skills such as problem solving, focus and attentional skills, cognitive flexibility and organizational skills and works on improving problem solving and spatial reasoning skills. Additionally, it encourages creativity and as already mentioned, is a great activity to be done collaboratively with siblings or friends.
8. Jelly Blox Construction Set-Jelly Blox are a unique building toy made out of a soft and flexible kind of silicone that can be squeezed, stretched, twisted and used to build and create. Some of the blocks are even filled with different materials such as sand or foam balls for added tactile experiences and exploration. These blocks are great for beginning builders and ideal for toddlers and younger preschoolers because the soft material won’t pinch when putting them together like some of the other building blocks. There are several sets to choose from including construction sets, farm animals and more open-ended ones. Playing with Jelly Blox are a great way to work on developing fine motor grasping and manipulation skills, encourages hand-eye and bilateral coordination skills, improves visual motor and visual perceptual skills and works on developing problem solving and spatial reasoning skills. Open-ended building encourages creativity, imagination and language skills, improves self-regulation skills and boosts confidence and self-esteem skills.
9. Peppa Pig Duplo Supermarket Set-this Peppa Pig Duplo set is so cute and I can’t tell you how much our kiddos play with the Peppa Pig toys at our gym and how they motivate the kids to do more challenging tasks. When I saw this Duplo set, I knew it had to go on this year’s gift guide. Intended for children 2 years and older, this 70-piece set comes with Peppa Pig, George, Mummy and Daddy Pig characters all kinds of supermarket accessories. Young children work on developing fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills, work on improving hand-eye and bilateral coordination, work on developing visual motor and visual perceptual skills while encouraging creative and imaginative play skills and improving language skills. I love how after the kids build all the supermarket pieces, they can interact with them such as opening the draw of the cash register and filling the shopping cart with food.
10. Roller Coaster Engineering Kit-when looking for building/STEM toys for older kids, I try and find things that will not only be fun but work on building executive functioning skills.This hands-on STEM toy lets kids build and test out a bunch of different roller coaster models. It comes with a durable, easy-to-assemble, reusable plastic building system and a 32-page manual with step-by-step assembly instructions for building different roller coasters along with providing a scientific explanation for each build. For those who are interested, they can make their own builds. This building toy is great for working on improving fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills, encourages hand-eye and bilateral coordination skills, improves visual motor and visual perceptual skills and is a great activity to work on improving executive functioning skills such as problem solving, planning and organizational skills, following directions, frustration tolerance and sustained attention skills. It would be a great activity for kids to do together to work on improving social skills like taking turns and being flexible with accepting ideas.
11. Snap Circuits-snap circuits have been around for a long time and are a great gift for any school age or older kid who is interesting in building and electronics. Snap Circuit kits provide a safe, hands-on way to learn about electronics and build projects. There are a ton of different kits to choose from with different levels and different kinds of projects. The kits allow users to build all kinds of things, including, alarms, radios and so much more, by connecting color-coded and numbered parts. Each of the kits comes with an easy to follow manual with clear instructions for projects. Building with Snap Circuits is great for working on improving fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills, improves hand-eye and bilateral coordination skills, improves visual motor and visual perceptual skills, encourages creativity and works on building up executive functioning skills such as problem solving, following directions, planning and organizational skills.
12. Mini Magnetic Blocks Travel Set-these travel magnetic block sets are super cute and come in 4 themes: Christmas, Ocean, Pixel (think Super Mario World) and Construction. Each of the sets comes with approximately 40 magnetic cubes that go with each of the themes. Each of the cubes click together on all sides and allow them to create magical scenes that can be different each and every time they play with them. These sets are sold in portable, magnetic tin boxes that can be used not only for storage but for building and creating. These magnetic blocks are a great way to work on improving fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills, improves visual motor and visual perceptual skills and encourages creativity and imagination through open-ended play and building.
