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- Verified Buyer
Magnitiles are the best invention for childrens imaginations and for adults for that matter. I thoroughly enjoy building things with the grandkids! Wish there were more in the box so we could just keep going!First bought these back in 2013. These magna tiles have gone through 3 kids with the third being 1 and half yrs old now. I've noticed that at that age they just like to destroy whatever you make, but that's okay. As they get older in the 2s and 3s they start building simple stuff and you can wow them with complicated combinations. The magnets aren't super strong, but they are strong enough where it will hold together without snapping together and pinching anyone's fingers. For me the funnest part of using these is finding ways to incorporate them into other toys. Like making a garage for hot wheels, creating tunnels and cities for your duplo train to pass through, or creating space ships for your lego Buz Lightyear to cruise around in. I happened to make a light table out of a cheap ikea table as well and it's cool to just set these on it and build and watch your structure illuminate.After 9 years I can only recall maybe two pieces cracking or breaking and that was only after my oldest at the time (maybe 7 or 8) had a friend over who was rough with the magna tiles. Outside of those two the only issue I've had with these is they get scuffed up over time and you lose one or two every now and then. Never had a magnet fall out.Great purchase for my grandchildren. Keeps them entertained and using their imaginations. Well-made and durable! Highly recommend.Super strong, durable magnet set. Hours of fun for our grandson.So, how do I begin.... I suppose with some declarations1. I am not in any way connected to this company, although I'd like to be2. I have no incentive for writing this review other than to spread good information based on my experience with these blocksSo, my addiction with these blocks started about 2 years ago, when my son turned 1. Given, at that time he was unable to play with the two sets we had bought form a major big box retailer. The sets happened to be 25% off at that time of year and I jumped on two boxes and stored them for a bit. When my son turned 2 the blocks started being played with. Every since its been a uphill battle to not buy more pieces consistently. At this time we have 3 sets in use, approximately 300 pieces and I have two more boxes (100 pieces each) for my sons upcoming birthday, which will put us over 500 pieces. So why are these blocks so important to our lives you ask? Why invest so much money on these blocks? Please allow me to answer in a multi-tiered fashion.Cost:These blocks are not expensive, not for when you think about the cost associate with one dinner for a family of 3. Go to your RedLibster or go to AliveGarden one night and tell me how much you spend. Oh.. you spent a 100 bucks on some pasta and breadsticks great... you could have had a toy your child/children would play with for 10 years and hand down to their kids one day or an item you could have easily sold on online auction sites for at least half of what you initially spent. We all know it, 'if u want something good u pay a little more'.. so lets not be delusional about the cost of these being too much. In comparison to other toys... they are but a fraction of the cost, based on the possibilities....(see below)Possibilities:These things are almost entirely unlimited in regards to what they will allow someone to produce. When my son first started playing with them he would make 'floors' for his trucks to drive over, then it was simple enclosure unites, then enclosure units with roofs, then villages with roads and buildings, then airports and firehouses, etc... hence the reason we need more blocks. I am having a hard time keeping up with his very creative mind.Why:These blocks for 100 bucks, or whatever u spend on them, trumps any other 'setting' toy you can buy, such as a TTT setting to run trains on which gets old after a while, although the tracks allow for imagination. Even with train tracks though you can only run trains on them. These pieces allow for you to, as described above, build whatever. My son has built house for his 'stuffed animals'... heck... we even built some for his dinosaurs and for him on one occasion.Perks:So easy to store and for the analytical/OCD type person who loves to clean up after their kids, these blocks are ideal. A few minutes and they are exactly as neat as they were when they first arrived in their original packaging. Not many toys can offer that... not to mention these avoid the infamous 'middle of the night' stepping on a (little block) and screaming murder.So.. I am here to simply praise Valtech for their exceptional product. These blocks are sturdy, safe and break proof (or so they appear to be). I am a very hands on father and I spend countless hours with my son playing games (he is an only child, that turns 3 this coming week). I've found great joy in playing with him with these blocks and watching his brain develop in a number of fashions.. below are some of the learning benefits I believe these blocks offer:1. Patience in understanding how long it takes to build something up2. Mechanical Dexterity3. Resiliency in rebuilding things that fall4. Geometry/Shapes recognition5. Mathematics/Counting6. Physis; Forces; Magnetism/Leverage7. Teambuilding8. Creative play9. Pre-approach10....(more I'm sure to come as my child grows)I DID NOT receive any sort of discount on this product. I do not receive any perks for writing this review other than knowing that I possibly helped lead you to buy these blocks for your child or children to play with. That in of itself would be rewarding enough or me and make me happy for having taken the time to review these blocks.We have since started branching out with these blocks:-Plays with them in the shower-Bringing them to grandmas house-Bringing them into the sandpit (Mr. Crabbie)My son calls these things 'sticky blocks' and they are one of his favorite toys. We really have played with them for at least a half an hour to 3 hours for the last 6 months straight. I'd say, its a bit much, (the playing that is), however, I know with my son we are going to play..it is very rewarding to know I am doing my job as a parent and able to find some 'enjoyment' myself in watching his little brain expand before my eyes... These are the epitome of the type of item you buy to enrich your kids life. I took a while to buy a STEM toy/product in that I wanted to buy the right one... this one.. on the 4th purchase continues to reaffirm my belief that there is no better toy available out there.Cons: NoneAdditional information: Magnetic Strength is goodSuggestions: Buy Base that avoids using 4 'big squares', buy a carrying case, take pictures of each of your designsQuestions? I'm happy to provide additional thoughts should you have any questions.Enjoy.. and remember... You cant say 100 bucks is allot of money for a toy, if you are eating out each night, drink, smoke, etc...We built this city....we built this city with magna-tilesBuilt this city...we built this city with magna-tilesSay you don't know me, never been to my placeSay you don't care if toys, take up lots of spaceKnee deep in the hoopla, colors are so brightToo many kinds of blocks, might step on one at nightToddlers cry for mama, like a shot from an arrow, don't you remember?we built this city, we built this city with magna-tilesWe built this city....we built this city with magna-tilesBuilt this city...we built this city with magna-tilesPositively the most creative, durable, sharable, wonderful investment. My 7 grandkids all play together with them. age range 6 and under.allows 3 yr d grand kids to keep busy building then we smash like Hulk and start overUpdated May 2020I lowered the rating from 4 to 3 after playing with the kid for about a month.The major downside is the weak magnets, the structure collapse easily and it's difficult to build complex structures.Magnetic toys are fun to play with, it's the STEM toy.----------------I hear others say that Googlers have this product for their kids, so my kid needs it too.Not other brands, but this specific brand, Magna-Tiles. Most of the time it's way over priced at over £200, but occasionally the price go back to £100, which is still two times higher than other brands.I'm not impressed by the build quality, they look like ordinary plastic pieces. The magnets are a bit at the weaker side too, so the structures you build don't stand strong. Well, it's for kids, I guess this is OK.In short, other products will works the same and people don't care. Unless you have Googler friends.I got a chance to try out one of cheaper versions of it at a play date and in mho the magnets stick better here. Other versions are a bit more exciting with options for wheels and windows, but I'd rather invest in a good quality toy that would last.Could have left my review 6 months ago when we first purchased it, but I wanted to wait to see if the excitement will go away. Well, 6 months later, I can honestly say that this is the one toy the play with almost every single day.It encourages them to be creative, think out of the box and find new ways to challenge their abilities. They learn about the shapes, stability, dimensions and much more.A two y/o will focus on the colors and putting the lid on cubes, while a four y/o will build castles and pyramids! I'd recommend put all 100 pieces in a big clear box so kids will be able approach to it easily. It weights about 3 kilos so not to heavy to take with you on a long holiday.Sometimes, the kids are just an excuse to play with the magna tiles, and we find ourselves building shapes instead of tidying them all up!It's a hit in play dates (although the amount is good enough only for 2 children) and it would make an amazing birthday gift.Yes, it's pricey (and the price never go down!), but I look at it as an investment. It's durable, good quality and the fun never ends when you play with it. The tiles never break when someone accidentally step on them or even when they fall from the top of a 2 meters tower!Out of all the Magna tiles models out there is recommend buying this one. 100 pieces is great amount (to start with) and the clear colorful tiles make it much more interesting to play! Definitely 5 stars!My daughters have been having lots of fun with their magnetic tiles. However, I was a bit shocked when one of the tiles lost two of its magnets without even appearing to be damaged. The rivet seems to have come loose, and the magnets managed to fall out as my children were playing. They aren't overly hard on them, but their structures naturally fall over and crash sometimes.I contacted the company directly about this, and they responded quickly offering to send me a new tile and telling me to check the others. The problem is that I don't know what happened to this one, so I'm not sure how to effectively check the others. While I plan to keep the Magna-Tiles, I will be monitoring them more closely and putting them away before any small children are in my house. My confidence in this product is reduced, so I wanted to warn others to watch out for this issue.I know I know you are looking at these reviews trying to justify whether you should pay this much for a toy that may just end up lying around in the living room. I took a step & bought these magna tiles and a couple months down the line my children (2.5 daughter & 4 year old son) are still playing with it. It is a brilliant toy, really well made and sturdy that are open ended. The children play according & manipulate the tiles into shapes and structures that they feel like making. It introduces them to science/maths/art/technology in a very fun yet innovative way. It is the type of toy that gets everyone in the family playing together which is always a bonus.These are worth buying especially during lock down, although in my opinion a little over priced! I have bought cheaper brands and returned them, they didn’t feel as robust as the Magna Tile brand. My girls like the translucent element too while building towers. My mother sent my 3yr old birthday money enough to buy the 100 piece set. I would recommend 100 pieces after reading the reviews and there are enough tiles to split between two children or two friends. My 5 yr has played with them as much as her lego and I’m writing this review several weeks later.
