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We have a lot of toys in our house. We’ve got a toddler, so in some respects, I think it comes with the territory. But y’all. The toys can be overwhelming sometimes. I’m still working on finding the best storage system and rotation strategy for our family to be sure that we don’t have all the toys out all the time.
Even so, I’m not ready to ban all new toys. In fact, if I have learned anything about toys in my time as a stay-at-home mom, it’s that Little really NEEDS to play and toys have a role in that. Play is how children learn. Toys are useful for developing motor skills, encouraging pretend play, problem-solving, and spatial awareness.
BUT all toys are not created equal. And I am learning this more and more each day. Rather than welcoming any toy or gadget into our home, I try to be really intentional to find toys that are educational, fun, and most importantly, will grow with our kids and therefore last for a really long time.
So today, I want to share with you one of our new favorite toys that has been getting a lot of play around here recently – Shape Mags Magnetic Stick & Stack tiles.
Specifically designed to help children develop cognitive skills, Shape Mags are magnetic tiles that come in a variety of shapes and colors that can be used to build almost any structure you can think of. From tall stacks to intricate towers and castles, your little ones are really able to bring to life whatever they imagine.
We currently have the Classic Set from Shape Mags that includes 100 magnetic tiles, a magnetic base, 1 car base, and 24 stile-mags. And we love it.
Encourage STEM skills & Creativity with Shape Mags
Shape Mags are a great way to promote STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math) skills for kids of all ages. We use them at home to work on basic math foundations such as sorting, counting, and categorizing as we stack the tiles together. We’ve also been introducing more advanced concepts as we learn how the tiles need to be placed to provide support when we build taller towers and buildings.
While all these concepts are still at an introductory level around here, I have loved watching Little catch on and start to recognize some of these things on his own.
Our favorite things to build around here so far have been castles, towers, a train car, and simple stacks.
Fun for the Whole Family
Another great thing about Shape Mags is that they are really fun for the whole family. Little can play with these toys individually during quiet time or we can all play together and build different pieces of a puzzle or work together to build larger structures. It’s fun to work together and to bounce ideas off of one another as we create new things with the tiles. Nothing like a little cooperation and teamwork to make something awesome, am I right?!
Finally, because the pieces literally stick together, cleaning up the Shape Mags is a breeze. No loose pieces rolling around on the floor. Can I get three cheers for that?! We keep all of our Shape Mags in a fabric storage container so Little can easily pull them out and put them away himself when he wants to play.
I will never ever get tired of seeing all the things that Little’s imagination comes up with or the way he lights up when he can bring those things to life. Shape Mags are a great way to encourage this and I am really thankful to have them in our home. I’m confident that they’ll be staples for years to come.
Learn More
To learn more about Shape Mags, or to order your own set (they make great Christmas gifts!), be sure to check out Shape Mags’ website.
The next sets on our wish list are the steps & ramps set & the windows & gate set!
What are your favorite toys to promote creativity and learning?
I love inspirational learning, This looks like a wonderful gift.
Same! This is a great gift idea! I already plan to buy some of the accessory kits for my son in the future we love them so much!
These are so cool
Thanks, we really enjoy them!
I have heard SO mamy great things about these!! They are high up on our Christmas list for sure!!
They are SO good! We really enjoy playing with them!
We have these magnetic tiles and my kids love them. They’ll be building for hours!
Same here; they are a huge hit!
These look like SO much fun! Such a great idea for open ended play! #wanderingwednesdays
They really are!
Magnetic tiles are THE best toys! I got these for my three and eight year old boys last month and they get so creative and absolutely love it. Super easy to clean up as well- that’s a plus!
They really are! We have loved them and you are not kidding – the clean up is so simple and I really appreciate that!
These are awesome!! I might just have to try them out!
They are really great! I’m sure your little one would love them!
We had these for my son when he was a toddler and they were awesome!!! I would definitely recommend to any new mom!
Aren’t they great?! We love them!
Those look like great toys! We always bought our kids creative toys like that and they played with them for years. Sometimes creative toys are expensive to start, but they are really a great value. The enrichment and joy benefits can’t be measured, and generally speaking, the toys last forever.
They are really great toys and I agree with you on the great value of these toys. They are really built to last, and I know that we will play with them for years to come!
We love magnetic tiles! My kids will play with them forever and I love seeing what they come up with.
Same! They are so fun!
These toys look so fun. Will definitely be adding to my list of future kid gifts for friends!
They make really great gifts! And they have several accessory kits that can be used for gifts in years after!
So fun! These look like such cool things for kids.
They really are! And I really like that they aren’t JUST for toddlers – my guy can play with these for years!
These look amazing! I need to try them
They are really fun! You should definitely try them!
My kids have ShapeMags and absolutely love them. They were a gift for my older boys a few years ago but now reside in my three year old’s rooms. I’m always amazed at the creations the kids come up with.
I am really impressed with the ideas that my son comes up with and really thankful to have toys that promote such creativity! We’re big fans over here!
My son has some of these toys and we love them. They have really helped him to really learn how to work with shapes.
Angela
I’m so glad to hear this! There are so many great things you can learn with them!
I’ve heard such great things about these toys! They look like so much fun!
They really are!
I heartily agree! My kids are aged 10-13 and we still have our magnetic plastic blocks; they often build things with them!
Oh, that is so good to hear! My guy is only two, so hopefully we’ll have many more years to enjoy these!
these look like amazing toys!
Thanks! We love them!
These look like so much fun! I know that my kiddos would love creating and building with them!
They really are lots of fun to play with & it is awesome to see what kids come up with to build!
We have two sets of these and my kids absolutely LOVE them! They are so fun and great educational toys for kids!
Aren’t they the best?! I know that we will be getting more for our collection in the future; we love them so much!
These magnet blocks are some of my favorite toys!!
Right?! We love them!
I need to get some for my toddler! They seem awesome!
You totally should! They are perfect for toddlers!
I love toys that help with imagination, education and development. I have a nephew I need to buy for and this would make a perfect gift!
They make GREAT gifts. They last forever, are great for such a wide age range, and can be added to for future celebrations. And they all stick together – so it’s easier to keep up with them than some other toys with several pieces!
My boys love to play with magnets. Great ideas here!
How fun! We love them around here, too!
My 3 year old received these as a gift for his birthday and absolutely loves them! We need more honestly! He just got a small set, I’ll have to check into this one!
You totally should! There are so many different sets you can choose from that you can really build your collection over time!
These are the cutest toys! Also, I love your sons PJs 🙂
-xo, Azanique | http://www.lotsofsass.com
Thank you so much! We really love them! (Also, the PJs were just $4.97 from Wal-Mart! – he’s outgrown so many this year and I’m trying to get by until Christmas. He loves the rocket ships!)
I love these magnetic shapes! The tiles with the pictures look especially fun. My kids always loved building toys when they were young. What a great gift idea.
We have really enjoyed them! I am excited about the fact that they will really be able to grow with us as the kids get older!
I love the Shape Mags for all the reasons you mention – thanks for sharing with Party in Your PJs!
Absolutely! Lots of great links there! I’m glad you also like the Shape Mags – they are lots of fun!
We love Shape Mags at our house! So much fun and and awesome learning toy!
I totally agree. They are some of our favorite toys to play with here!
Love these ideas for my nieces and nephews this Christmas!! Thanks for a great post.
They really are great gift ideas! We love them so much around here and they get so much playing time!
We have these and my 5 year old son LOVES them! He makes garages for his cars and elaborate structures. I think my 2 year old would love them too if his brother would share!
That is so fun! They are great to incorporate with other toys, too! I love that he builds garages for his cars! Little likes to build houses for his animals!
I love your statement that “Shape Mags bring imagination to life”! What a wonderful way to play! I think I need to add these to the kid’s Christmas list this year!
They really do make excellent gift ideas for kids of so many ages! I love that they encourage imagination and problem solving!
These are the best! My daughter got a set a few years back and still loves playing with them. We are constantly building and stacking! I wished I had known about them when she was just learning fine motor skills.
They are so fun! I’m glad you all have a set – and to hear that you love them. I really haven’t talked to anyone that doesn’t love them!
These look great. We are a fan of STEM toys and I do agree those that are more educational are better. Love the fact they are easier to clean up too. Thanks for sharing with #bloggersbest x
I’ve been thinking about these for my little guy. Good birthday present idea!
They make GREAT gifts. I definitely recommend them!
These toys are one of our absolute favorites! All of my children ages 5-10 still play with these! Great suggestion!
That is so good to hear! I know we will use ours for years to come, but I’m glad to see that you really are using yours for older kids! We’ve added some of the accessory kits to our wish list!
I’m always looking for new Non-Electric toys for my kiddo! I’ll have to give shape mags a try especially since they are STEM toys!
They are really great – I highly recommend them!
They look fun. I think my little man would love exploring these!
I’m sure he would love them. We have a great time with them over here!
My boys are 10 and 11 and still love all of the building toys. Those are keepers, for sure!
That is so good to hear. I have not heard anyone not like these toys – and I’m glad to hear parents of older kids even mentioning this. It confirms what I already think about them – great investments that we’ll enjoy around here for years to come!
I love finding toys that promote creativity and STEM skills. I know a few families who have Shape Mags and they’re always a popular pick.
They really make great gifts and there are so many excellent learning opportunities with them!
I’ve never heard of these Stick & Stack tiles! I want some for ME to play with! What a great idea! Thanks for sharing!
For real! We like them, too. They really are great fun for “kids” of all ages! 🙂
My nieces and nephews have shape mags and they love them! They are a great toy! Entertains them for hours!
Same here. I know we will be buying more for our little guy!
Those blocks look awesome! My son was a big lego fan when he was small, but sometimes the intricate bits were too much for him. These look way more user-friendly for tiny fingers!
These are really user friendly! And they aren’t too small! (Also, they don’t hurt nearly as bad if you happen to step on them crossing the floor!) 😉
I’ve seen these lots of places and they seem reeeeeeally cool! I may have to get Ella some once she gets a little bit older!
You totally should! They are great for motor skills! We also liked using big blocks for building when Little was younger, but these are really excellent for him now!
Oh man these are the coolest!! I’ve never seen them!!
Oh my goodness! You need to try them!! Miss A would love them; they are so much fun!
I love these! My son is a total builder and any toy that has to do with building I love.
They really are great for imagination and creativity!