Concentration
Playing with building toys helps children to focus and develop their concentration skills.
Problem Solving
Lego and Lego alternatives teach children the art of problem-solving.
By working on building structures, they are learning about spatial awareness, shapes, patterns, and mathematics.
Supports Physical Development
Playing with building toys is great for building strength in fingers and improving dexterity.
The number of pieces included is also important to help you understand if the toy is good value.
Developmentally Appropriate
When buying a Lego alternative, take notice of the recommended age guidelines.
Youll want to ensure the toy appropriately reflects the developmental stage your child is at.
Toys with very small pieces should not be given to young children because this presents a safety hazard.
Some building sets are intended to make a specific model, for example, a train or a castle.
While these can be great at teaching children to follow instructions, they dont encourage creativity.
Alternatives to Lego
There are many reasons why you might be looking for a Lego alternative.
There are also more advanced KNex sets available for teens and pre-teens.
KNex are high-quality toys and are a trusted brand with a good reputation.
Meccano
Unlike many toys for children,Meccanois predominantly made up of metal pieces.
These pieces can be screwed and bolted together, making for enjoyable and educational building activity.
With Meccano, children can build cranes, trains, and even robots.
Some sets include electronic parts, enabling the structures built with Meccano to really be brought to life.
Meccano was invented in England in 1898 and has since gained popularity with children all over the world.
Meccano toys range in price depending on size but are generally a similar price to comparable sized Lego sets.
Nanoblock
Nanoblocksare the same concept as Lego, but the blocks are much smaller.
This has advantages and disadvantages, depending on what you are looking for.
Nanoblocks are quite pricey, but they are of high quality.
Kre-O
Kre-Otoys are manufactured by a South Korean toy company and marketed by Hasbro.
The name Kre-O comes from the Latin word creo that translates to I create in English.
Kre-O is priced similarly to Lego and is of good quality that will last.
Magnetic Tiles
Magnetic tilesor magnetic blocks have been rapidly gaining in popularity in recent years.
They are fairly large plastic shapes with magnetic alloys on each side.
These magnets attract to those on other blocks so that any number of different structures can be created.
Some sets also incorporate wheels and stands to aid in the creation of specific models.
They are also popular amongst older children, and even many adults find them quite therapeutic to play with.
One of the better-known brands of magnetic tile toys is Magformers, which are headquartered in Michigan.
Magformer magnetic tiles are quite expensive, but their quality is outstanding.
These blocks are big and colorful, like an enlarged version of Lego for smaller children.
They are a good quality toy at a reasonable price.
ZOOB kits are recommended for children ranging from age 5 up to 15 years.
These brightly colored modeling toys encourage STEM principles and provide open-ended learning opportunities for children.
These sets were originally made from redwood, but during the 1970s switched over to plastic.
The company soon reverted to wooden pieces, and this remains the case today.
In later years, Tinkertoys also became available in plastic models, with rods and connectors.
These toys are of high quality, with pieces that hold together well.
They are aimed at children of school age and older.
Tinkertoys do include many small pieces, so they arent ideal for preschoolers.
