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My firstborn didn’t watch TV until he was well over 3 — and even then, not much beyond the occasional Nick Jr. show. I was all about play time and no screen time. When my second son was born, between having an older brother and a mom who was now juggling two kids, history didn’t quite repeat itself. (Okay, not even a little bit.)
That being said, I do my best to still keep screen time limited so I’m always looking for ways to keep my younger son engaged in pretend play — everything from building forts to taking my imaginary order at our imaginary restaurant in our not-so-imaginary living room.
And then, one day, when my little guy was 3, I was introduced to Shape Mags. Fast-forward a few years and it’s still one of his favorite — if not favorite — toy. The concept is an easy (but genius!) one: Take your basic building blocks and magnetize them so constructing houses, cars and even trains that run through the kitchen, around the dog bowl and down the hall are not only easy but they actually stay together.
Bonus: The translucent tiles come in a wide assortment, teaching them about shapes/colors and adding a nice artistic touch to your little one’s creative masterpieces.
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When Alejandro was younger, it was more about building the basic tower and seeing how many times he could knock it down and make Mommy re-build it. (I lost count on the 21,593rd fall.)
Now that he’s a little older, he’s able to make super creative (and pretty intricate) designs that have become part of the living room decor. (His latest wonder: An airport hanger and runway!)
As Alejandro got older, it was also a good hands-on lesson about magnets (they can stick to the fridge!) and how they work.
Despite being possibly the most headstrong preschooler, not even that stubborn streak proved effective when trying to make repelling sides come together. (Luckily, the tiles are also super durable as I found out on occasion when they repelled and a certain 3-year-old would get mad and “accidentally” drop one.)
Although the box is pretty heavy when full, it’s super sturdy and the magnets store nicely once they’re arranged making it easy for me to slip in the car — for both during long rides to see family and to use at our final destination.
Buy It! Shape Mags 124-Piece Set ($50), amazon.com
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