The edges of each piece are used to connect the shapes together for building, which allows kids to create tactile works of art and cool 3-dimensional structures that they can turn into dollhouses, parking garages, Jurassic theme parks—or anything else their unbridled curiosity can dream up. These toys practically scream "open-ended play for hours." If your kid can dream it, these toys are there to help them createit.

Marble Run 50-Piece Magnetic Tile Race Track Toy PicassoTiles Marble Run 50-Piece Magnetic Tile Race Track Toy

Where they differ, however, is their sides. Picasso Tiles are not riveted closed; instead, they are glue-sealed. For many people, this is a non-issue, but we’ve seen some complaints of this weaker seal causing them to break open more easily. Because the magnets are so small, this may be an issue for you. Marble run was first invented by Blaise Pascal and is hence named Pascal’s marble run or Deterministic Galton Board. This project is great for hands on mechanical calculations and learning to build machines that work. Marbles run can be made with cardboard, plastic and other recyclable materials and the ideas are endless. You can create a small or a large runway for your marbles if you like.

Magformersare a little bit different than most magnetic tile toys in that these aren’t really tiles at all. Instead, Magformers are shape outlines, which allow kids to make very cool, hollowed-out, 3-D structures. Magna-Tiles, Picasso Tiles, Magformers and Connetix are some of the best magnetic tile sets forbuilding fine motor skills, encouraging creative thinkingand honing budding engineering skills in kids ages 3 to whenever they've grown out of the building bug. Standout features on Magna-Tiles are rivet-welded sides, which keep the magnets in place, a criss-cross lattice interior for strength, and a flat exterior design, which make these a favorite choice for creating ramps and bridges and anything else toy cars may drive over. Kids are natural-born engineers. They come into this world with an innate curiosity about science, technology, engineering, and math (aka STEM); it’s our job to nurture that curiosity and encourage them to find the fun in this kind of learning.

Magnetic Tiles | Magnetic Blocks | Magnetic Building | Toytime NZ Magnetic Tiles | Magnetic Blocks | Magnetic Building | Toytime NZ

Connetix Tilesare gorgeous magnetic tiles that look like jewels because of the exterior beveling and the lovely pastel colors. These magnetic tile toy builds are some of the most stunning to look at, and they catch the light beautifully. While the bevel design is undeniably pretty, it also helps protect the magnetic tile pieces from scratches, adding to their longevity. They also feel really cool in a little kid’s hands. Unfortunately, this also makes Connetix Tiles not the best choice for anyone making car ramps and roadways. Now make pillars for that will keep the horizontal tube in place using a combination of rectangular and square magnetic tiles.We used pool marbles for running them through the marble run. The marble run is very sturdy and can handle it’s weight easily. I hope you enjoyed this project. While the choice of which brand of magnetic tile sets you buy may be subjective, we highly recommend you get a starter set of 100 magnetic tiles or more. A bigger set allows for more creativity. Our favorite magnetic tile toys 1. Magna-Tiles

Tiles - Award winning STEAM approved educational Connetix Tiles - Award winning STEAM approved educational

We found the magnets on these to be very strong and high quality. The riveted sides are a nice safety measure for curious mouths and the exterior bevel helps make this the most scratch-resistant choice of all the magnetic tile sets. Additionally, the marble run build kits are extensive and really fun to create with.The super strong internal magnets make builds sturdy and minimize frustration when younger kids are first honing their building skills. Magna-Tilesare so popular that the brand’s name is synonymous with magnetic tile toys. While these are the priciest of your options, there is a reason they’re so popular. Of course, learning comes best when it’s done through play, which is why magnetic tile toys, like Magna-Tiles, Picasso Tiles and others,are wildly popular—and why we think that they are the best STEM toys for kids of all ages. Because they are hollow, it is easier for little hands to grasp them. Magformers have some of the strongest magnets of the bunch, which make them extra gratifying for builds. Magformers are the best magnetic tile toys for making movable structures like balls and cylinders. Picasso Tilesare a more affordable option to Magna-Tiles. Like the latter, they have a flat surface and a lattice interior for strength. Depending on who you ask, Picasso Tiles are stronger than Magna-Tiles, but in our experience, they seem equally strong.