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Clics Big Set – Boat

This boat has flat mosaic sails and shows both 2D and 3D Clics building styles. The manufacturer proposes this model for the biggest Clics sets – like the 560-piece set.

ClicsToys, a Belgian company established in 2001, operates its very own factory located in Kempen, where they craft the popular Clics building blocks. These building sets mostly have square pieces, all sharing identical form and shape. What sets Clics apart is their ability to connect smoothly at the edges, allowing flexible joint movements.

Using these plastic squares, the creative possibilities are endless, even though Clics sets usually offer relatively few extra pieces and accessories. Some sets may include wheels and decorative panels, but few extra items. The true strength of Clics lies in the generous number of pieces in their sets, allowing you to make even biggest creations with ease. The pieces of Clics are too big to swallow and easy to hold, so they are safe, but some connections can be too tricky to younger kids. So the most sets are recommended for children who are 3 years old or older. However, these sets will be interesting even for the 10-years-olds.

The fundamental building blocks in Clics are square, which naturally leads to the cubic or brick-like structures. However, the great advantage of these blocks is the ability to connect them at various angles, making diverse shapes. Careful assembly can even give you triangular or sloping figures. Nevertheless, the most robust and tough structures in Clics are cube-shaped. Additionally, you can create flat mosaics by combining pieces of different colors.

Clics Big Set - Boat
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Clics Glitter Carousel 90 Pieces

I really liked the construction set because you can assemble very, very many things from it. You are really only limited by your imagination. I saw online what people make from it and decided to buy it and try it. I bought it for my 5-years-old daughter. The piece connection is stiff, but you get used to it with time. She did everything herself, I only suggested and corrected if somewhere the parts did not fit completely. But I think she really could have done it without my help. I just really wanted to assemble the carousel faster.

I just really wanted to see if it’s really possible to make a working model from a construction set. By the way, she started assembling it herself, even before I joined the construction. And she independently, without my help, figured out how to circuit and assemble the baskets for the carousel.

Making the roof of the carousel was more difficult. It’s strange that about no one wrote about this. We assembled it just like the scheme suggested. But the outer elements wher we inserted the tubes kept disconnected. Since we had to bend the tubes with force to connect them (a child would not be able to do this at all), they simply tore out the outer parts from their places. I never managed to make a circle. I had to wait for my husband – he, as an engineer by vocation, made it simpler (not as shown in the scheme). First he connected the outer parts with tubes, and then inserted them inside the resulting circle cross (middle of the roof).

The carousel is really spinning! And my daughter now refuses to take it apart to assemble other versions of the carousel. Now he rolls his bunnies and other toys in it. And I really want to assemble other carousels – I’ll have to order another set like this 🙂 In general, it’s a set with a great potential!

Clics Glitter Carousel 90 Pieces
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Clics Glitter Spin Around Set

Everything about this set is fine, but connection the gears and the axle (and there are three of them in a set) are very stiff! A connection like that is difficult to assemble EVEN FOR AN ADULT! So the children can’t play on their own! The idea behind the whole Clics Glitter Spin Around is good, but poorly executed. I, as a mother, was very upset about this part. As a result, the adults of our family had to put on and remove the wheels on the axle several times themselves. After this, the child was able to completely assemble both carousels and trains on her own. Now we play and have fun. 🙂

But my daughter was glued to this set for two days. She made all the models herself (she is 5 years old), I just helped bend and insert the arcs for the carousel. This set has an auxiliary part, a rotary block, it’s a very interesting thing. Thanks to it you can build carousels and other spinning attractions.

The second set I bought was a Glitter Bucket set, which is just a common Clics set with some glitter pieces. It has wheels, but no axis pieces. So it’s very similar to the medium-sized non-glitter sets.

Clics Glitter Spin Around Set
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Spaghetteez Building Set – Truck

Spaghetteez building sets often include wheels that allow you to create vehicles like this truck. This truck is sturdy enough to actually hold together whille you roll it around.

Spaghetteez is a unique brand of building sets with flexible tubes. Basic Spaghetteez pieces are plastic straws of different lengths, and they not only bend very well but also keep whatever shape you twist them into. They can bend again and again to form a flat surface, they can wrap around each other, form knots, and so on.

All the straws have special connectors on their ends, so you can connect any straws together, or loop a straw by connecting its own ends. The sets also have special connectors that will hold the straws together at certain angles or side by side. Or, if you need to connect two straws by their middles, you can just tie them together.

Just like any other straw, the Spagheettez set allows you to create lightweight and hollow shapes. However, these straws can hold together upright if your craft’s shape allows it. For example, you can create an animal, and it will actually stand on its legs. The Spaghetteez sets also include wheels, so you can create a vehicle and actually roll it around.

Unlike with many other sets with straws, you can’t cut Spaghetteez straws and continue to connect them. Spaghetteez straws have special connecting pieces on their ends, so they won’t be able to connect if you cut the end off. Because of this, the sets have many straws of different lengths.

Spaghetteez Building Set - Truck
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Tiko Sailboat

A small Tiko sailboat from a very few pieces.

Tiko is a vintage building set, just like Tako. But, unlike Tako, Tiko pieces are solid panels of different shapes. They also connect by the edges – each edge has some sockets and some balls at regular intervals. Together, the balls and sockets form joints, so you can connect the pieces at different angles. The pieces themselves have different sizes – some are palm-sized, and others are smaller. But it’s possible to connect the pieces of different sizes, as long as the sockets match. Some big pieces have open centers – and these openings also have sockets, so you can add something there.

Since some Tiko pieces are so big, you can easily make crafts that are as tall as a 10-year-old child, and parts will actually hold together. Or you can make flat mosaics if you want to, and then roll them to make a 3D figure. There are no people figurines or decorations, but the building possibilities are endless. With Tiko, can create abstract shapes, buildings, toy furniture, and even something they can wear themselves. It’s a pity this set isn’t available to buy anymore, but there are some similar toys with the same basic concepts.

Tiko Sailboat
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K’NEX 35 Model Building Set – Car

This is another car model proposed for the 480-piece K’NEX 35 crafts set. This set includes 480 pieces of different sizes and shapes. It has both big and small flake-like pieces, along with thick and thin rods that match. Some rods are designed to connect the big and small pieces together. Not all K’Nex sets have these special pieces.

One good thing about this kit is that it comes with a large storage box where you can keep your projects. You can store unfinished toys inside the box and work on them later.

Like other K’Nex sets, the pieces in this one fit together securely. You can easily take apart your creations and use the pieces to make something new. Regular K’Nex pieces have strong connections, so your creations can withstand active play. Mini K’Nex creations are a bit more delicate. The K’NEX 35 crafts set includes both regular and mini-sized pieces.

While the crafts you make can be quite big, some of the pieces, especially the mini ones, are very small. This makes K’Nex sets not suitable for small babies who might accidentally swallow the pieces. They can also be a bit challenging for younger kids to put together correctly. That’s why it’s recommended for kids aged 7 and older to use K’Nex sets.

K’NEX 35 Model Building Set - Car