A joint project of Kid Knex and Playscool, the company releasing Tinkertoy plastic building kits. 2 wonderful sets combined in one box. From Kid Knex, the sets got flexible rods, shaped parts, eyes, and characters. From Tinkertoy – rings, adapters, sticks, blades. They released several sets – like Transit, Vehicles, Animals, Circus, and Pink. ATTENTION: Compatibility has some restrictions, for example, Tinkertoy sticks cannot connect to Kid Knex stars, there are no hard Kid Knex sticks in this construction set (we have Pink set). There are only flexible rods that fit well with the holes in the Tinkertoy parts. You can use this constructor together with Superstructs sets.
This teddy bear is one of our smallest Tiko figures yet.
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.
This photo of some kids showing their Spaghetteez crafts was made by the manufacturer.
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.
Proposed model for the 480-piece K’NEX 35 craft set. This set has flake-like pieces of different sizes. There are also special rods with the ends of different thickness you can use to connect them. Not all K’Nex sets have these special pieces.
Another good thing about this kit is that comes with a storage box that is big enough to hold many proposed crafts inside. With this box, you can place the half-made toy inside and later continue to work on it.
Just like with any other K’Nex sets, this one has pieces that hold together securely. However, you can easily dismatle your crafts and create something else using the pieces. The regular K’Nex pieces have more robust connections, and crafts can survive even the most active play. Mini K’Nex crafts are slightly more fragile. K’NEX 35 craft set has pieces of the both sizes
While the crafts themselves can be very big, the pieces, especially mini pieces, are very small. Because of this, K’Nex can be dangerous for small babies who can accidentaly swallow the pieces. These pieces can also be too tricky for smaller kids to assemble properly. Because of this, the recommended age for K’Nex sets is 7+ years.
Clics spring close-up. It’s a very simple, but very interesting thing, and it acts like a real spring.
ClicsToys is a Belgian company that was founded in 2001. They operate their own factory located in Kempen, where they manufacture the well-known Clics building blocks. These building sets consist of square pieces, all of which share the same form and shape. They easily connect at their edges, forming joints that can be moved. Since the fundamental components of Clics are square, the basic forms you can build are typically cubic or brick-like. Nevertheless, thanks to the movable joints, you can connect them at various angles, resulting in diverse shapes. With careful assembly, it’s even possible to create triangular or sloping figures. However, the cubes remain the most robust and dependable structures this set can offer. Additionally, you can explore the option of crafting flat mosaics by combining pieces of different colors. Using these plastic squares, you can construct flat surfaces and transform them into 3D shapes. Despite having relatively few extra pieces and accessories, Clics offer limitless creative possibilities. Some sets may include wheels and decorative panels, but these are the primary add-ons. On the plus side, Clics sets generally contain numerous pieces, enabling you to create complex structures with a single set.
