We only used pieces of Kid KNEX Big Building Tub set.
Scared Christmas Tree
Lion, Hedgehog and Horse
We sometimes play like this: we take some kind of constructor, one with not too many details, and we build something of specific theme, animals, for example. The conditions are not to disassemble any figures and to left as few unused pieces as possible. At first, it’s simple, but the fewer pieces you have are, the more difficult it is to portray something you need :))
Feathered Friend 2
…but it turned out to be a duck-goose or a turkey-duck, with homemade magnet eyes added.
By 6,6-years-old Willy.
Clics Ice Rink In The Evening
The same Clics ice rink in the darkness. We decorated it with some Christmas lights. Here is the daylight version.
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.
Vintage Gakken-Like Set
An old, USSR-era Malysh set with some interesting pieces. Gakken sets have similar pieces nowadays. Photo from toy museum in Kyev, Ukraine.
Waffle blocks are very popular type of plastic building blocks. In these sets, each piece have pegs and square holes, and you can connect pieces in multiple ways to build both 2D and 3D crafts. The bricks connect to each other seamlessly, almost like in a jigsaw puzzle, so you can make endless combinations in any order you want. There are many brands of waffle building blocks, Gakken and Plus Plus are the most popular and well-known ones. This, however, is rarer Malysh set.
Blocks by different manufacturers may look different. In Plus Plus sets, for example, all blocks are exactly the same, the only difference is color. This old ex-USSR set, however, has pieces of differnet shapes, and some extras, like figurines or wheels. There are also a number of long, bar-like pieces that help connect waffle blocks together. You can stack many waffles on one bar, which helps to create thick and solid crafts.
The waffle blocks themselves are small, each side of a block has only one or two pegs. Some blocks has H-shape and no pegs at all on some sides. This is a downside, because you can’t connect anything on these sides. Sometimes, however, these pieces are very handy, because you can stuck them in small openings to support the craft around it. It all other regards, it is a typical waffle block building kit with small pieces.
K’NEX Thrill Rides – Ferris Wheel
Another motorized craft made from Thrill Ride set.
Labyrinth Angle 2
Made from EDTOY Da Vinci blocks by Willy.
Feathered Friend
Willy was building an eagle…
Labyrinth
Made from EDTOY Da Vinci blocks by Willy.
Unika Gear Beads
Alesya made these beads from the Unika gear set, and they hold up very well. She changed the yellow parts to orange and red ones from time to time.
These gears are a version of a popular type of building set. The gears in this one are not rotating on top of some structure – they are the basic building blocks of the set. The gears connect if you interlock the pins, or if you stack them. With these simple connections, you can build different shapes and mosaics.
All the gears have the same shape and size, the only difference is the color. However, there are still many possibilities to build, especially if you have many pieces. The gears can also interlock if you connect them at an angle. Sadly, the possibilities to build a moving toy are very limited, because the gears can’t really move once they connect. There are also no extra pieces or decorations, so the gears are the only things you have to work with.
The gears themselves are rather big, they are safe for the small children to play with. They also can hold together even in a very big craft without falling apart.
