Do your kids love to build, create, and imagine? Are you looking for open-ended toys that will spark creativity and stem skills? Little Tikes Waffle Building Blocks are the perfect solution! These colorful, lightweight blocks easily snap together to construct nearly anything kids can dream up.
With 72 pieces in fun, bright colors, the interlocking plastic blocks make it easy for tiny hands to build creatively. The lightweight material is also safe and durable for kids ages 1+. We’ll cover all you need to know about these awesome building blocks that inspire open-ended play, learning, and fun!
What Are Little Tikes Waffle Blocks?
Little Tikes is a classic, trusted brand in toddler and preschool toys. Their Big Waffle Blocks building set includes translucent colored blocks that easily snap together on all sides. The plastic material is lightweight yet durable, making it perfect for little builders.
Kids can connect the blocks to construct buildings, vehicles, animals, forts, and anything else they can imagine. There are no wrong ways to play! Waffle blocks spark open-ended creativity by allowing children to experiment and problem-solve.
Popular retailers like Walmart and Wayfair carry the 72-piece sets in fun color combos like primary colors or pink/purple schemes. The toy is designed for ages 12M+ or walking infants up to around age 5.
Why Choose Waffle Blocks?
There are loads of benefits for kids who build with waffle blocks:
- Develops fine motor skills through grasping and manipulating pieces
- Enhances spatial awareness by visualizing designs
- Sparks imagination and creativity with open-ended play
- Builds early STEM/engineering skills like stability and balance
- Promotes problem-solving and design thinking through construction experimentation
- Introduces colors, shapes, stacking and other basic concepts
- Encourages cooperation when building together
Compared to alternatives like wood blocks, waffle blocks are affordable, durable, colorful and have more play value with their snap-together ability. They also pack up neatly into a bag or bin for easy storage.
For toddlers and preschoolers, waffle blocks check all the boxes for engaging and educational toy sets that will provide hours of hands-on fun while building vital skills!
Top 5 Benefits of Playing with Waffle Blocks
Waffle blocks offer a slew of developmental benefits that make them a top toy pick for little learners:
- Develop Fine Motor SkillsToddlers and preschoolers build dexterity by grasping, turning, connecting and pulling apart the pieces. Fine motors skills allow kids to complete tasks like writing, buttoning, using utensils and more.
- Practice Visual-Spatial SkillsAs kids imagine their constructions, they activate and strengthen visual-spatial regions in the brain. Being able to mentally visualize designs is key for reading, mathematics and more.
- Spark Creativity and ImaginationWith no instructions, waffle blocks inspire totally open-ended play. Kids construct anything they can dream up, telling stories and learning innovative thinking.
- Gain Early STEM and Building SkillsFrom structural engineering to physics concepts like balance and stability, waffle blocks introduce early science and math skills. Building and testing teaches critical thinking in an engaging way.
- Develop Cooperation and SharingWhen multiple kids play together with blocks, they learn about teamwork, communication, sharing materials and bringing their ideas together. Social skills thrive alongside solo play.
Through seemingly simple block play, waffle building sets create opportunities for comprehensive learning across cognitive, motor, creative and social domains…not bad for an afternoon of fun!
Top 5 Little Tikes Waffle Block Sets
With loads of affordable options on sites like Amazon and Walmart, here are 5 of the best starter sets to spark building creativity:
1. Basic Waffle Blocks (72 pieces)
- Vibrant classic colors
- Translucent finish
- Carry bag included
- Ages 12M+
- Check Price on Walmart
2. Pink/Purple Waffle Blocks (72 pieces)
- Perfect for girls
- Feminine color scheme
- Carry bag included
- Ages 12M+
- Check Price on Amazon
3. Big Building Bag (100 pieces)
- 33 extra pieces
- Mesh bag for easy clean up
- Ages 12M+
- Check on Amazon
4. Giant Waffle Blocks (150 pieces)
- Jumbo 4-inch size
- Vibrant colors
- Sturdier for big builds
- Ages 18M+
- Check Price on Amazon
5. Cozy Coupe Blocks (30 pieces)
- Themed for car building
- Colorful waffle blocks
- Promotes motor skills
- Ages 12M+
- Check Price on Amazon
All these starter block sets provide hours of hands-on building fun while sparking creativity and learning for little ones! The sets make great toys for individual play or groups.
How to Build with Waffle Blocks
Building with waffle blocks is open-ended but there are some tips to get the most out of block play:
- Make sure kids have a large, flat surface like a playroom or bedroom floor to build on so structures don’t easily topple
- Start simple with stacking pieces or making lines before attempting more complex structures
- Build up gradually instead of starting too tall to help avoid frustration
- Experiment with different design ideas instead of following instructions
- Incorporate other toys like toy figures, cars or animals into structures
- Provide inspiration like images of buildings, bridges or castles
- Take turns building sections when in groups to promote sharing and teamwork
- Reuse and remix pieces instead of dismantling entirely for new challenges
- Display awesome constructions proudly before disassembling
Following these tips ensures kids get the most open-ended play, engaged problem solving and developmental benefits from block construction play.
Creative Waffle Block Play Ideas
Besides free-form building, there are endless fun construction ideas to spark kids’ innovation with waffle blocks:
- Build roads and bridges for toy cars to drive on
- Construct a house, school or castle with rooms and details
- Stack blocks in creative patterns and designs
- Design vehicles like planes, trains and automobiles
- Create a zoo or farm with enclosures for animal figures
- Make tunnels and mazes by stacking in new directions
- Incorporate blocks into other dramatic play schemes
- Build your dream bedroom, park or cityscape
- Challenge each other to replicate designs or build the tallest tower
Adding some structure while still encouraging imagination pushes creative boundaries as young builders engineer new innovations with their constructions.
Where to Buy Waffle Blocks
The most popular places to buy Little Tikes Waffle Building Block sets include:
- Amazon: Wide selection of colors and bundles at affordable pricing
- Walmart: Frequently stocks sets in-store and online with rollback pricing
- Target: Carries basic starter bundles in-store and online
- Kohl’s: Department store sells toy online with promos and coupons
- Wayfair: Leading online retailer for home goods and toys
- Ebay: New and used sets sold by third party sellers
Shopping around helps compare prices across trusted retailers to find the best deals. Sets purchased online can be shipped fast with Amazon Prime or free in-store pickup.
Certain sets may run low in stock close to holidays as popular kid gift ideas so plan ahead. Creating a wishlist on sites lets you monitor when new sets comes back in stock for easy notification.
Waffle Blocks vs. Alternatives
How do the benefits of waffle blocks compare with other popular building toys on the market today? Here’s a quick guide to alternative options:
| Toy | Benefits | Considerations |
|---|---|---|
| Wooden blocks | Natural material, iconic building toy | Heavy, expensive, less variety, not interlocking |
| Magna-tiles | Magnetic connectivity, bright colors, unique shapes | Expensive, less suitable for under 3, not stackable |
| Bristle blocks | Unique textured material, soft connectors | Only stick on specific sides, expensive |
| Plus-plus snap blocks | Tiny building pieces, diverse themes like animals or robots | Choking hazard for under 3, less durable, pricey per piece |
| Lego | Endless themes, known for quality, challenges skill building | Lots of small pieces, frustrating without instructions |
With their bright colors, light weight, interlocking ability and open-ended versatility at an affordable price point, waffle blocks stand out from the crowd! They spark creativity through STEM and imaginative play-based learning across ages and skill levels.
Verdict: From toddler to 5 years old, Little Tikes Waffle Building Blocks beat out the competition as a top toy pick for hands-on building fun!
Developing Skills with Blocks by Age
Different developmental skills are enhanced through building block play at various young ages. Understanding what your child gains helps promote the right benefits at each stage:
Ages 1-2 years:
- Promotes gross motor skills grasping and moving blocks
- Allows sensory exploration of textures, colors and designs
- Boosts problem solving connecting simple pieces
- Develops spatial awareness and stability balancing constructions
- Fosters imagination telling stories about structures
Ages 3-4 years:
- Refines fine motor control snapping pieces together
- Enhances creativity designing new objects
- Encourages cooperation constructing jointly
- Improves concentration on detailed assembly
- Advances design thinking testing structure ideas
Ages 4-5 years:
- Cultivates planning abilities imagining possibilities first
- Expands critical thinking manipulating new designs
- Teaches engineering techniques like stability and balance
- Broadens spatial perception through multi-dimensional building
- Inspires storytelling and role playing with structures
Understanding developmental gains helps intentionally encourage skill growth through block play tailored to your child’s evolving abilities.
Prevent Tip-Overs with Solid Foundations
With excited kid architects engineering progressively taller tower designs, tip-overs become an inevitable part of block construction play at times. But following simple tips minimizes mess and frustration:
- Ensure builds start with the widest section contacting floor
- Check that bottom rows interlock completely all around
- Brace wider mid-sections instead of narrow tops
- Fill interior gaps for better stability
- Secure to furniture nearby using extra blocks
- Guide kids to construct horizontally more than vertically
It’s natural for exuberant kiddos to get carried away designing skyscrapers that push stability limits. But by talking through engineering ideas together and demonstrating solid design principles, young builders learn important concepts while avoiding disheartening collapses!
Let Imaginations Soar Sky High!
Affordable, versatile and loads of fun, Little Tikes Waffle Blocks inspire open-ended construction play that builds fine motor skills, spatial reasoning, problem solving and endless creativity in budding builders.
With colors and chunky sizes perfect for little hands, these blocks uniquely snap together in every direction for freestyle fort and tower-building. Kids incorporate STEM and design thinking concepts while following the unlimited possibilities of their imaginations.
Spark your toddler or preschooler’s innovation – let their constructions and abilities grow sky high with versatile, screen-free play using Little Tikes Waffle Building Blocks!
Frequently Asked Questions
What ages are Little Tikes Waffle Blocks suitable for?
These blocks are designed for kids ages 12 months through around 5 years. The larger pieces pose a choking risk for infants while older kids have the dexterity and skills for more complex building toys. The blocks meet safety standards for toddlers through preschool ages.
How many blocks come in a set?
Common set sizes include 72, 100 and 150 piece options. The 72-100 piece sets make great starters with ample pieces for solo or shared play. Jumbo 150-piece sets take builds to larger scales. Colour and style availability varies between the options.
What skills do waffle blocks help develop?
Building with interlocking blocks enhances fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, visual-spatial skills, problem solving and other cognitive plus physical abilities. The cause-and-effect toy also builds confidence, creativity and cooperation through imaginative construction challenges.
Can I buy extra waffle blocks to expand our set?
Yes, many major retailers sell add-on packs of 24, 36 or 72 extra blocks to augment existing sets with more pieces or special colors like neon or pastel options. Search for “Extra Waffle Blocks” on sites like Amazon, Walmart or eBay.
How should waffle blocks be cleaned?
The plastic blocks can be wiped clean with a damp cloth and mild soap if needed. Avoid soaking the blocks as the interior cardboard inserts may warp. Check pieces periodically for damage like cracks or splinters and discard any unsafe blocks. Hand wash cloth carry bags.