Looking for an innovative building toy that sparks creativity, delivers educational value, and provides hours of fun all at the same time? Blockaroo Magnetic Foam Builders are a unique system of colorful, magnetic foam blocks that make the perfect STEM learning tool for toddlers through early elementary school ages.
With their vivid colors, light weight, and ability to connect from any angle using an ingenious magnetic system, Blockaroo blocks inspire open-ended construction play. This beginner’s guide will explore everything you need to know about Blockaroo Magnetic Foam Builders.
Overview of Blockaroo Magnetic Building Blocks
Blockaroo offers a range of magnetic foam builder sets featuring their colorful block pieces in different shapes and sizes.
Here are some quick facts about Blockaroo Magnetic Foam Builders:
- Material: Soft, lightweight foam
- Magnet System: Blocks connect from any angle
- Size Range: From small manipulative shapes to oversized building bricks
- Colors: Vivid primary and secondary colors
- Age Range: 18 months to 8 years, ideal for toddlers through early elementary
- Skills Developed: STEM learning, creative thinking, fine motor skills
Sets are available in small, medium and large sizes, ranging from 30 up to 173 pieces. Some of the unique advantages of this building system include:
- Safe even for toddlers
- Work for water play
- Promote open-ended creativity
- Lightweight for small hands
- Fun colors to stimulate the senses
No matter which set you choose, Blockaroo’s innovative magnetic blocks make the kind of dynamic building toys that equip young kids with key skills.
Top Blockaroo Sets for Every Budget
Blockaroo makes a range of magnetic foam builder sets to suit different interests, skill levels, and budgets:
Blockaroo Build and Play 30 Piece Set
- 30 mixed shape starter blocks
- Great affordable starter set
- Promotes STEM skills
Price: $$
Blockaroo Jumbo Blocks Set
- 105 extra-large building bricks
- Chunky shape good for small hands
- Enough to build gigantic structures
Price: $$$
Blockaroo Ultimate Set
- 173 piece mega set
- Massive building possibilities
- Whole family can build together
Price: $$$$
Key Features and Benefits for Children
So what makes Blockaroo’s magnetic foam blocks so special? Here are some stand-out features and reasons to choose Blockaroos:
Innovative Magnetic Connection System
Blockaroo’s blocks connect through an ingenious internal magnet system. The blocks stick together securely from any angle. Kids don’t have to line pieces up exactly. The pieces swivel 360 degrees into whatever shapes their imagination dreams up.
Endless Possibilities for Creative Play
Unlike puzzles with fixed shapes, or bricks that only stack vertically, Blockaroo’s funky magnetic blocks enable truly open-ended building. Children are free to create structures horizontally or vertically, symmetrical or abstract, realistic or fantastical.
Lightweight Foam Material
Blocks made from sturdy EVA foam plastic allow giant structures that don’t come crashing down like rigid wooden blocks. Little hands can easily manipulate the pieces too. And if towers do topple over (part of the fun), Blockaroo’s soft blocks won’t damage furniture or hurt kids with sharp edges.
Vivid Colors Stimulate Growing Minds
The bright hues of classic red, blue, yellow, green stimulate visual senses and early learning skills. Studies show color recognition helps young children grasp concepts like counting. Sorting colorful blocks also builds categorization abilities, an early math foundation.
Bath and Water Safe
Thanks to the foam material, unlike wooden blocks, parents can let kids build water structures and even bring Blockaroos in the tub. Bath time building play opens up more skills like experimentation with floating, sinking, and hydrodynamics.
With benefits like these, it’s easy to see why parents, teachers, and kids give rave reviews to Blockaroo magnetic foam builders. The universal appeal across genders makes Blockaroos fantastic toys for both boys and girls.
Developing Key Skills with Block Play
Playing with Blockaroo Magnetic Foam Builders does much more than just passing free time. When children freely experiment combining these vivid building blocks creatively, they build crucial knowledge. Here are some of the top skills kids develop:
Early STEM Learning
Block play lays the foundation for skills in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). As children explore concepts like gravity, force, and geometry hands-on through block construction, they pick up concepts that form a basis for later STEM excellence.
Creative and Critical Thinking
Instead of following preset patterns, Blockaroos require kids to analyze pieces and think critically to construct their own new shapes. Open-ended block play exercised young minds.
Motor Skills
The act of selecting, rotating, connecting and disconnecting Blockaroo pieces builds hand-eye coordination and dexterity. Physical skills developed through block play form a basis for later skills like handwriting.
Communication and Social Skills
When groups of children collaborate building together, block play provides a platform for language development, relationship building, sharing ideas, and teamwork. These interpersonal skills will help throughout life.
With benefits like these, it’s clear why child development experts tout block play. Blockaroo makes the perfect tool for maximizing this enriched learning through enjoyment senses like touch, sight, and imagination.
Choosing Age-Appropriate Blockaroos
With sets ranging from just 30 pieces up to over 170 pieces, Blockaroo makes magnetic block sets scaled for different age groups.
For toddlers – choose starter sets with chunky, manipulative pieces. Around 30-50 colorful blocks allows small hands to grasp pieces. Look for specialized toddler block sets.
For preschoolers – kids 3-5 years old have the dexterity for small pieces so opt for sets with more variety like squares, triangles, rectangles. Sets with around 100 pieces allow big structures.
Early elementary school – older kids 5+ may appreciate specialty sets like a windmill kit, or giant sets of 100+ blocks to build extravagant block cities with skyscrapers, bridges, and houses.
Matching sets to skills ensures your child feels challenged but not overwhelmed. Blockaroo’s sets provide the just-right progression for growing builders.
Safety and Compliance with Standards
An important consideration for any children’s toy is safety. All Blockaroo Magnetic Foam Builder sets comply with major international standards. Here are some key safety assurances:
- Made from lightweight, non-toxic EVA foam
- Free from BPAs, phthalates, lead & other harsh chemicals
- Meet safety regulations like ASTM-F963, CE, EN71
- Ideal for children over 18 months
The foam material passes stringent tests for durability too. It’s resistant to bites and scratches, with colorfast dyes. Round edges prevent poke injury.
You can feel confident letting even toddlers learn through Blockaroo’s safe magnetic bricks. Their quality rivals top brands but at more affordable prices.
Build Anywhere, Anytime Fun
What sets Blockaroos apart is their versatility. Light-weight with supreme magnetic connectivity makes for fun wherever kids roam:
Indoor Building Play
Mix and match Brickaroo sets with other building toys like LEGO, magnatiles. Build creations on tables, or floor mats, blankets or carpets. Structures easily come apart so clean up takes seconds.
Backyard Building Adventures
Take play outside – build turf trails, flower beds, playhouses. Outdoors unlocks science lessons with earth materials. Just avoid sandy areas that could damage magnets if inside bricks.
Bathtime Explorations Get more bang for your bath-time. The foam bricks float or sink depending on construction. Practice motor skills squeezing water to make paths for boats. Discover volume, overflow and more.
On-the-Go Play
Compact starter sets pack up for journeys near or far. Magnetic bricks transform travel time whether in the car, waiting at appointments, or quiet time. Bonding through building eases trips.
Safe, lightweight pieces welcome creativity 24/7 no matter the location.
Special Classroom & Therapeutic Uses
Beyond home use, Blockaroo’s mesmerizing, high-quality magnetic blocks captivate in schools and therapeutic settings too.
Montessori Classrooms
Popular in Montessori programs, Blockaroos enable freeform exploration aligned with Montessori principles. Combined with other manipulatives, Buildaroos facilitate enriched, child-directed learning during critical early development.
Special Needs Programs
For children with autism or sensory issues, Buildaroos make fantastic sensory calming tools. The satisfying “click” plus manipulate textures ease anxiety. Building also fosters social connections and communication.
Classroom Building Centers In any pre-K or elementary classroom, Buildaroos lend themselves perfectly to building centers. Children refine STEM and creativity as they problem solve to erect unique structures cooperatively. It feels like play but builds skills!
The creative possibilities encapsulate exactly why teachers and parents adore Blockaroo magnetic foam blocks!
Caring for Blockaroo Pieces
Blockaroo’s durable foam stands up well to rough treatment from kids. A few pointers will keep sets looking fresh for years.
Cleaning
Mild soap and water removes dirt. Towel dry well. For thorough sanitizing, blocks tolerate heat sterilization or chemical disinfection wipes.
Storage
Store pieces in a breathable cotton bag or bin. Avoid compressing pieces tightly over time. Stepping on them can break magnets.
Magnet Life
Don’t subject blocks to high heat, microwave, or prolonged direct sunlight that could weaken magnets. Avoid abrasive cleaners.
With proper care, Blockaroo sets provide perfect open-ended toys for toddlers right through elementary schoolers getting the most play value for money.
Encourage Developmental Milestones
Among the biggest perks parents report, besides kid’s sheer enjoyment, is how Blockaroos encourage key developmental indicators from toddlerhood through early school years.
Between about 18 months to 3 years, playing with chunky, manipulative blocks promotes:
- Eye-Hand Coordination: Picking up and rotating pieces
- Problem Solving: Trying to connect blocks
- Spatial Reasoning: Stacking blocks vertically/horizontally
- Imaginative Play: Pretend structures
From age 3 to 6, when fine motor skills improve, benefits include:
- Creativity: Designing unique structures
- Counting Concepts: Counting block pieces
- Patterns/Sorting: Sort by color, shape, size
- Collaboration: Building together
As preschoolers gain dexterity, around age 5, skills further enrich:
- Storytelling: Block creations spur imaginative plots
- Complex Building: Taller structures with balance
- Perseverance: Rebuilding toppled structures
Capitalizing on milestones through each stage, Blockaroos deliver just the right challenges for advancement.
Who Are Blockaroos For?
With their colorful charm and incredible versatility, Blockaroo Magnetic Foam blocks appeal to a wide spectrum of young builders.
Benefits for Boys and Girls
The vibrant colors and limitless possibilities for construction spark any child’s imagination – both girls and boys will find building with Blockaroos pure fun. Kids follow their innate interests constructing anything from fairytale castles, to working windmill farms, and fantastical rainbow roads through space and back.
Inclusiveness for All Youth
No matter a child’s physical or mental capabilities, the soft texture and manageable sizes accommodate a broad range of needs and abilities. Even children with sensory or learning challenges discover joy playing their own way. Blockaroo’s block families give all kids the tools to unlock building passion.
Appeal for Various Ages
Appropriately sized sets advance with children through developmental stages from wobbly toddlers first mastering grasp, right through elementary school where kids design complex structures, unveiling inner architects. Blockaroos grow with young builders.
The unlimited ways to combine these dynamic blocks explains their universal appeal to every kind of creative young mind!
Conclusion – Why Choose Blockaroos?
This beginner’s guide details how Blockaroos innovative magnetic foam blocks inspire toddlers on up to coast through countless developmental milestones all while having a blast.
Compared with ordinary blocks, magnetized Blockaroos open creative play wider. Structures take shape vertically AND horizontally, NOT just stacks, through the ingenious polarity magnets.
Lightweight foam fosters more daring designs than traditional wooden blocks allowing soaring towers and bridges without dangerous crashes.
Vivid colors captivate minds, enhancing pattern recognition linked to early math. Sorting colorful pieces helps youngsters grasp categories and counting – central concepts for later math fluency.
Gliding together seamlessly from ANY angle unlike puzzle shapes, Blockaroos pieces entice freeform building critical for cognitive growth. Creating own structures, rather than just replicating models, builds better problem solving, spatial skills and planning abilities.
And the clinical-grade foam material withstands aggressive play, working great during rowdy bath times while avoiding mold concerns of porous wood blocks.
Cleaning a breeze with just mild soap and water, Blockaroo sets like the 105 piece Jumbo, 30 piece starter and 173 piece Ultimate sets will bring years of joy and hidden learning.
Bursting with advantages over regular blocks, Blockaroos deserve a spot among the best open-ended educational toys for toddlers through early grade schoolers. Kids of all abilities will thrive building to their hearts delight with safe, creative Blockaroo magnetic foam blocks!
Frequently Asked Questions
What types of skills do Blockaroo Magnetic Foam Builders teach?
Blockaroo blocks are designed to teach crucial STEM skills, critical thinking, creativity, motor skills, and social skills. Open-ended block play also helps develop skills like spatial reasoning, counting concepts, categorization, and collaboration.
What makes the magnet system special?
The brilliant magnetic system allows blocks to connect securely at any angle. Pieces rotate a full 360 degrees, enabling more dynamic and versatile structures than traditional blocks. Kids don’t have to precisely line up block faces.
Can I use Blockaroo sets in the bathtub?
Yes! The foam material makes these blocks 100% water safe and perfect for bathtub play. Kids can explore engineering concepts like floating, sinking, and hydrodynamics. The blocks stick together even when wet for continuous creativity.
How do I clean Blockaroo sets?
Thanks to the durable foam, Blockaroo pieces clean up easily with just mild soap and water. There is no need for harsh chemical cleaners. Towel dry pieces well before storing to prevent mold growth. Blocks also tolerate heat disinfection methods.
At what ages are Blockaroos most appropriate?
With varied set sizes and shapes, Blockaroos suit builders 18 months through age 8. Look for larger, chunky blocks for toddlers with less dexterity. Around 100+ pieces challenges preschoolers to create more elaborate structures, developing spatial skills. Older kids appreciate specialty themed sets to feed their interests.