Jumbo building blocks provide endless fun and learning for children. With their oversized design, vibrant colors, and ability to stack, interlock, and assemble into all kinds of structures, jumbo blocks capture kids’ attention while enhancing their development.
If you’re looking to purchase jumbo building blocks to help boost your child’s skills but don’t know where to start, this guide covers everything you need to know, from types of blocks to educational benefits and top products for indoor and outdoor playtime.
Introduction to Jumbo Building Blocks
Jumbo building blocks are oversized interlocking blocks designed especially for children to build, stack, and assemble structures and designs. They are significantly larger than standard-sized building blocks with dimensions of around 4×4 inches up to 8×8 inches per block.
The main purpose of these specialty blocks is to:
- Provide open-ended and imaginative play for children
- Enhance developmental benefits including fine motor skills, spatial thinking, problem-solving, and early engineering concepts
Jumbo blocks come in a range of materials including:
- Wood – classic natural material offering durability
- Plastic – bold colors, waterproof, and lightweight option most commonly used
- Cardboard – cost-effective material in various thickness levels for indoor structures
With creative playtime, jumbo building blocks offer a hands-on way for children to develop key cognitive, social-emotional, and motor skills while having fun exploring structures and designs.
Types of Jumbo Building Blocks
There are a few main types of jumbo building blocks available:
ImagiBricksTM Giant Construction Blocks
- 24-piece starter set
- Durable polyethylene plastic material
- Block sizes 8.25 x 8.25 x 5.25 inches
These award-winning giant blocks allow kids to build extra-large structures either following their imagination or using idea cards for guidance. Parents state these are sturdy but still lightweight enough for kids ages 1+ to maneuver and assemble independently.
UNiPLAY Jumbo Building Blocks
- Mix Series – Set of 20 soft interlocking jumbo building bricks made of non-toxic EVA foam material with canvas covering
- Blocks measure 7.5 x 7.5 x 3.75 inches
- Vibrant colors including red, green, blue, yellow
These jumbo soft blocks provide safe building play for toddlers while being easy to clean and sanitize. Parents use them at home, in classrooms, and in various kids’ adventure places. The lightweight foam makes it easy for little hands to assemble while the canvas covering provides durability.
Educational & Developmental Benefits
Beyond just being fun, jumbo building blocks offer many developmental benefits through hands-on and purposeful play.
Cognitive Development
Constructing various structures and designs boosts kids’:
- Creativity As they imagine and build unique assemblies based on their own ideas
- Logic & Reasoning Figuring out how to balance blocks and create sturdy structures involves critical thinking
Enhanced Motor Skills
On a physical development level, jumbo blocks strengthen:
- Hand-Eye Coordination – Precision grasping and placing of oversized blocks utilizes visual cues.
- Fine & Gross Motor – From picking up blocks to building large structures, it engages muscles.
Both fine motor muscles in hands/fingers and gross motor arm/leg muscles are activated.
Top Kids Jumbo Building Block Sets
Popular sets ready for hours of structured block play include:
Kids Adventure Jumbo Blocks Standard Set – 96pc
- 80 blocks measuring 8”x 8”
- 16 blocks measuring 4”x 4”
- Durable plastic construction
- Available in Classic Colors including red, green, yellow, and blue
Great starter set for toddlers and preschoolers ages 1+. Encourages imaginative play to boost spatial thinking, motor skills, and decision-making abilities. Build a fort, castle, roads, or abstract structures.
Kids Adventure Jumbo Blocks Jumbo Set – 192pc
- Includes 160 large 8”x 8” blocks
- Plus 32 smaller 4” x 4” blocks
- Durable plastic material
- Choice of color sets
With nearly 200 pieces, this set fuels big building fun! Recommended for kids 3+ but also a hit at schools, daycares, waiting rooms, and more. Build bigger and taller structures while getting a full-body workout.
Safety & Durability Factors
When purchasing jumbo building blocks, two main considerations are:
Durability
- Blocks made from durable plastic hold up well to rough play from kids and can be used repeatedly over time without breaking or cracks.
- Premium heavy-duty cardboard is also extremely durable for indoor block structures.
Safety
- Size and design should suit the age and stage of the child, with handles and openings for very small kids.
- Soft antibacterial blocks like UNiPLAY’s are ideal for infants and classrooms.
Following safety guidelines based on age along with proper adult supervision ensures safe, injury-free enjoyment.
Conclusion
Jumbo building blocks offer the perfect toys to inspire imagination, develop cognitive and motor skills plus provide kids with physical activity. With endless play combinations using oversized pieces, jumbo blocks build a foundation for learning through hands-on fun.
The main takeaways when choosing jumbo blocks include:
- Select age-appropriate sets to match skills
- Allow for open-ended structures based on the child’s interests
- Supervise play for safety, offering building ideas
- Store properly after use to ensure durability
Giving kids these larger-than-life building materials provides an engaging way to boost development across multiple domains while constructing their own exciting world of play.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best jumbo building blocks?
The Kids Adventure Jumbo Blocks sets are among the best, offering durable plastic blocks in two sizes – a 96-piece standard set or a 192-piece jumbo set. They have vibrant colors and are recommended for kids ages 1+. Other top brands are ImagiBricks Giant Construction Blocks and UNiPLAY Mix Series Jumbo Soft Building Blocks.
What skills do jumbo blocks develop?
Jumbo blocks build a range of skills including enhanced creativity, logic, and reasoning as kids construct various structures. They also boost hand-eye coordination, and fine and gross motor skills through grasping and manipulating the oversized pieces. Spatial thinking and problem-solving skills are also improved.
How are jumbo blocks educational?
Open-ended play with jumbo blocks promotes learning across multiple domains. Following their own ideas in building unique structures fosters creativity. Assembling pieces to balance and create tall, stable structures involves logic, reasoning, and critical thinking.
Are jumbo blocks safe for toddlers?
Yes, when following age guidelines and with proper supervision. Sets made of soft, lightweight antibacterial blocks like UNiPLAY Jumbo Foam Building Blocks are ideal for infants and toddlers ages 6 months. Additionally, avoiding small pieces or blocks with hazards like small openings improves safety.
Why choose jumbo over regular-sized blocks?
With their oversized design, jumbo blocks are easier for small hands to grasp and manipulate to create structures. Larger pieces build fine and gross motor skills, and hand-eye coordination. More substantial structures can be built faster fueling engagement and imaginative play. The vivid colors and scale inspire more creative designs.