Lately, my little guy has gotten into the habit of watching a bit too much TV now that the weather has turned cold. Since I am not big on making rules that will only empower the object in question (TV) I decided to bring a small table into our family room and give him alternative things to do. So far it is working like a charm! This coupled with morning hikes in the woods near our home is going to be a great way to keep him active and engaged before he goes to his afternoon therapy sessions.
This week he has been playing with Tegu Magnetic Wood Blocks. They are a bit easier for him to manage than our Citi Blocks or our Marble Run and yet they are still fun enough to engage my oldest boy too. My little guy likes them because the magnets help him to build structures and not have them fall over. He can easily spend an hour or two making different versions of “dinosaur homes” or houses for his moonstones (moms crystals). They definitely support open-ended and unscripted play, which is the best kind.
The wood is sustainably harvested making this an eco friendly toy as well. They have no lead, no plastic, and they are finished with a water-based lacquer. You get long planks, short, planks, and cubes and they are all magnetic so you can build structures that defy gravity. The discovery set has 26 blocks, which is perfect for my 4 year old. A bit more would be ideal for my older son though, and they do have bigger sets and add-on sets. The cost is prohibitive IMO though. A 52 piece Tegu Set costs $100. They are very high quality and the company behind the product seems solid so I think they are worth it but perhaps a bit unrealistic for the average green family. I think we will be more likely to stick with Citi Blocks or second hand blocks we find locally even if this set is very lovely.
