best building toys

[Anonymous]

My 6 yo DS likes more than anything to build things. He doesn't like puzzles or things that have be built according to instructions, he's more of a free-form, creative builder. I'm thinking of what to get him for Christmas. We already have unit blocks, legos, train sets, magnatiles -- all get used, sometimes together.

What else should I get? I'm hesitant to invest in different kinds of sets because it's just more to sort and clean up, but getting more of the same of what he already has doesn't seem particularly exciting. So it has to be good. I'm thinking KEVA planks maybe? Anyone else have these or anything else that's really good?

[Anonymous]

Keva planks are great. Get lots and get the better quality ones.

[Anonymous]

We have keva planks (ok, knockoffs) and they are so fun! Even now, my 10 and 9 year olds get them out and build. And they don’t take up a lot of room to store.

[Anonymous]

This was about the age when we made our son a little work bench with some basic tools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Keva planks are great. Get lots and get the better quality ones.

OP: I've been trying to choose between the pine and the maple. You're saying maple is worth the extra cost?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This was about the age when we made our son a little work bench with some basic tools.

I second the recommendation for a real (but kid-sized) toolkit.

[Anonymous]

We're in the same boat OP. I just bought our 6yo (soon to be 7yo) DS this https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07LBCD6PC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 currently unavailable at amazon

and we are looking t getting him a marble run (because he saw one in a magazine that peaked his interest). Will look into the keva planks as well. I am actually looking into buying a scroll saw for my small basement workshop so we can tackle some projects together like this making this wooden paddle boat https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWY3t4M87Pk, wood toy rubber band catapult... and its a nice change from legos etc.

[Anonymous]

I’d get him an advanced marble run set. Hape for wood.
This one for older kids: https://www.amazon.com/MindWare-48168W-Q-BA-MAZE-2-0-Big/dp/B004PQZM3A/ref=pd_aw_sim_229_1/143-2417898-9803524?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B004PQZM3A&pd_rd_r=7387cf4f-4339-42b8-9de4-a2291b93c453&pd_rd_w=oseZH&pd_rd_wg=tzdaR&pf_rd_p=dfdb1da3-5e85-40b8-aca6-1f16b6aad03b&pf_rd_r=R2EVY4331961Y7ER3J7A&psc=1&refRID=R2EVY4331961Y7ER3J7A

[Anonymous]

Our son is also 6 and obsessed with building. He has legos (big and small), wooden blocks (colored), foam blocks, magnatiles, train tracks. This was our newest edition and he really enjoys it:

https://www.amazon.com/Building-FAO-Toddlers-Medieval-Princesses/dp/B0786XP6N2

[Anonymous]

K’nnex are a big hit at our house.

[Anonymous]

What about these cardboard bricks? My 5 yo loves to build forts and structures. But do you think these are too young? They're (relatively) inexpensive, and we can just recycle when their time is up.

https://www.amazon.com/MindWare-Gigi-Bloks-Blok-Set/dp/B06XSRR2WK/ref=sr_1_24?crid=F92D4TK9IK2F&keywords=cardboard+bricks+for+kids&qid=1573756779&sprefix=cardboard+brick%2Caps%2C146&sr=8-24

[Anonymous]

More Lego bricks and/or more baseplates and storage

Also the Q BA MAZE suggestion is a good one

[Anonymous]

Gravitrax by far coolest building and design tool.

I think we have over $500 worth of it now but it has lasted and kept interest for 3 years

[Anonymous]

A large, indoor sandbox is the way to go.

[Anonymous]

At about that age - made a DIY fort building kit. The prefab ones are typically weak and break easily. This one has held up well! Kids need help building at first, but it's lots of fun in the basement rec room.

https://www.instructables.com/id/Kid-Size-Construction-Kit-from-PVC-Pipe/

The "Y" connectors are hard to find in stores - easy to find online. And once you're buying online, it's worth it to get all the connectors online. Get more "Y"'s than the instructions say.