Magna-Tiles
As we move from the school year into the summer, you might be looking for some toys that keep your kids engaged and thinking, without seeming too academic. I think this week's recommendation fits the bill perfectly: Magna-Tiles (affiliate link)
I’ll admit: Magna-Tiles are expensive. In fact, if I had to rank the most precious materials in the world, I’d say:
Printer Ink
Magna-Tiles
Enriched Plutonium
We actually won our stash of Magna-Tiles at a charity raffle. Most families were wasting their tickets trying to win weekend getaways or spa trips, but I had my eye on the prize. And it paid off, big time.
In the five years since we got our tiles, my kids have played with them time and time again. My toddler daughter is just now learning how to snap the squares together, while my 7-year-old can build a tower that is several layers high, complete with spiky decorations. Even though he's been playing with these tiles off-and-on since he was two himself, he's still happy to sit down and build. That's the sign of a good toy, in my view.
What are Magna-Tiles?
Magna-Tiles are a set of shapes with magnets aligning the edges. They snap together pleasantly and are easy enough for a 2-year-old to play with. You can build two-dimensional designs across the carpet, or you can build up houses, towers, and other 3-d objects.
In our set, we have a couple of types of triangles as well as squares that can be arranged and combined in all sorts of creative ways. I have found that, as with most great math toys, my kids’ ideas become more sophisticated as they play repeatedly.
Where's the Math?
Magna-Tiles are great for building, but are they mathematical? If you've been reading this newsletter long enough, you know that answer: of course!
Building toys are extremely helpful for developing a child's spatial reasoning. The more they interact with shapes in a physical environment (and not just on a paper), the more sophisticated their understanding of those shapes can become.
Let’s take the equilateral triangles, for example. What can be done with these? Well, they can be put together to make a triangular pyramid, with another equilateral triangle at the base. Or you can make a pyramid with four triangles coming off a square. Or even five triangles, coming off a pentagonal base!
What about a hexagonal base? Not with these triangles! In fact, if you attempt it, your triangles will collapse to create a hexagon itself!
So six equilateral triangles make a hexagon. Cool! I wonder if there are other triangles that would work on a hexagon... and would they ever collapse into a single shape?
This is just one example of the sort of informal explorations that your kids can make. Our family has had an enormous amount of fun designing buildings and artwork with these tiles, and I'm sure yours will as well.
Click here to buy Magna-Tiles on Amazon (affiliate link)