A New Generation Of Builders With Magnetic Stick N' Stack

We received complimentary product in order to help facilitate the article below, regardless all photos and opinions are genuine and copyright Momma Told Me Blog 2016.

Momma Told Me: If you imagine it, you can build it.

As a young girl I was considered quite the tom boy. While my cousins were toting around baby dolls in toy strollers, playing 'house', I was often drafting the plans for building block skyscrapers and baking glow-in-the-dark bugs with my Creeper Crawler oven. It wasn't the specific type of activity I craved, it was an opportunity to create or problem solve that I truly loved. From early grade school I found myself spending hours making something from nothing- whether with my mothers' crafting scraps, discarded toilet paper rolls, or rainbow building blocks. If Momma said I couldn't have a dragon, Id' make one- if my father told me I'd have to wait until my birthday for new action figures, I'd make new clothes and personas for the old ones. And I am so glad to say that, even in a few short generations, building is now widely accepted as a gender-less play-time activity.

In fact, building blocks are the most popular toys at the after-school daycare I work with on Thursdays. Regardless of a child's age, gender, or background, each can enjoy the satisfaction of bringing their imagination to life, when playing with building blocks.

Of course, as the times change, so do the toys- yet some of the most awesome toys on the shelf remain those with the simplest of concepts, and the most limitless of possibilities. Enter Magnetic Stick N' Stack tiles by Shape Mags. Quite possibly the coolest building blocks ever (and yes, I'm comparing them to blocks that glow in the dark, light up, or stick together like Velcro) these translucent colored tiles feature carefully placed internal magnets which magically fasten them to one another in an almost never ending configuration of shapes and patterns.

Now, you may have seen similar toys at your child's school, daycare, or even in advanced learning classes- There are a few other brands out there cornering the magnetic block movement. However, Magnetic Stick N' Stack sets are actually more affordable than those 'other' brands, while also being 100% compatible! They're also incredibly durable, and the perfect size for small hands- great for kids as young as age 3+.

And, while we did have several 3 and 4 year-olds on hand to build with these, right out of the box, I have to say the adults and even tweens were also eagerly waiting on their turn as well! So what can you expect if you have littles afoot? Magnetic Stick N' Stack sets are perfect for homes with multi-aged children, or toddlers- children can not only grow with the tiles, but also grow and learn while playing with others as well! Carter is often very reserved, yet extremely articulate in his thought processes- at 5 he built several 3-dimensional structures and even a multi-layer vehicle. His pride was evident, as he'd stop those around him often to exclaim, "Look guys! Look what I made!"

Magnetic Stick N' Stack pieces are a little on the heavy side, compared to other brands, which gives me confident they will outlast other sets and toys. This also means a more deliberate hand is required in advance structure design. Lynnsey, age 6, was keen to spot structural flaws in her magnetic structures and would visibly light up anytime she happened to solve a 'problem.' Many of the younger kids worked on a 'piece by piece' level, while the older kids (10+) would gather a group of pieces for their design prior.

I can't lie- I spent my fair share of time trying to sneak away unused pieces to build with. There was something calming as I was taken back to my own childhood of building fantastical structures. I especially enjoyed the more advanced concepts of weights and balances, or structural support. By the time I got my 'penguin' complete, above, I had several pairs of eyes on me. And that's when it officially became a group toy- suddenly the kids were donating their pieces to make one, giant, structure together. And you can't ask much more from a toy than to foster communication, problem solving, and friendship, while remaining wildly fun.

Magnetic Stick N' Stack sets come in a variety of shapes and sizes. I highly suggest investing in a Master or Engineer Builder set to start. While you may not seem too keen to leap into the investment at first, I promise you the wide range of shapes will provide endless entertainment. Once children have had a chance to explore the types of structures they can, and prefer to, make, then you can add on supplemental pieces like a dome set, or building plate. And, did I mention- these don't hurt to step on (that's a building block joke for you!)

If your child is a little less creative, and needs some inspiration- or prefers to recreate and build based on concepts, Magnetic Stick N' Stack also makes some really durable idea books that tuck right away with the blocks. We often started building one concept, then used the foundation of the idea to make something a little more our own. Before long, the kids were going wild creating their own buildings, cars, bridges, animals and more! This is definitely one toy I could have spent hours a day with growing up!

What Daughter Says: I never outgrew building blocks- now kids can grow with a whole new way to build and imagine.

Building Emotional Identification Skills In Children With Magnutto- Giveaway 7/12

We received a product sample in hopes we would share our experiences here on the blog. All thoughts and photos contained below are copyright Momma Told Me 2016.

Momma Told Me: I don't know how you feel unless you tell me.

As a very young girl, toddler age, I was known for throwing tantrums.

There were a lot of things going on within my family during the first years of my life and I often picked up on the emotions of those around me. When I couldn't find comfort I simply erupted.

I wish I could say, as an adult, I am always "Cool. Calm. Collected." but emotions are a lifelong struggle for anyone, really. And all too often, as adults, we feel there is something wrong, or shameful, about sharing those emotions- so we allow certain feelings to be pushed aside until they bubble up to the surface. Expressing and handling emotions is a lifelong skill I know I constantly find myself working on.

When I volunteer at the daycare on Thursdays I am surrounded by a wide range of children that, most often, come from pretty tough backgrounds. Many of them have absent parents, learning disabilities, and/or health concerns. So, every Thursday we take the afternoon to just enjoy being a kid- we make crafts, put on plays, and explore exciting new toys.

When I first began volunteering the daycare director was concerned about allowing certain children to mix- much like a school yard playground she found some personalities were overwhelmingly strong and did not get along well with others. But I strongly feel no child should ever feel isolated, especially in a play environment. I quickly began identifying behavioral activities and exploring the root of their cause. After all these children soon expressed that they felt singled out, and as though they didn't fit in at school- I wanted to make sure we had at least one place for them to make friends through positive communication.

Communication is key to many life skills, and at every stage of life- and identifying and expressing emotions is one of the most vital tools to it's success. Every week we actively work on discussing our emotions, and how we feel about whatever has gone on that week. I have to say the number of tantrums I've seen has been virtually none in our little play group.

So, when I discovered the Magnutto educational magnetic activity play sets for emotions- I knew we had to put them to use! For many children the biggest barrier to great communication and healthy play is a lack of ways to express how one is feeling. Magnutto's Make A Pet and Make A Dino sets challenge children ages 3+ to put their emotions into pictures with fun and expressive magnetic art. With over 100 pieces in each kit Magnutto provides children with hundreds of facial expressions and more as they build a character that helps identify an emotion important to them.

Self contained these Magnutto sets have a built in magnetic flip top that opens to rest into the bottom tray and act as an easel. Using the learning questions provided guardians can prompt children to discuss emotions when they select an emotion and ask questions such as, "When someone is feeling _____ how do they act?" or "When you feel ______ what should you do?" There are also activity prompts for adults to share their own expressions and join in on the fun as they act follow up questions that further explore the emotions.

Because there are so many pieces in each Magnutto educational magnetic set the kids quickly caught on to the fact they could create multiple characters on the magnetic board, at once. Now, once a month, we break off into teams and challenge each other to build a story based on our emotions. Each child will take a few minutes to explain their character, and why they are feeling the was they do- and how it relates to the emotions the other characters on the board are feeling. Then we have a round robin where everyone shares a time when they experienced the emotion, and how they expressed it.

The magnets really are just like playing dress up endlessly with reusable stickers- and I am constantly delighted by the colorful characters these children create. It's absolutely wonderful to see children that are otherwise reserved and even frustrated when communicating open up with a brilliant way to visually express themselves. And, when someone is having a particularly tough day, pulling the Magnutto boards out instantly releases a slew of emotions otherwise contained as frustration prior.

Whether you're a happy dino or a scaredy cat- expressing emotions to those around you in an effective manor is simply a great life skill. The colorful and fun educational Magnutto kits make expressing, and discussing, emotions simple and fun. Best of all, these little boxes of magnets are entirely mess free and self contained for storage! I truly think every playroom and classroom should have one! Learn more about Magnutto and grab these great sets from Neato-Oh! Now, share with me an emotion your child, or yourself often struggles with identifying and communicating!

What Daughter Says: At nearly 30, I don't think I'll ever master my emotions. Identifying and expressing them is a lifelong skill, constantly being developed!

Neato-Oh has offered one Momma Told Me reader a Magnutto Jr. set of their very own! Enter below!