Top 5 building blocks and bricks
Our favourite building blocks and bricks around now
Why buy them?
Building blocks and bricks have been used as a children’s toy for well over a hundred years, but they’re still as useful today for developing early hand-eye coordination, motor skills and early colour, number and letter recognition. They stimulate creativity too, as all children love building a tower and seeing how tall they can make it!
What to spend
Sets can cost anything between £10 and £40 depending on what material they’re made from. Wood and fabric were traditionally used, plastic is now very common, too.
What to look for
There are two main types, those that can be stacked or placed side-by-side, or those that interconnect and click together, like LEGO for example. Look for bright and engaging colours, and a combination of numbers, letters or pictures to make the blocks as interesting as possible.
A container to keep them in is also very useful!
1. Infinity blocks, £15, Baby Einstein
These soft, fabric blocks are ideal for young babies to handle, with a mixture of brightly coloured and black and white patterns which are more appealing to developing eyesight. There are eight in a set, and are also good for toddlers starting to place bricks on top of each other.
2. My First Bricks, 14.99, Duplo
Suitable from 18 months old, these bright interconnecting blocks are a great entry point for Lego, and are larger than their regular bricks so easier for small hands to play with and put together. This starter set has 80 colourful pieces to build animals, towers and much more.
3. ABC Learning train, £12.99, Megabloks
This set is a twist on traditional plastic bricks as you use the pieces to build a train. The blocks all feature a letter of the alphabet so it also works as a learning tool for older children. Suitable for children from 12 months old.
4. The Very Hungry Caterpillar Wooden Blocks, £17.99, Argos
Gorgeously colourful wooden blocks that have the letters of the alphabet on some faces, and illustrations from the popular Very Hungry Caterpillar books on others. Suitable from 12 months old, there are 16 blocks in each set.
5. Wonderful beech wood building blocks, £16.99, Hape
Each set contains 101 wooden blocks, in a mixture of colours shapes and sizes, so your little one can build towers, houses and walls to their heart’s content! The carry case also has a shape sorter in the lid for added value and fun.