Building From the Ground Up

Bricadoo lets you build your own house using miniature bricks and real mortar. The best part? When you're done you can soak it in water and re-use the bricks to start all over on a different design. This comes from the Netherlands and is for ages 6 and up. I found it on Romp's website for $22. It would make the perfect gift for a kid who likes designing or playing with blocks but wants something more "real life."

Building Stones

I love finding new things. Tonight I found these Stonees ($20) at Landbridge Toys that come with 50 pieces! They are crushed rocks that have been re-bonded and sealed with a safe water-based sealant. Constructing things out of different materials is great for kids. These stones help build critical thinking skills since they are naturally shaped and don't heve flat edges that line up. I love just the natural, gray colored set, but can only find the multi-colored set for now. For only 20 bucks these are a great deal!

Alphabet Blocks

Alphabet blocks are one of those classic toys, every child has a set. Did you know that it's better to introduce kids to lowercase letters first? That's why I was so ecstatic to find these Lowercase Alphabet Blocks (currently $21.71) from my favorite wooden block site, Barclay Blocks! For your bilingual child they also have alphabet blocks in languages like Greek, Dutch, and Norwegian as well as the typical foreign languages. Check out all their creative block sets featured here. But don't forget to read the previous post!