Building toys are our favorites. We place block play at the top of our list. Blocks and construction toys grow with your child. Why? Because building toys for kids are timeless. My boys have been creating and playing with wooden blocks, Legos, STEM toys, and gears for years, and are still at it as tweens. These are the best gift ideas for all ages.
What do you get a kid who loves building?
Children who love building with blocks typically like other STEM or engineering-focused toys.
Look for toys with open-ended creativity, meaning they do not have a specific start or finish design. Legos are some of the world’s most iconic and popular building toys. There are sets a child can complete, and often, the sets get taken apart for the child to construct what they like. Building toys encourages problem-solving skills, and older kids enjoy this list of toys too!
TOYS FOR 2025
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Building Toys for Kids
Taking building toys on the go has been a lifesaver in restaurants and while traveling. Before we dive into options, be sure to check out these carry bags that your child can pack and carry themselves to build independence.
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Building Toys On the Go
Taking building toys on the go has been a lifesaver in restaurants and travel. Before we dive into options, be sure to check out these carry bags that your child can pack and carry themself to build independence.
Wooden Block Set
Let’s begin with the best building blocks ever. If you do not have a wooden block set, this is your starter kit!
Magnetic Cubes
Small hands love these magnetic cubes! My oldest asked for this set last Christmas, and it gets played with a lot. From dabbling and mindless stacking to imaginary play, they are a big win. Use the carry case to store them when not in use.
Make-a-Fort
If you don’t have the time to cut endless amounts of cardboard (who does?!), these construction sets are for you! Super fun for all ages to work together and build.
Magnetic Fort
Hello! Creative building toys have just taken another level with these large magnetic panels. Easy to stack, store, and take out again to play with on an indoor day. This magnetic building toy makes a fun gift from the grandparents.
Plip Kit
Plip Kit is another hit that I discovered at the New York Toy Fair this year. No magnets. The pieces literally plip inside one another. Take this to your next doctor visit and use it as you wait! They make the best building sets on the go.
Hollow Wooden Block Set
Take block play to the next level by adding this hollow block set. We gifted this set to the boys a few years ago as a group gift, and they love the ramps. This is a terrific toy if your child loves to build and construct. Love how these blocks encourage authentic play.
Kinetic Building System
Don’t forget that older children need play, too! As we compete with the digital world and AI solving word problems, toys like Tecti help them continue to use their brains and hands for creative play.
Hypertiles
Hypertiles are a new toy for us that takes a different spin on classic building toys. These complex structures were created by a scientist and are intended to boost logic and nurture curiosity and creativity. This is another great toy to take on the go.
Clixo
Let’s hear it for yet another New York Toy Fair gem! This booth was popping for good reason!!!! Choose from a variety of sets to play and build with. They are high-quality and built to last.
Brain Flakes
Brain Flakes are disks that interlock. They are a great way to move pieces around to form pictures or your own unique structures. Unlike bulkier building toys, these toys are slim and are built differently.
Air Toobz
Air Toobz are a big hit for so many families! They are a fun way for all family members to get involved in the play and are tons of fun. This is a good idea for a group gift.
Spaghetteez Building Toy
This building toy is excellent for fine motor skills. The connecting pieces are small and require hand-eye coordination along with a steady hand. This is a good kit to take on the go. Not only are they educational, but they are fun too!
Domino Machine
Have a child who likes to follow instructions as they build? Here, they will put the different pieces together to make their own moving domino machine. Undoubtedly, pretty cool!
Connetix Ball Run
This magnetic ball run is a top pick! It takes problem-solving abilities to put it together, but once it is up, it gets played with by the entire neighborhood. Kids of all ages join in!
Wooden Stacking Toy
This is a different way to play Tetris! I love how this stacking board encourages spatial awareness in order to fill the gaps.
Rail Racers
I saw these Rail Racers at the New York Toy Fair, and my jaw dropped. They are an excellent alternative to traditional marble runs if you have trouble connecting the tubes.
Connetix Roads
If your child enjoys building with magnetic tiles, they will love playing with these magnetic roads. They will connect with most brands of the time, and you can use the cars you already own!
Picasso Tiles
We began our journey with magnetic tiles using Picasso Tiles. They have worked great and are compatible with most brands. Picasso Tiles have worked well for our family.
Plus-Plus BIG
This toy gets a FIVE-STAR review. We love, love, love these, and the boys still play with them daily. (I’m not too fond of the small size. Make sure it is Plus-Plus BIG.) My boys have racked up hours of imaginary play with these.
Blockaroo
Have you heard of Blockaroo? Many of you shared this fabulous bath construction toy with me years ago, and you weren’t wrong. It’s great! Toss them in the bath for endless fun.
Deluxe Building Set
My boys love gears! This gear set is for ages 3-5. It is the perfect introductory building set for young children. Educational play is anything but boring!
Gears! Gears! Gears!
These gears got an upgrade. Use this gear set with children age five and older to explore gears, STEM engineering, and electricity. Young minds will thank you in the years to come!
Snap Circuits
Let me tell you about my love for Snap Circuits. They are SO COOL! Children can create over 200 electrical combinations to understand science and math concepts better. There is so much educational value in all the Snap Circuit sets.
Mega Bloks
Before the Legos come, use Mega Bloks as a bath toy or build on the carpet. Love these blocks for toddlers and preschoolers. They are the right size to easily dry after getting wet.
Lego Classic Set
We started with this classic set of Legos around age five. This perfect set allows open-ended play for ideas and creations to come to life. I would begin with this set before introducing Lego sets that come with instructions.
LEGO Monster Set
Oh, how I adore this $10 creative monster set. I like to buy a few and save for last-minute birthday party gifts.
Colorful Magnetic Fidget Toys
Magnetic people? Yes, please. Build with these colorful magnetic men on the refrigerator or in a sensory bin.
Blue Track
Keep your Blue Track inside, or take outdoors! This is a fun track that kids can manipulate and change the shape for different designs.
Why are building toys essential for a child’s development?
Building Toys = Endless Learning. Don’t limit construction play to school. Children can do serious learning through play at home! Many of the toys on this list are ageless. I have an eight, ten, and 12-year-old who continue to play with them.
Construction and building toys improve:
- Creativity
- Focus
- Imagination
- Mathematics
- Motor abilities
- Perseverance
- Problem-solving
- Science
- Self-esteem
- Self-expression
- Shape exploration
- Social-emotional growth
- Teamwork
RELATED: Ten Things Children Learn From Block Play from the naeyc.
Why I love building toys
Building toys and block play open so many doors to open-ended play.
Blocks and building toys are the perfect starting place for your now and future toy needs.
The constructive play and time spent with blocks will weave into just about all other content your child will encounter in grade school. These early years are the perfect time to put play to practice!
For even more ideas, we have an entire tab dedicated to block play right here!
More Toy Lists For Kids
Frequently Asked Questions
Block play is open-ended play, typically using wooden blocks. Wooden blocks used to be found in most Kindergarten classes to build creativity and teamwork. Sadly, most Kindergarten classes no longer allow time for this constructive play. It is up to us to keep block play available in our homes.
Keep blocks organized and sorted by type. Keep wooden blocks where kids can reach and use them. Think about where children can play with blocks and what they build to stay up for more extended periods of time. This encourages children to revisit, build, and extend ideas.
I prefer the wooden block set listed above because of the size of the blocks. The colored wooden block set is much smaller, and from my experience, it leads to less play. The Melissa and Doug wooden block set is a terrific set built to last.
Have a favorite building toy? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below!
