Tinker Toys Jumbo 200 Piece Set: A Fun, Educational Wooden Toy

Your kids don't have to be future engineers to reap the benefits of Tinkertoys. This educational children's toy spans generations and is suitable for children of many different ages. As with all building sets, you will probably encounter stray pieces here and there when cleaning up your child's room, Tinkertoys have been updated from their earlier classic versions to increase slightly in size. This means unlike Legos, which have a tendency to multiply like rabbits inside children's closets while you are sleeping at night, Tinkertoys make a maximum amount of magic with a a little less mess.

For the uninitiated, Tinkertoys are building toy that comes in a cylindrical tub containing several different types of pieces. The pieces include

• Thin wood rods, called wood pegs by the manufacturer, for connecting pieces together. These wood pegs are available in several different lengths.
• Five-hole wood wheels also known as spools. These have five holes drilled into them. One hole into the center and four holes around the center of the wheel. The holes fit the wooden rods. Holes are also drilled along the outer circumference of these wheels, extending the possibilities of connecting rods at every conceivable angle.
• Hinged plastic connector pieces that fit the wooden rods.
• Wood caps. These can be placed at the end of the wood rods.
• One-hole wheels that have a large hole drilled into the center.
• Plastic flags, also called fins. In some sets these grow in the dark or come in alternate girl toy colors, such as pink and purple.
• Some sets include other optional pieces. For example, the 225-piece classic Tinkertoy set includes over-sized molded plastic wheels that can be used to make simple vehicles or used to make sturdy feet for a robot or a windmill. The Tinkertoys Classic Jumbo Set includes a pair of robot arms and a face plate.
• Each Tinkertoy Construction Set is different. Some of the sets include mostly wooden pieces combined with plastic flags, wheels, and hinged connectors, while other sets are entirely made from plastic. If your wish is to purchase a wooden toy, then be sure to carefully check the product description for the set you buy before you purchase. Toys with the Tinkertoy name are produced by Hasbro and Playskool.

Tinkertoys are a lot of fun. The set we purchased was the 225 piece Classic Construction Set. We were able to purchase it at a significant discount, and I honestly wish we had bought two sets instead of one. Our three children, then ages 12, 3, and 1 all immediately loved playing with the pieces from these sets. Now that we have added one more child and they are a little bit older, we will be looking to add on to this construction toy.

Everyone in the family was on the floor putting together projects. My husband immediately constructed an oversized car that my young daughter pushed around on the floor. Then we made windmills and whirligigs, Creating a sturdy base from the large plastic wheels and a configuration of the wood connecting rods and the circular wood spools. My kids loved watching the fins on our single and double windmills spin round and round.

My daughter crafted a robot from her pieces. After we opened our gifts on Christmas day we played together as an entire family for the rest of the morning. This was the gift that we came back to again and again. With 5 people in our family, and so many different ages, it was a real delight to find something that we could all enjoy for so long.

There's really no limit to the things you can make using a Tinkertoy construction set, but if you are looking for ideas, an instructional manual comes with each set sold by online retailers and traditional stores.

Playing with Tinkertoys is not only good ol' fashioned fun, but it is an educationally beneficial activity. Children will:

• Use problem-solving skills to make their creations.
• Develop a sense of process and planning as they progress from simple projects to more complex creations.
• Develop an increased sense of spacial awareness as they attempt to fit pieces together in a three-dimensions.
• Develop their creativity through trial and error as they come up with new ideas for Tinkertoys creations.
• Develop an awareness of angles and geometric shapes while making cubes, pyramids, and other shapes.
• Learn over time some principles of physics and engineering as they learn which structures are sturdiest.

You can purchase Tinkertoys online from Amazon at a great discount and take advantage of free shipping offers throughout the year. If you are looking for an exceptional gift value and a toy that will last, this is one of the best kids toys around. This toy set can be purchased for one child or as a group gift, and offers a sound alternative to battery-operated or electronic toys.

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