A Mighty Girl's top picks of building and engineering toys for inventive Mighty Girls from toddlers to teens.
It starts the first moment an infant or toddler realizes that one block can balance on another block. Before you know it, building a tower to the sky (and making it crash down!) has become a favorite activity. For many kids, building toys remain favorites throughout childhood, with structures becoming more complex as kids' building skills advance. And once they can incorporate moving parts, budding engineers get to really explore all the incredible things they can put together!
If you have an amateur architect or engineer on your hands, some intriguing new building toys make a great gift idea. By expanding the materials available for building, you can help kids develop useful skills like fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, planning, and spatial perception — and, of course, let them have a great time doing it! With that in mind, we've showcased our favorite building and engineering toys for kids from toddlers to teens in this blog post, with classic building toys featured in the first part and engineering sets featured in the final section. Whether they are interested in building with blocks, bricks, rods, and connectors, or experimenting with magnets, wedges, and more, there’s something here that will intrigue every child!
Building and Engineering Toys
As soon as kids learn to stack, they can start having building fun! These toys start out with simple options, but rapidly incorporate more complex forms of building capable of building more elaborate things.
One Two Squeeze Blocks
One Two Squeeze Blocks
The littlest builders don't just stack blocks: they also toss, squeeze, and even chew them! These squishy plastic blocks are soft enough to be safe even in the hands of overenthusiastic kids, and the BPA-, lead-, and phthalate-free material means you don't have to worry if they end up in someone's mouth. Each block also features a different animal and a number from 1 to 10, all hand-sculpted. This set comes in a recycled plastic bag for easy storage.
Soft Building Blocks Toddler Playset
Soft Building Blocks Toddler Playset
Get stacking with this big but soft blocks from ECR4Kids! The SoftZone stacking block set includes twelve colorful cubes. All twelve are made with a dense foam core that holds up to tough play, but is soft and light enough to be safe. They're covered in a polyurethane material that's colorful, easy to clean, and phthalate free. They're the perfect choice for stacking fun in either home or classroom! And for another SoftZone set — this one designed to get kids climbing, sliding, and rolling — check out the Soft Climb and Crawl Set.
Mega Bloks Bag with Plant-Based Blocks
Mega Bloks Bag with Plant-Based Blocks
If you want to encourage flexible building play, but worry about the environmental impact of plastics, this 60-piece set from Mega Bloks is the perfect choice! These classic building blocks in colorful shades provide all the fun of any set of building blocks, but they're made from a minimum of 90% plant-based plastic composed of materials extracted from sugarcane. They even come with a reusable bag for storage (or for building fun on the go.)
Mega Bloks Green Town Build & Learn Eco House
Mega Bloks Green Town Build & Learn Eco House
Imagine building a greener world with this set from Mega Bloks! This set comes with 89 big building bricks that are safe and easy for toddlers to manipulate — enough to build a house, four characters, a greenhouse with veggies, two bikes and an electric car, and even solar panels and wind turbines for Earth-friendly energy. And it's not just the building set's theme that's eco-friendly; Green Town building sets are certified CarbonNeutral products by Natural Capital Partners, the leading experts on carbon neutrality and climate finance. Even the box is FSC certified, made from recycled materials and 100% recyclable.
Mega Bloks Deluxe Building Bag
Mega Bloks Deluxe Building Bag
Build her towers to the skies with this massive collection of 150 Mega Bloks! These chunky blocks are perfect for little builders: easy to hold, simple to click together, and safe for toddler play. They all come in a zippered bag that's big enough to store these blocks, plus more as her collection grows. For another set of Mega Bloks perfect for young builders, check out the First Builders Big Building Bag which includes 80 colorful pieces.
DUPLO Classic Creative Building Time
DUPLO Classic Creative Building Time
Get ready to spark her creativity with this set full of colorful LEGO DUPLO blocks! DUPLO offers all the same building fun as LEGO, but in a size that's easy and safe for toddlers and preschoolers to use. This creative building set comes with a massive 120 pieces, including enough colors and shapes for kids to build a rocket, a star, a cake, a unicorn, a giraffe, a bear, and much more. It's sure to prompt hours of flexible building play, plus some fun pretend play games!
DUPLO Alphabet Town
DUPLO Alphabet Town
Learn your letters with the LEGO DUPLO Alphabet Town! This fun set includes 26 letter bricks that kids can use to practice identifying letter names, ordering the alphabet, and more. Then, use the other pieces to build a car and houses and get the two DUPLO figures, one girl and one boy, playing with early literacy skills. It even comes with an ABC poster with life-sized images of the bricks so kids can practice matching. Plus, since all the pieces are compatible with other DUPLO bricks, it's a fun way to add to your brick box!
DUPLO Classic 80 Piece Set
DUPLO Classic 80 Piece Set
Little kids love building as much as big kids do — and with this set of classic DUPLO bricks, they are sure to be inspired! This 80-piece set of bricks comes with easy instructions to build 15 objects toddlers will recognize, including a house, ice cream, a whale, and a flower. Clever elements printed with eyes, vehicle windows, and more encourage kids to build their own creations, too! And since DUPLO bricks are big enough to avoid choking hazards and be easy to manipulate, even the littlest kids can play.
Blockaroo Magnetic Foam Builders
Blockaroo Magnetic Foam Builders
Get building with this incredibly durable, versatile magnetic building set! Blockaroos are soft foam magnetic blocks that easily click together, rotate 360 degrees, and always attract to each other. As a result, even toddlers can easily enjoy building play with these brightly colored blocks. However, this 17-piece set can grow with your child, because the unique shapes and open-ended design challenge kids to create more elaborate builds. You can combine them with other Blockaroos sets, and they're even waterproof, making them safe to use in the bath!
DUPLO Baby Zoo Animals
DUPLO Baby Zoo Animals
Little animal lovers will be thrilled to add these adorable baby animals to their LEGO DUPLO collection! This 9-piece set comes with four animals — a panda, a giraffe, an elephant, and a white tiger — plus a few accessory bricks you can use to give them a lush enclosure, including a piece that looks like bamboo stalks! She'll be able to build the zoo of her dreams with this set.
Women Who Dared Building Blocks
Women Who Dared Building Blocks
Pay tribute to 32 women who changed the world with this set of heirloom-quality blocks from Uncle Goose! This hand-crafted set features women who made significant contributions to the world, including figures like Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Susan B. Anthony, Harriet Tubman, and more. Each block features one woman's name, portrait, quote, and a short explanation of her historical importance. Together, the blocks can be assembled to form the Suffrage Movement slogan Deeds Not Words. They're sturdy enough for play but also make a beautiful display piece and learning tool — and, like all Uncle Goose products, they're made in the USA from sustainable Michigan basswood and non-toxic inks.
Green Toys Build-a-Bouquet Floral Arrangement Playset
Green Toys Build-a-Bouquet Floral Arrangement Playset
Stack lilies, petunias, and daisies to create your own colorful floral arrangement with this inventive building toy from Green Toys! With 44 brightly colored pieces to play with, there are a vast number of combinations to create. Sort by size, color, and shape, or just have fun creating a nice display. Parents will love Green Toys' commitment to the environment: all Green Toy products are made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic.
Periodic Table Building Blocks
Periodic Table Building Blocks
Elements are the building blocks of the universe — and now they can be the building blocks of your toy box with this fun set from Uncle Goose! 20 solid wood building blocks, made in the US from sustainable Michigan basswood, feature the elements of the periodic table painted in non-toxic, child-safe inks. And even though they're building blocks, don't think they're just for babies — chemistry geeks will love these colorful blocks as much at 36 years as 36 months! For two more of Uncle Goose's science-themed block sets, check out the Dinosaur Blocks and the Fossil Blocks.
LEGO DUPLO Town Wild Animals of The World
LEGO DUPLO Town Wild Animals of The World
Explore the wonderful world of animals with this set from LEGO DUPLO! You'll discover 22 animals from all over the world, including pandas from Asia, penguins in the Antarctic, an alpaca in South America, and much more. You'll also get a bunch of bricks to build habitat scenes for them! Add the special sound brick that plays both animal and ambient sounds, and a foldable playmat world map, for even more learning fun. This 142-piece set will inspire hours of playful learning in animal-loving kids.
Green Toys Tool Set
Green Toys Tool Set
Whether using the hammer to pound in the nails, or the Phillips and flathead screwdrivers to tighten the bolts, kids love all the do-it-yourself projects that are possible with this set from Green Toys! This 15-piece toolbox play set is made from 100% recycled plastic and manufactured in the USA. Holes on each side of the toolbox fit the nails, bolts, and 2-hole connectors, so kids can build fine motor skills as they practice real-life DIY skills. When playtime's done, organize all your tools in the box, just like a real carpenter!
DUPLO Space Shuttle Mission
DUPLO Space Shuttle Mission
Even the littlest builders can imagine outer space missions with this 23-piece building set from LEGO's DUPLO line! Build a space shuttle with an opening body and wheels that turn, then wheel up the movable ladder so your astronaut figures — one female, one male — can climb in. They can take scientific measurements with their wheeled rover, then be the first humans to set foot on a whole new world and plant a flag in honor of the occasion! These chunky blocks, which are easy and safe for even little kids to use, are a great way to build spatial reasoning and fine motor skills, while also fostering her big dreams for her future.
1-2-3 Build It! Robot Factory Set
1-2-3 Build It! Robot Factory Set
Craft your own imaginative robot creations with this build-it-yourself toy from Learning Resources! Kids can design their own movable STEM creations with the 18 mix-and-match pieces in this set. As they assemble the easy-to-handle pieces and experiment with different designs, they'll build fine motor skills, problem solving skills, and develop a hands-on understanding of basic building principles. The set comes with an Activity Guide with suggested builds, or she can let her imagination run wild. Plus, this set is compatible with all of Learning Resource's 1-2-3- building sets so she can build even bigger!
LEGO DUPLO Jurassic World Dinosaur Nursery
LEGO DUPLO Jurassic World Dinosaur Nursery
Join Claire Dearing as she takes care of dinosaur babies with this adorable LEGO DUPLO dinosaur nursery inspired by Jurassic World! Kids will get to assemble buildable elements, then help Claire's work with the Dinosaur Protection Group as she checks on the triceratops, pteranodon, and brachiosaurus. The chunky figures are safe and easy to handle for little hands, but they're sure to inspire hours of pretend play from little dino fans!
Little Tikes Big Waffle Blocks Set
Little Tikes Big Waffle Blocks Set
It's easy to build big ideas with the Little Tikes Waffle Blocks! Eighteen blocks slot together in ways that encourage creative building. The 14 by 14 inch pieces are durable enough to hold up to plenty of serious play, and a variety of cut-outs encourage kids to experiment with different possibilities. Plus, the durable plastic pieces allow her to use them indoors or outdoors, providing plenty of fodder for imaginative play.
DUPLO Town Doctor Visit
DUPLO Town Doctor Visit
Time to visit the doctor with this LEGO DUPLO set! With this 34-piece beginner building kit, kids will assemble a doctor's office complete with a sink, a giraffe height chart, a couch, and two chairs. Three minifigures are included, a father and daughter who are there for an appointment, and a doctor whose stethoscope is permanently attached so she can easily listen during a well-child checkup. It's a fun way to roleplay doctor's visits and encourage kids to imagine a potential career in medicine!
Moon Phase Blocks
Moon Phase Blocks
Celebrate the beauties of the changing Moon with this set of heirloom-quality blocks from Uncle Goose! This set of 9 1.75-inch blocks shows all of the Moon's phases with two debossed sides showing the phase and its cycle location. The other four sides of each cube are printed with moon rise and set times, tidal effects, a phase illustration, and the moon's location in relation to the sun. Plus, one bonus block depicts a lunar eclipse! Like all Uncle Goose products, these blocks are made in the USA from sustainable Michigan basswood and printed with non-toxic inks. For another astronomy-themed set from this company, check out the Planet Building Blocks.
Kid K'NEX 100-Piece Tub
Kid K'NEX 100-Piece Tub
Any creation is possible with the Kid K'NEX Budding Builders tub! These K'NEX for preschool-aged kids are bigger than standard K'NEX, but offer the same rod and connector building fun. Aspiring young K'NEX builders can choose from 100 colorful parts and pieces to make 50 amazing building ideas from the instruction book, or come up with their own ideas. When they're done, everything packs in the plastic storage tub. Plus, parents will love that K'NEX are responsibly made in America at a landfill-free, zero-waste green manufacturing facility in Hatfield, Pennsylvania.
Take Apart Airplane
Take Apart Airplane
Even kids love to use power tools! With the Take Apart Airplane from Battat, kids can assemble and disassemble a colorful plane with a power drill that comes with three different bits. With practice, they'll learn how to optimize their work, practicing their fine motor skills and concentration. It's the perfect toy for any child who dreams of building a real plane someday! For another Take Apart set, check out this Take Apart Crane.
Robot Engineer Kit and Storybook
Robot Engineer Kit and Storybook
Learn the basics of robotic engineering with this kit from Thames and Kosmos' Kids First line! Kids follow along with a storybook as they build non-motorized models of the ten robots in the story, learning about concepts like gear trains and simple machines. The robots kids will build have moving parts, so they can learn firsthand about simple machines and gear trains. Large pieces make it easy for preschoolers to build all by themselves — and to experiment on their own.
Super Saxoflute
Super Saxoflute
If your kids love music, why not let them build their own wacky musical instrument? This 24-piece set from Quercetti allows you to assemble your very own instrument out of ABS plastic parts. The set includes two mouthpieces and two trumpet-style bells, so you can even make a pair of instruments to play with a friend. By joining the variously shaped pieces, you can make an instrument like nothing the world has ever seen — and find out what it sounds like when you play it!
Design and Drill Activity Center
Design and Drill Activity Center
Combine power tools and bright colors with this set from Educational Insights! Kids can follow one of the 20 included pattern cards or come up with their own patterns. With 120 bolts in 5 colors, they've got plenty of inspiration in the box. Three different bits fit both the screwdriver and the drill, and then the included wrench helps them get all the pieces out to start all over again.
Lincoln Logs 111-Piece Building Set
Lincoln Logs 111-Piece Building Set
Celebrate generations of building play with this tin of Lincoln Logs! This 111-piece tin was issued in honor of the classic toy's 100th anniversary. Inspired by one of the toy's original sets, the Meeting House, this set also includes hints to create other builds, including a tall tower, two small houses with a bonfire, and a large cabin — and enough pieces that kids can build according to their own inspiration. The all-maple wood pieces fit together snugly and are stained in shades of brown, red, and green, and everything stores neatly in the collectible tin when building time is done.
Design & Drill Bolt Buddies Rocket
Design & Drill Bolt Buddies Rocket
Build your very own rocket — and imagine exploring the galaxy — with this Design & Drill Bolt Buddies Rocket from Educational Insights! This rocket comes with 6 parts that kids assemble using 7 bolts and a real, kid-safe battery powered drill. Then, pop the astronaut figure (and her puppy pal) into the cockpit and imagine her adventures in outer space! It's sure to inspire your budding builder for hours of pretend play.
Tumble Trax Magnetic Marble Run
Tumble Trax Magnetic Marble Run
Explore a new way to create a marble run with these magnetic foam pieces you can set up on a fridge door or magnetic board! Kids can create their own run or duplicate one of the designs on the activity boards, but that's not all: because the magnetic pieces can be adjusted in all sorts of ways, they'll get to explore problem solving and engineering by manipulating the height and angle of the pieces to see what makes the marble speed up, slow down, or change direction. Plus, storage is simple, with flat pieces that tuck away neatly.
Thames & Kosmos Kids First: Intro to Tools & Building
Thames & Kosmos Kids First: Intro to Tools & Building
Dive into the world of tools and building by hand with this Kids First kit from Thames & Kosmos! Characters Ty and Karlie teach you how to use a hammer, screwdriver, and wrench, and explain the basic engineering principles behind how these tools work. As kids build 6 different models, they'll learn about mechanical engineering along the way. With large, durable plastic pieces and clear step-by-step instructions, this is a great way to build fine motor skills — and an appreciation for the work it takes to build the things we use every day.
Gears! Gears! Gears! Build and Bloom
Gears! Gears! Gears! Build and Bloom
You can create a beautiful spinning flower garden with this Gears! Gears! Gears! set from Learning Resources! There are 116 pieces in this kit: in addition to the colorful gears, kids will get flowers, stems, and even insect components like butterflies, bees, and ladybugs. Slot the gears together and turn the handle to watch your creation spin — then pull them apart and build something new! You can even combine the set with other Gears! Gears! Gears! sets for plenty of flexible fun — and build problem solving, critical thinking, and fine motor skills along the way.
Magna-Tiles 32-Piece Set
Magna-Tiles 32-Piece Set
Magna Tiles are another magnetic building toy that provides great play potential. These solid tiles are great for simulating bricks, windows, and plating on the outside of vehicles. They’re great for playing with pattern and shape, either in two or three dimensions This 32-piece set with clear colors will get you started, or you can get the 100-piece Clear Colors Magna Tiles Set, which includes a variety of sizes and shapes of tiles, including large and small squares and isoceles, equilateral, and right-angle triangles, all in a translucent plastic that's sure to spark the imagination.
Step2 Tool Workshop & Utility Bench
Step2 Tool Workshop & Utility Bench
Little DIYers and budding carpenters will love playing with this realistic workshop and utility bench from Step2! This 47" long workbench features an electronic drill press to "drill" the perfect hole every time and a pull-out utility bench to allow space for more than one to play. An attached utility sink makes it feel like a real home workshop! Storage bins and tool hooks add to the realism. Plus, the 76-piece pretend play accessory set that comes with the workshop includes a selection of hand tools and wood-look pieces that kids can fit together into their own projects.
Magna-Tiles Safari Animals
Magna-Tiles Safari Animals
Go on safari with this unique set from Magna-Tiles! This beloved magnetic building toy has long been a favorite, but now it's adding fun animals with movable parts to the mix. In this 25-piece set, you'll get a giraffe, a lion, an elephant, and a monkey, plus a selection of fun patterned triangular and square tiles. It's compatible with all other Magna-Tiles sets — and like the originals, they's safe, always connect, and are BPA-, phthalate- and latex-free.
Tinkertoy Super Building Set
Tinkertoy Super Building Set
Tinkertoys are back and better than ever! This newly redesigned set features plastic rods, but don't worry; it's compatible with the older wooden version, so you can use it to expand your existing set or create your own collection. This 200-piece mix of spools, rods, washers, flags, end caps, and more provides lots of fodder for hours of building fun. The included booklet provides ideas for 30 models, but it won't be long before kids are building their own creations!
Gosling Square Building Blocks
Gosling Square Building Blocks
From Uncle Goose, the American maker of heirloom-quality wooden blocks, comes a colorful set of building blocks in mod patterns that let you design your own village! The 80-piece Gosling Square blocks set comes with 32 cubes, each 1 3/4" on a side; 32 triangles; and 16 half-blocks. A door, window, or archway is debossed on one side of each, with a decorative pattern debossed on the opposite side. Mix and match them to create a modern, vibrant village all your own! Plus, like all Uncle Goose blocks, these are proudly made in Michigan with sustainable basswood, and printed using non-toxic, mouth-safe inks.
Magna-Tiles Metropolis Set
Magna-Tiles Metropolis Set
Build a bustling city with this set from Magna-Tiles that adds new shapes and fun features to your collection! This 100-piece set includes plenty of squares and triangles, but it also introduces windows, quarter circles, and a spinner element you can use to create a windmill. Two wheeled chassis let you create vehicles too! This set is compatible with all other Magna-Tiles sets, and just like the originals, they're kid safe and always connect, perfect to promote creative freeform building. For another set to add unique tiles to your Magna-Tiles bin, check out the Magna-Tiles Safari Animals set.
LEGO Classic Around The World Building Kit
LEGO Classic Around The World Building Kit
Introduce kids to some of the world’s most iconic animals and objects with this LEGO Classic Around the World playset, including 15 inspiring model ideas! This set includes a massive 950 colorful pieces; kids can use them to build models like a toy bald eagle, a cactus, a parrot, a baby crocodile, an orca, a lion, a palm tree, a giraffe, a red bus, a kangaroo with joey, a brown bear, an Asian house, a penguin with chick and fish, a sailing boat, and an airplane. Then, use the blocks to come up with your own creations inspired by incredible sights around the world!
Junior Inventor Scientific Tool Belt
Junior Inventor Scientific Tool Belt
Dream, design, and build with this Junior Inventor tool bet from Hape! This tool belt includes all the bits and pieces you need to experiment with basic tool and construction skills, including screws, nuts, bolts, a wheel, a hook, a screwdriver, a wrench, and more. Kids can put the pieces together in different ways to figure out how things work, while also building their fine motor skills. Ideas for three experiments are available through the free app that provides a step-by-step guide to getting the most out of your kit! And to extend the fun with a workspace and even more projects to try, check out the Junior Inventor Workbench too.
Clixo 60-Piece Rainbow Pack
Clixo 60-Piece Rainbow Pack
Get building in a whole new way with Clixo! This patented building toy, made with flexible, washable material and featuring easy to use magnetic connectors, quickly gets kids building a wide variety of shapes with ease. Kids will love the satisfying "click" as the magnets securely connect! As they snap, stack, and flex the pieces, they'll find plenty of creative ways they can build. This 60-piece set comes with a variety of shapes and colors of pieces, plus a quick-start guide to get kids going!
Quadrilla Cliffhanger Marble Run
Quadrilla Cliffhanger Marble Run
Line up the tracks and blocks and watch your marbles fall with the Quadrilla Cliffhanger marble run from Hape! This set includes a variety of interesting pieces, including spiral gutters that run outside the colored blocks, which extends run time (and looks awesome.) Additional pieces include a wooden vortex and seven different colored blocks, each with a different function. Plus, parents will love the durable heirloom quality birch and rubber wood in this set — and the fact that all of the wood used is from FSC-certified forests.
LEGO Education Creative Brick Set
LEGO Education Creative Brick Set
This impressive creative brick set provides plenty of colors, sizes, and shapes to prompt building and discovery! With 1,000 bricks included, the set allows children to imagine and create all sorts of figures, objects, and buildings. Children develop fine motor skills while constructing, and the building cards will support and inspire their creativity. Serious LEGO builders will be thrilled to have a wider selection of the 2X4, 2X2, and 1X2 blocks that always seem to run out too soon.
LEGO Classic Large Creative Brick Box
LEGO Classic Large Creative Brick Box
LEGO bricks are a classic building toy! To get your collection started — or to expand the sets you already have — check out this set of 790 classic LEGO bricks in 33 different colors. The set includes accessory pieces like faces, eyes, and wheels, as well as bricks in a variety of colors, including rare light blue bricks. It comes in a convenient plastic storage box and is an ideal supplement to any existing LEGO collection. For a smaller set with 484 pieces, check out the Lego Classic Medium Creative Bricks Box.
LEGO Classic Bricks Bricks Bricks 1,500 Piece Set
LEGO Classic Bricks Bricks Bricks 1,500 Piece Set
Encourage freeform building with this massive set of LEGO bricks! This 1,500-piece set includes bricks in a wide variety of vibrant colors, plus fun accessory pieces like eyes, wheels, windows, doors, and more. A handy brick separator is also included, making it easier for kids to take apart creations to rebuild themselves! A booklet provides inspiration for a variety of increasingly challenging builds — or just let her imagination soar as she creates all on her own!
Quadrilla Challenger Marble Railway
Quadrilla Challenger Marble Railway
Quadrilla from Hape is the most stable wooden marble run on the market and so much fun for kids and adults! Children will love constructing their own unique designs and watching the way marbles roll through them, or copying the wonderfully concise designs included in the Twist and Rail play manual. Start simple to get the hang of all the color coded blocks, then increase the complexity of designs. How high can you build?
Design & Drill Space Circuits Kit
Design & Drill Space Circuits Kit
Kids can imagine themselves as astronauts-in-training — and learn the real basics of electrical circuits — with this Design & Drill set from Educational Insights! As kids follow along with the instruction guide and double-side space-themed challenge cards, they'll use a real kid-safe drill to bolt connectors together on the circuit board. As kids work, they'll learn a little bit about how electricity works, and what you can do with some electrical engineering knowledge! This 52-piece set includes a space-themed circuit board, a battery pack, the kid-safe drill, challenge cards, an instruction book, and all the connectors you need.
Stanley Jr. Truck Catapult Building Kit
Stanley Jr. Truck Catapult Building Kit
Develop your building skills — and have a ton of fun — with this building kit from Stanley Jr.! This 35-piece set comes with all parts necessary to build and paint a yellow and blue truck with a catapult, plus 3 foam balls for you to lob when it's done. With simple tools like a hammer, screwdriver, and wood glue (not included), she can build this 5.9 inch long truck in about an hour, then enjoy rolling it around and firing the catapult at will. Plus, you can download the free Stanley Jr. woodworking app to get step-by-step guidance, share your creations, and much more!
Stanley Jr. 10-Piece Tool Set
Stanley Jr. 10-Piece Tool Set
She can build with tools that look just like Mom and Dad's with this set from Stanley Jr.! Made of real metal and rubber, these tools are not toys: they're just like adult tools, but scaled down for children's hands. With a selection of common tools, plus safety glasses and a tool belt, she'll have everything she needs to get started! This set includes a hammer, a Phillips screwdriver, a flat-head screwdriver, a tool belt, a ruler, a file, a handsaw, a bar clamp, a 10-inch tape measure, and safety goggles.
Brain Flakes 500-Piece Set
Brain Flakes 500-Piece Set
Keep little brains busy with this innovative building toy from Viahart. Brain Flakes discs snap together and apart quickly and easily, and they can be assembled in so many configurations that nothing limits the imagination of little builders! This set comes with 500 discs in a variety of bright, fun colors that are sure to prompt creativity, and includes a reusable jar for easy storage when building time is done.
LEGO Classic Build Together
LEGO Classic Build Together
There are enough blocks for everyone to build with this creative building set from LEGO! This big box comes with 1,601 bricks in a wide variety of colors and shapes, and includes 20 mini build and 4 standard build ideas, plus enough pieces for 4 included building challenges. You can play alone, or team up with friends to see if you can complete the challenge! Or, just enjoy having plenty of bricks and blocks for creative free building. It's the perfect way to begin or add to your LEGO collection. For even more freeform building possibilities, check out the LEGO Classic Bricks Bricks Bricks set, which offers another 1,500 bricks!
Domino Creations 100-Piece Set by Lily Hevesh
Domino Creations 100-Piece Set by Lily Hevesh
Learn to make awesome domino art with the help of Lily Hevesh, the #1 Domino artist in the world! This 100-piece Domino Creations set provides easy-to-follow directions and top tips, complete with full-color photographs, so you can learn the principals behind these cool chain reaction creations. With 100 dominoes, 2 half-bridges, 3 fieldstarters, 1 template, and instructions, you'll be toppling epic designs in no time! For another set for younger domino builders, check out Hape's Dynamo Dominoes set.
85-Piece Build and Play Fort Kit
85-Piece Build and Play Fort Kit
Create amazing forts with this 85-piece set from Obuby! Kids can easily pop the 54 sturdy plastic rods into the 31 child-safe joint balls to create frameworks for forts and other constructions, from domes to pyramids to castles and much more. Once they're creation is finished, top it off with a blanket to make the perfect fort — or take it apart to experiment with another shape. Plus, parents will love that it comes with an idea guide and a handy storage bag for when playtime is done!
LEGO Encanto The Madrigal House
LEGO Encanto The Madrigal House
Discover all the magic of the Casita with this building set from LEGO inspired by Encanto! This This 587-piece set lets you build a Casita that features 3 levels, a spinning weather vane, a flipping bed, and waving shutters. A unique sticker sheet lets you add true-to-the-movie details! There are tons of accessory pieces two, plus minidolls of Mirabel and Abuela and a microdoll of Antonio, and even butterfly and capybara figures. For anyone who's dreamed of leaping into the Madrigals' whimsical home, it's the perfect set to inspire hours of play.
Create A Castle Indoor Sandcastle Building Kit
Create A Castle Indoor Sandcastle Building Kit
Enjoy building incredibly detailed sandcastles — quickly and indoors — with this kit from Buildmaster! This 25-piece kit comes with 2.65 pounds of reusable Castle Magic sand, which feels like dough, holds its shape like clay, and doesn't dry out. Use the included tools to make castle walls and parapets, add tower roofs, dig tunnels, and much more. The castle cast forms have true-to-life touches down to cracks in the bricks and emblems on the walls! And when you're done, you can break the whole thing down to build again — it's completely reusable.
LEGO City Space Lunar Research Base
LEGO City Space Lunar Research Base
Get ready to explore the lunar surface with this inspiring kit from LEGO! Inside this 786 piece kit is everything you need to build a Lunar Research Base for 6 minifigure astronauts (half women, half men), plus vehicles including a lunar lander, a skycrane drone, a VIPER-inspired lunar robotic rover, and a moon buggy. Kids can imagine conducting experiments in the science lab, growing plants in the botany module, or relaxing in the domed crew quarters. Who knows what amazing things she'll discover?
LEGO Jurassic World Blue & Beta Velociraptor Capture
LEGO Jurassic World Blue & Beta Velociraptor Capture
Help Blue and Maisie save baby Beta with this Jurassic World: Dominion building set from LEGO. This 181-piece set comes with two minifigures, Maisie and Rainn Delacourt, plus figures of Blue and Beta the raptors. Catch Beta in the cage using the drumstick as bait and load it onto the back of the buildable truck! Maisie tries to ride to the rescue on her bicycle, only to get drawn into InGen's web. Kids who love dinosaurs or who are fans of the Jurassic World franchise will love getting to imagine all sorts of scenes with this set.
LEGO Wildlife Rescue Camp Building Kit
LEGO Wildlife Rescue Camp Building Kit
Prepare to protect endangered animals with this building set from the LEGO City line! This 503-piece Wildlife Rescue Camp set lets you make a treehouse station, a mobile lab, and some fun vehicles like an ultralight plane, a motorbike, and a dinghy. The six wildlife rescuer minifigures include a variety of cool accessories, including binoculars, coolers, a walkie-talkie, and more! Plus you'll get figures of an eagle, an elephant, a lion, a lioness, 2 lion cubs, and 2 monkeys.
LEGO Harry Potter Hogwarts Room of Requirement
LEGO Harry Potter Hogwarts Room of Requirement
Dumbledore's Army is training to fight Voldemort — alone if necessary! With this 193-piece set, you'll build the mysterious Room of Requirement where Harry forms the DA and teaches them some of his most helpful spells. Watch as Hermione and Luna practice the Patronus charm and produce an otter and a hare! Power shooters that the minifigures can actually hold fire at the mechanical Death Eater for practice. Plus, you can combine this set with others, like the Chamber of Secrets, Transfiguration Class, Divination Class, or Hogwarts Carriage and Thestrals for even more magical pretend play!
Klutz LEGO Gear Bots
Klutz LEGO Gear Bots
Klutz craft kits and LEGO building combine in this fun STEM kit that lets you build action-packed models that move! With the 62 pieces in this set, you'll make 8 physics-driven kinetic creatures using LEGO Technic bricks and papercraft: DJ Bubbles (an octopus spinning records), a pterodactyl, a yeti, and much more! As kids build, they'll also learn about axles, cams, cranks, and engineering in everyday machines.
Tiny Robots Building Kit
Tiny Robots Building Kit
You can build real itty-bitty robots with the tools in this tiny engineering lab from Smart Lab! The Tiny Robots set introduces kids to principals of robotics as they experience with axles, wheels, arms, legs, and gears inside a transparent chassis. They'll learn how gears and axles combine to let robots walk, roll, crawl, or spin; how robots sense and interact with their environment; and how to direct them to accomplish specific tasks. With 26 teensy tools and an instruction manual that guides them through 15 motorized builds, this is the perfect tiny introduction to robotics!
Pepper Mint in The Great Treehouse Engineering Adventure Experiment Kit
Pepper Mint in The Great Treehouse Engineering Adventure Experiment Kit
In this story-based STEM kit from Thames & Kosmos, Pepper Mint is visiting her primatologist aunt in the jungles of Borneo. The treehouse where they're staying is not connected to the electrical power grid, but Pepper and her aunt devise various mechanical inventions, from a rope ladder to a pulley to lift heavy objects into the treehouse to a rotating palm leaf umbrella, and more. This kit includes all the materials to build the treehouse and do the projects, a full-color illustrated storybook and step-by-step instruction manual, and a scale Pepper Mint figure.
Snap Circuits Jr. SC-100
Snap Circuits Jr. SC-100
Make learning electronics easy and fun with this starter pack of Snap Circuits from Elenco! Snap Circuits are color-coded, real circuit components that easily snap together to create working devices — no soldering necessary! This set includes 30 components that kids can use to create 101 do-it-yourself projects, from an AM radio to a burglar alarm to a working doorbell. When she's done, these pieces are compatible with all other Snap Circuits sets, so there's no end to the circuits she can build!
DIY 3D Wooden Puzzle, Set of 6 Assorted Birds
DIY 3D Wooden Puzzle, Set of 6 Assorted Birds
You can build six bird models out of wooden puzzle pieces — without any tools or glue! — with this set from Hands Craft! The bundle includes a parrot, an eagle, a peacock, a flamingo, an owl, and a swan, each between 6.5 and 8.5 inches long. Punch out the high-quality plywood pieces and slot them together to create these intricate bird models to display! It's a fun way to enjoy some puzzle time while paying tribute to the beauty of birds.
Unicornbot Building and Coding Kit
Unicornbot Building and Coding Kit
This enchanted unicorn kit has everything you need to create a buildable, codable UnicornBot! The 3D, 360° animated building instructions on the free JIMU app (compatible with devices using iOS 9.0 and up or Android 5.0 and up) will guide you through assembling the 440 parts, including smooth motion servos, a motor, and an RGB light-up horn. Then, you can use the easy-to-learn Blockly coding platform to teach your Unicornbot to move, pick-up objects, recognize colors, and more! It's a fantasy-inspired introduction to the basics of robotics and coding that kids will love. And if she's more of a dragon fan, check out JIMU's Firebot kit which lets you build and code a dragon!
Gravitrax Starter Set
Gravitrax Starter Set
Part track system, part marble run, Gravitrax is a unique way to explore gravity and momentum! By building different levels and experimenting with track styles and features like curves, freefalls, and even a cannon, kids will discover how to control the speed of the ball they drop and make it do truly awesome tricks. With over 100 pieces in the starter set and 18 different building elements, its open-ended design is perfect to encourage budding tinkerers and engineers!
National Geographic Electricity and Battery Making Kit
National Geographic Electricity and Battery Making Kit
Learn all about electricity and circuits with this mega science kit from National Geographic! First, kids will make a DIY potato clock complete with a voltmeter, and learn why potatoes can generate electrical power and what happens if you break the circuit. Then, they'll stack included zinc and copper "coins" to make a battery that can power a real flashlight! As kids follow the clear step-by-step instructions in the learning guide, they'll learn fun facts about the physics behind electricity, too. Everything you need (except for 2 potatoes!) is included in this illuminating science kit.
Firebot Building Robot and Coding App
Firebot Building Robot and Coding App
Build your own dragon — and code it to move, roar, and more — with this unique robotics kit from JIMU! The Firebot dragon comes with over 600 parts and components, including enough to choose two different wing styles for your dragon robot. Download the free JIMU app (compatible with iOS and Android devcies) for step-by-step, 3D, 360° animated building instructions. Then, use the Blockly coding platform to teach your Firebot to navigate obstacles, perform tasks, move its wings, and even let its snout glow with red or blue "fire"!
National Geographic Magnetic Marble Run
National Geographic Magnetic Marble Run
Build yourself an amazing marble run anywhere magnets stick with this cool kit from National Geographic! With the 50 pieces in this kit, kids can quickly create elaborate marble runs on fridges, white boards, filing cabinets, and more. Secure-fit connectors make it easy for kids to snap components together, and the guide provides inspiration for ways to use the parts, plus space to draw and plan. With 33 tracks and connectors, 6 trick pieces including a bell, a wheel, and a lever, and 10 marbles, she'll be able to plan and build some awesome paths in no time.
Simple Machines Science Kit
Simple Machines Science Kit
Simple machines are the foundation of so many things — and now kids can learn more about them in this kit from Thames & Kosmos! As kids follow along with the 26 model-building exercises in the 32-page, full-color manual, they're learn about wheels and axles, levers, pulleys, inclined planes, screws, and wedges, as well as gears. Then they'll discover the incredible power of these machines, and the principles behind them, when you combine them! The modular construction pieces can be used again and again, either to rebuild models from the kid or to create your own, allowing hours of scientific exploration.
Engino Structures: Buildings and Bridges
Engino Structures: Buildings and Bridges
With Engino Structures: Buildings and Bridges set, you can learn all about buildings and how they literally support our lives! Construct different types of bridges and find out how their architecture design provides massive weight support. Discover all the types of forces applied and how engineers manage to reduce their effects. With 9 working models to build, including five different types of bridges, budding engineers will love this set.
LEGO Wakanda Forever Shuri's Sunbird
LEGO Wakanda Forever Shuri's Sunbird
Help Shuri, Nakia, and Ironheart do battle against Attuma with this LEGO set inspired by Black Panther: Wakanda Forever! With this 355 piece set, you'll build Shuri's Sunbird flyer, full of fun and unique LEGO components. Then, Shuri grabs her blasters, Nakia takes up her ring blades, and Ironheart tests her Mk1 armor! Adjustable engines and wings on the Sunbird let kids reconfigure it for all sorts of superheroic adventures.
Snap Circuits Green Energy Kit
Snap Circuits Green Energy Kit
The Snap Circuits Green Energy Kit makes learning about electricity and alternate energy fun! This award-winning kit features 125 step-by-step projects that teach kids how technology allows us to use renewable energy sources — and to make the most efficient use out of whatever power source we use. With over 45 parts, including green energy components like a fan, a solar cell, and more, there's plenty to learn about making clean power... and like all Snap Circuits kits, no soldering is required, allowing kids to quickly and easily build the projects in the kit or prototype their own circuits.
LEGO Friends Olivia’s Space Academy
LEGO Friends Olivia’s Space Academy
Let her imagination take flight with this building kit from the LEGO Friends series perfect for space fans and would-be astronauts! Olivia is super excited to be visiting the Space Academy. There, she'll get to train like an astronaut, see a real space shuttle, and peek into the outer reaches of the galaxy with the high-powered telescope. Four mini dolls, including Olivia and her mentor Dr. Vidya, are included in this 757 piece set that's sure to encourage your builder's love of outer space.
Snap Circuits Code Journey
Snap Circuits Code Journey
Learn about circuitry, electronics, and much more with this Snap Circuits kit from Elenco! You'll build an electronic circuit on the Snap Rover base; because the Snap Circuits components go together with no soldering required, kids can experiment as they please. Then, connect your rover to the Snap Circuits Coding App and you can program it to move or to make patterns of lights and sounds. This set comes with the Snap Rover, the SC Controller, more than 25 other Snap Circuits parts, and an easy-to-use, full-color project manual explains electrical and coding concepts and includes exciting coding challenges.
Makey Makey: The Original Invention Kit for Everyone
Makey Makey: The Original Invention Kit for Everyone
Turn the whole world into a keyboard! Makey Makey is an invention kit for the 21st century. Use your wildest imagination and turn everyday objects into touch sensitive pads — turning bananas into piano keys, or a drawing on a piece of paper into a joystick! You could even make a keyboard out of alphabet soup. Because the computer treats Makey Makey as a regular input device, you can use it with any program or webpage. It's a simple invention kit for beginners or experts doing art, engineering, and everything in between!
Smartivity Music Machine STEAM Building Kit
Smartivity Music Machine STEAM Building Kit
Build a mechanical music machine with this cool engineering set from Smartivity and Elenco that combines STEM with the arts to make STEAM! Kids will follow the directions in the instruction booklet to assemble the 237 parts, including engineered wooden sheets, bands, sound plates, a handle pipe, and movable pegs — no glue required. After assembling the xylophone, kids can insert one of the included music sheets and turn the handle to play the tune. or, they can insert the movable pegs themselves to create their very own composition!
Klutz LEGO Chain Reactions Kit
Klutz LEGO Chain Reactions Kit
Build incredible chain reactions of wacky machines with this kit from Klutz and LEGO! The idea book includes directions for ten LEGO machines that can turn, pivot, drop, and more... put them together and you can create a truly impressive series. 33 unique LEGO elements are included; the only other thing you need is standard LEGO elements — and a little ingenuity! Along the way, kids will learn about simple machines and some of the basic scientific principles that power the gear we use every day.
LEGO Minecraft The Horse Stable
LEGO Minecraft The Horse Stable
Fans of Minecraft know that a good horse can make all the difference on your adventures! With this 241-piece LEGO building set, kids will assemble a horse stable and three modular grass plates they can arrange around the stable to suit their story. Buildable horses look just like the horse mobs in the game! The minifigure is ready to go for a ride, or to do battle with the skeleton horseman to keep her horses safe. With plenty of game-authentic details, this set is perfect to bring Minecraft off the screen and into the LEGO bin. For another cool Minecraft-themed building kit, check out the LEGO Minecraft The Sky Tower kit for ages 8 and up.
Klutz LEGO Gadgets
Klutz LEGO Gadgets
Klutz and LEGO pair up with this kit that encourages you to build all sorts of wacky gadgets! Inside this set is a 78-page project book that guides you through using the 58 LEGO elements to build 11 machines, including a gravity powered car and a boxing robot. Once you've built the step-by-step projects, you can use the principles you learned and the open-ended prompts in the guide to invent your own gadgets!
K'Nex Intro To Simple Machines: Levers and Pulleys
K'Nex Intro To Simple Machines: Levers and Pulleys
Simple machines do amazing things! This set from K'Nex shows kids the power of the lever and the pulley to move things that can't be moved by muscle power alone. The guide shows kids how to build 8 different models, including all 3 classes of levers and fixed, movable, and combination pulley systems. The set comes with 178 rods and connectors — enough for 2 or 3 kids to work as a team — a Teacher Guide on CD, and a plastic storage case. They'll have a new appreciation for how things work after experimenting with this kit!
LEGO VIDIYO Music Video Maker & Building Kit
LEGO VIDIYO Music Video Maker & Building Kit
With LEGO VIDIYO, kids can create with bricks — then use the VIDIYO app to create their own music videos! Inside The Boombox kit, kids will find 996 pieces, including four minifigures of a vampire, leopard, fairy, and alien. Create your stage, then scan the model with the app to watch it appear in digital form! Scan the BeatBits into the app to unlock special effects like flames, or swap around the four different heads to use different music genres. When they're happy with their music video, they can share it with others through the app on a kid-safe social feed. It's the perfect way to foster creative kids' interest in music, building, and more!
Learn to Solder Kit: Jitterbug
Learn to Solder Kit: Jitterbug
Learn to solder electronics in a fun way with this kit from Rocket Department! Made for beginners who have never soldered before, this kit lets you build a hilarious jitterbug. High quality components and clear step-by-step instructions guide learners through the process, making it easy to focus on learning the skill. When you're done, the vibration motor in the kit will make your bug jitter and scurry across the tabletop!
LEGO Women of NASA Building Kit
LEGO Women of NASA Building Kit
Build a tribute to some of the ground-breaking women who took American into space with this much-anticipated set from LEGO Ideas! This fan-designed set features astronomer Nancy Grace Roman; computer scientist Margaret Hamilton; astronaut and physicist Sally Ride; and astronaut, physician and engineer Mae Jemison, each as part of a vignette depicting their role with NASA. It's a wonderful way to inspire the women in STEM of future generations!
Snap Circuits Mechanical Coding Robot
Snap Circuits Mechanical Coding Robot
Learn the principals of mechanical engineering and coding with this robotics kit from Elenco's best-selling Snap Circuits! This mission-based robot kit gets kids building their Mech 5 robot, then putting instructions on a mechanical coding wheel in the middle. Use the right coding buttons and the robot can move forward or backward, rotate, throw, lift, kick, draw, and more! With over 220 parts, and no screens needed, it's a fun, hands-on way to learn more about programming.
3-Pocket Tool Belt
3-Pocket Tool Belt
Keep all your repair supplies close to hand with this suede tool belt from Custom Leathercraft! Unlike many toolbelts, this can fit a waist as small as 29 inches, so even tweens and teens can wear it. Two large pockets and one small pocket, as well as a loop for a hammer, ensure you have plenty of space, and the polyweb belt has a quick release buckle for when the job is done.
Learn to Solder & Build Your Own Radio Kit
Learn to Solder & Build Your Own Radio Kit
For a budding engineer or just someone who wants to understand the exciting world of electronics in a new way, Elenco's We Make soldering kit is a must! The included instruction manual teaches you soldering techniques while also teaching you about all the components in the kit. Then you'll build a two-IC FM radio that really works! Included are lead-free solder, a soldering iron, wire cutters and the radio board.
LEGO Architecture New York City
LEGO Architecture New York City
Celebrate the distinctive skyline of New York City with this 598-piece LEGO Architecture set. The pieces in this set allow young builders to replicate the Flatiron Building, the Chrysler Building, the Empire State Building, One World Trade Center, and the Statue of Liberty. The set includes a decorative tiled based with a New York City nameplate. An included booklet includes architectural information and historical facts — perfect for budding builders and architects! And for more skylines to build and enjoy, check out the LEGO Architecture San Francisco and Paris kits.
LEGO Avatar Toruk Makto & Tree of Souls
LEGO Avatar Toruk Makto & Tree of Souls
See the wonders of Pandora from the Avatar universe with this beautiful set from LEGO! You'll build a gorgeous Tree of Souls, complete with unique purple and translucent pink LEGO elements and even pieces that glow in the dark. Ride the buildable Toruk or Direhorse just like the Na'vi do, or imagine communing with the souls of the Na'vi with specially proportioned minifigures of Jake, Neytiri, Mo'at, and Tsu'tey. With 1,212 pieces in all, this is a challenging and rewarding build that's perfect for older LEGO fans. For another set inspired by Avatar, check out the Jake & Neytiri’s First Banshee Flight set.
Miniature Bookshop DIY Model Kit
Miniature Bookshop DIY Model Kit
You can build a perfectly tiny bookshop with this gorgeous model kit that includes books that really open and tiny lamps that actually light up! Your bookshop includes sections for novels, history, philosophy, and more; unique and whimsical artwork for the walls; and even miniature "fresh" flowers and fruit in a bowl. This detailed kit, which takes 20 to 30 hours to build, is perfect for keeping hands busy and calming nerves, and when complete, you'll have a beautiful model to display. For another gorgeous model from this series, check out the Miniature Greenhouse Model Kit.
Wooden Vitascope Movie Projector Kit
Wooden Vitascope Movie Projector Kit
This kit from Rokr lets you build a battery-free, 3D wood model of a vintage vitascope movie projector! Carefully assemble the 183 laser-cut wood parts, then thread in the included film — a 58 frame excerpt from Charlie Chaplin's "Modern Times" — and turn the crank to power the light and get the film rolling! You can even adjust the focal lens to change the size and quality of the image. This 10" tall model takes approximately 4 to 6 hours to complete. It's a fun, hands-on way to learn about the history of moving pictures!
Geeek Club Smart Nano Bots Kit
Geeek Club Smart Nano Bots Kit
Discover the amazing world of engineering and robotics with this kit that lets you build 7 teeny robots from Geeek Club! Inside the set you'll find 70 parts, including tools like a rotary tool and a soldering iron, plus over 250 electronic components and easy-to-follow directions that are perfect for both beginners and experienced robot assemblers. The circuit-board robots you'll put together seek out light, so you can experiment with how they move by putting light sources in different places! It's a fun, hands-on way to learn more about robotics and how it can shape our world.
LEGO Ideas Grand Piano
LEGO Ideas Grand Piano
With this incredible kit from the LEGO Ideas line, you can build a LEGO grand piano that you can actually play! This massive kit includes 3,662 pieces that let you assemble a 13/5" long LEGO concert grand piano with authentic hammer action, moving dampers, and even a height-adjustable bench. Use the motor with the LEGO Powered Up app to play a tune automatically, or play your own with the working keys! It's a truly challenging and satisfying build for the most experienced LEGO builders.
LEGO Botanical Collection Succulents
LEGO Botanical Collection Succulents
Build a beautiful garden of unique, colorful succulent plants with this set from the LEGO Botanicals line! Using the 771 pieces in this set, you'll build nine different succulents, each inspired by a different real-life plant. Colorful elements used in creative and unique ways make them look true to life! You can connect the plants in a variety of ways to create a personalized display, or display each plant alone. This unique and challenging LEGO build, which comes with several elements made from plant-based plastic, is perfect for older builders.
