Build 'em up and knock'em down: best value in "giant blocks" land
Written: Feb 13 '02 (Updated Feb 15 '02)
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Pros: Lightweight yet durable (indoors), easy to stack and knock down. Encourages creative play.
Cons: (1) Price. (2) Wipe-clean finish makes blocks slide off each other too easily.
The Bottom Line: Basic but versatile indoor blocks, durable, lightweight, and safe, great for boys and girls ages 2-6. If only they were cheaper! Wipe-clean finish has its advantages and disadvantages.
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| pblanco's Full Review: Imagiplay ImagiBricks Giant City Blocks 24-Piece S... |
Although I own the Imagiplay Imagibricks Giant City Blocks set, much of this review applies to Imagiplay corrugated cardboard blocks in general...
Last Spring I visited Legoland with my toddler; one of his favorite play areas had large, brick-size Lego blocks for building. When I asked the staff where I could buy these, I was told (somewhat rudely) that they were not available to the public, and in any case were very expensive.
So I started hunting around for something similar, mainly by surfing the net and reading educational catalogs. Here's what I found in the "giant blocks" category:
1. A company called BRIK made giant Lego-like blocks in the 1980s. These come up on Ebay from time-to-time but as "collector's items" end up costing more than $2 per brick, plus shipping.
2. Teachers supply catalogs list a product called EduBlocks for preschool use. They look very durable, but again they are pricey at about $2/block, although they have everything you could wish for (bold colors, interlocking, indoor/outdoor use). If you have the money, get these.
3. Playtex Chubs Stackables Baby Wipes are sold in boxes which can be used as interlocking blocks! AND you can keep things in them. A neat idea, except that I prefer Huggies wipes and buy refills in bulk bags, not boxes, and even if I switched, my son would be potty-trained (or so I hope!) before we had enough boxes for serious construction. Epinions reviewer bjcuevas has over 200 of these boxes (she has grandchildren). She could fetch a good price for these I'm sure!
4. Finally, I stumbled upon these Imagiplay corrugated cardboard blocks - literally as it happened, since they were strewn across the floor at my son's new preschool, although it took a while for me to find out who made them.
Availability, Pricing, Shipping:
KBtoys had the City Blocks on sale for $15 before Christmas, but none of their local stores had them in stock. So I ordered them online, and the sale-price saving was immediately erased by the oversize shipping charge. The City Blocks are sold in an large flat-pack box, which is bulky but not too heavy.
Given that they are not cheap to begin with, I would recommend you find a local store that carries them, or find a "free shipping" deal online. The website www.imagiplay.com lists retailers by state, as well as catalog sources for their product line.
What you get in the City Blocks set:
The City Blocks set includes 6 full-size red "bricks", each about the size of an adult shoe box. Added to these are 6 half-size blocks and 12 quarter-size blocks, with designs on their largest faces showing store fronts, windows, and roof tops.
My son (2) pays little attention to these designs when building, but they include such things as a pet shop, fire station, diner etc. Each "design" block does double duty, with different pictures on opposing faces - the rationale is that only one side will be visible facing outwards, I guess.
Although you can build a small town scene such as shown in the image of the product above, I suspect that a budding town planner may need additional basic red bricks, which you can buy at $1 apiece + shipping from Imagiplay if you don't want to spring for their 40-piece set.
Assembly and Storage:
The corrugated cardboard "blocks" arrive flat, and you have to put them together. The folds and push-out tabs are already there, so no tools are required. Instructions were fairly clear and once I got started it took about 1/2 hour to churn out all 24 blocks while watching TV. A child of 4 or older could help with the assembly and this would be a fun task for them, making 3-D objects out of flat cardboard sheets.
The assembled blocks are hollow with a center "wall" for strength. In theory you could hide small objects inside them, e.g. banknotes, bells or marbles to add sound effects when they tumble, or things you don't want the police to find. However, you cannot easily disassemble a block without damaging the little tabs which keep it together, so it's a one-time deal.
Once assembled, the blocks may be stored in the corner of a room by building a solid "cuboid" shape with a volume of 12 full-size bricks. This is what I do (stacking 4 rows of 3 blocks each), and draping a cloth over the stack makes a toddler-sized corner table for my son. Of course, you can always shunt the blocks under the bed, or just scatter them around your house for that in-home daycare look. In any case they don't take up much space.
Use and Abuse:
What impressed me is the high strength-to-weight ratio of these blocks. Imagiplay states that a block can withstand 200lbs, which is close to my weight. After carefully testing their claim, I can say that they certainly withstand 100lbs static weight (one foot on each block), but not much more. Still, this is plenty strong, unless your kids spontaneously create a human pyramid balanced on a single block, or jump up and down on the blocks on purpose to break them.
In addition to their strength, these blocks will keep their looks for some time. Older versions of this toy had a matte printed finish, so a liquid spill would soften the cardboard and ruin the appearance. To combat such mishaps, the current line of Imagiplay blocks have a wipe-clean, glossier finish like the exterior of a well made school binder. This should make it easier to clean off any paint, crayons, or bodily fluids. (Still, these blocks are not waterproof and should not be exposed to prolonged moisture, so keep them indoors and away from the bathroom).
Build 'em up, and knock 'em down:
The reason I bought these blocks was to encourage my little boy into the concept of "constructive" play, since he had already discovered the joy of "demolition" by himself. We also get to play together on the floor, taking turns in directing the other's choice of block, positioning etc. Of course, for him the big payoff is knocking down whatever we have created; sometimes he just cannot wait any longer and throws himself at our fragile edifice. I am pleased to report that these blocks are harmless both to him and me when he does this, thanks to their lightweight construction.
Unfortunately, since the smooth-sided blocks do not "interlock", the wipe-clean finish means that they slide over one another easily, so towers and buildings will fall down prematurely when bumped. I am working on a home-grown solution to increase inter-block friction, and when I find one you'll read about it here first! (Suggestions are welcome).
In conclusion:
These blocks are not the best in the business (see EduBlocks above), and are not even particularly cheap, but at around $1 per block they are the best value out there, and they will last a long time if kept away from moisture.
The City Blocks designs provide additional creative opportunities, and extend the age range for this toy, which will appeal (for different reasons) to both boys and girls. If you have more than one child under 6 years old, this product would be especially good value.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 15+8 S/H
Type of Toy: Blocks
Age Range of Child: 3 to 5 Years
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Epinions.com ID:
pblanco
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Location: San Diego, CA
Reviews written: 26
Trusted by: 3 members
About Me:
A Briton living in California, I am a part-time physicist and full-time dad.
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