jenscookie's Full Review: Tumbletree Timbers Bldg Set, 50 Pc
Cracker Barrel Restaurant is a place I usually try to avoid, for several reasons. One reason is I can never resist ordering inappropriate food- pecan pancakes on this trip, and another reason is that I can never resist buying something in the store (because I had to stop eating pecan pancakes and drinking 10 cups of coffee and needed to go wander around in order to take my mind off it). On this trip I happen to spot these tiny tiny Lincoln Logs- actually called Tumbletree Timbers, and was compelled to buy them and begin building immediately.
They are basically exactly like Lincoln Logs except they are tinier, they are made of plastic/resin instead of wood, and, at least in this set, they have no flat pieces for the bottoms of your log cabins.
The canister is very adorable, about 5 inches high and contains 50 timbers. You can build a little log cabin with a roof, chimney and a few other out buildings. The pieces fit pretty exactly into the canister, so you can't just dump them in. The pieces are very small, just about 1/4 inch wide and the longest is 4 inches long. The green roof slats are even narrower. Obviously, you don't want to let little children who still mouth their toys to have these. Also don't give them to goofy children who tend put things into their noses. Oh yes, you know who you are, you goofy kids.
Like traditional Lincoln Logs, the pieces have 1, 2 or 3 notches. There aren't any of those super long pieces in in this set that you probably remember using to build giant forts. Unlike traditional wooden logs, they notches stay unsplintered and have a consistent fit.
The scale of the buildings you can make with this is pretty nice. I'm told they are great for "army guys." They are also nice with Brio trains and under the Christmas tree.
I hadn't played with Lincoln Logs for quite awhile so I forgot how the roofs work. And believe me, I was not going to be able to channel my interest in more pecan pancakes and coffee into a successful building experience until I figured it out. It turns out two of the pieces with 2 notches actually have 3 notches on one side- with the middle notches being shallow- and the triangular roof framing pieces fit in them. Once you have the two roof supports parallel, then you simply lay the green roofing pieces across them. Of course most of you probably remember this, not being so Lincoln Logs challenged as I.
The size of the set is limiting. With only 50 pieces, and only enough components for one roof, you can only really do one main building and some fences. Happily at only $5, you can buy a couple of sets and entertain several builders for a small budget.
For an actual child's building toy, I think I would start with a traditional large set of Lincoln Logs. They are trickier to build with than blocks or Legos, because they don't all fit together any which way. Also some younger children find them frustrating because they have an idea of what they want and can't always execute it. So it takes time for a child to be able to experiment with them in order to have a satisfying building experience. More pieces, and bigger pieces, allows for more experimentation.
This set is great for people already familiar with the Lincoln Logs concept and it's pretty nice for travel, except for the problem of fitting the pieces back into the canister. You could put them into a different container, but the canister is what helps make the set so adorable.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 5 Type of Toy: Playscene
Age Range of Child: 9 Years or Older
*STOCKING STUFFER SIZE* *MICRO* or MINI Tumble Tree TImbers, see measurements Ages 3+ years. Canister measures 5.5" H x 2"Diameter Includes: Roof Supp...More at Amazon Marketplace
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