We have been having a lot of fun with Magnetix (TM) lately. Uncle Michael has collected this construction material for years and always brings his collection to play with with the girls when he visits. Now, Elanor has started collecting it herself. She just had her birthday and got three sets, so has a reasonable amount.

Magnetix started off as Stix'n'balls - plastic sticks about 3cm long with a magnet at each end, and steel ball bearings to join between. Having the balls (especially the largish balls) means you can join many sticks at one point, extending the number of geometric shapes you can construct with them. We used to have some cheap ones which are not as strong and have smaller ball bearings.

As the toy developed they put out other shapes, not just sticks. Started with longer lengths, shapes such as triangles (with magnets at several points around them), squares, diamonds, etc.

One of Elanor's sets has curved and bendy sticks in 2 lengths, and circle shapes with 4 magets around the edge. Also 2 lights, which work unreliably.

Anyway, we have all been having quite a lot of fun with these, though not so much the little kids as the pieces are small. But when Grace was the last child here on Wednesday, she and Elanor played with them, and she seemed to find them very entrancing. Magnets and very cool in any case, but it's nice to be able to play with a special toy with one of the big girls.

Photos off Google Images.

(haha - just worked out I can drag images around the post! Haven't tried that before.)