# Two year old b-day present... Magna-tiles?



## CallMeKelly (May 8, 2007)

I'm torn between a few things... translucent magna-tiles set http://www.magnatiles.com/products.aspx are really expensive but I've heard rave reviews and just seen two people recommend them on the "plastic toys we love" thread. So, are they worth the money?


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## milkybean (Mar 19, 2008)

There's no age rec on the website that I can find, so I looked them up on amazon. Amazon has 3 years and up.

Age recommendations are one of the few mainstream things we do, absolutely, so I would not be getting these for anyone under 3. And I wouldn't get them for a household where an under 3 lived or might be living in the future.


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## CallMeKelly (May 8, 2007)

I break a few age recommendations based on how safe I think the product is, and this is one that I would be willing to do that for. I let my kids play with polished rocks, for crying out loud! I don't really see that there would be much difference between the age of three and two when it comes to swallowing magnets, either... just the way we do things and I have yet to see anyone mention a broken tile, not one bad review / not one news article.


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## sbgrace (Sep 22, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *CallMeKelly* 
I break a few age recommendations based on how safe I think the product is, and this is one that I would be willing to do that for. I let my kids play with polished rocks, for crying out loud! I don't really see that there would be much difference between the age of three and two when it comes to swallowing magnets, either... just the way we do things and I have yet to see anyone mention a broken tile, not one bad review / not one news article.

How large are the tiles though? Are the swallow whole type size? I am really thinking of them but I've got a kiddo who still puts stuff in his mouth. He wouldn't intentionally swallow anything but you never know.


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## CallMeKelly (May 8, 2007)

From the pictures they are way to big to be swallowed, the only danger I can see would be one breaking open somehow and a magnet coming loose and / or broken pieces... which again, I've never heard of... but I'm hoping someone who owns some will come to this thread and clue me in!


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## redpajama (Jan 22, 2007)

They have these at our local library, and my daughter (2 in November) absolutely loves them--she always bee-lines for them as soon as we walk in the door. That said, she doesn't actually *build* with them--she uses them as imaginary food, which she hands out to me, her brother, and anyone else who happens into the children's section of the library. I've tried building with them, and I actually find it to be a little tricky--my structures seem prone to collapsing. Shoddy architecture, perhaps.

As for the age recommendation thing, I suspect it has more to do with cognitive ability/motor skills than it has to do with safety. The tiles are way too large to choke on--larger than her hands. I suppose there is some sort of marginal risk of a tile breaking and a magnet being ingested, but they don't feel like they would come apart particularly easily, so I don't suspect this is a likelihood.

So, I think I'd recommend them, as long as it wouldn't disappoint you to see the 2-year-old in question build sandwiches and pizze out of them instead of skyscrapers and bungalows.


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## LuckyMommaToo (Aug 14, 2003)

We own them. DD has been building for real with them since, oh, at least March (she turned 2 in May). She can build really tall towers. I would totally get them. They're WAY too big to fit in your mouth.

DS has been quite rough with ours (builds big structures and then sends his monster trucks careening through them on a concrete floor) and while they're mighty scratched up, none have broken.

-e


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## sbgrace (Sep 22, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *LuckyMommaToo* 
We own them. DD has been building for real with them since, oh, at least March (she turned 2 in May). She can build really tall towers. I would totally get them. They're WAY too big to fit in your mouth.

DS has been quite rough with ours (builds big structures and then sends his monster trucks careening through them on a concrete floor) and while they're mighty scratched up, none have broken.

-e

What type of set do you have? I saw a I think 32 piece set on amazon and then also a 100 some size. My boys fight over stuff so more would be better but someone's review mentioned you "need" very large base pieces that the small set contains but the larger (100) one doesn't. Do you need the large pieces to build?


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## LuckyMommaToo (Aug 14, 2003)

First, this site has a good break-down of what's in each set:
http://learningforallages.com/MTiles.htm

We have multiple sets, so I've kind of lost track of what's what. Looks like the 100-pc clear set has some of the big squares. You know, my kids don't necessarily gravitate toward the big squares. DS likes to build garages (for small hotwheels/Lightning Mcqueen-type cars) and elevators, and usually prefers the small squares. DD often builds spectacular things out of just triangles. At DS's preschool, oftentimes kids are just trying to build the tallest structure they can, so again, the big squares aren't essential.

ANd the beauty of it is, you can combine four of the smaller squares (or eight of the right triangles) to make a larger square.

But with twins, you definitely need at least the 100-pc set. You could do the 100 clear and the 32 opaque for a little variety.

Let me know if you have any other questions! We really, truly love our Magnatiles; even the adults who come over find them irresistible.
-e


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## eepster (Sep 20, 2006)

There is a difference between buying a toy before the recommended age for your own child whom you know well, and buying one as a gift for someone elses child. For *gifts* I would stick to the stated age range.


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## milkybean (Mar 19, 2008)

For me it's simply the magnets. After what has been happening with magnet toys, with them breaking and the tiny magnets being swallowed and wreaking havoc (if more than one is swallowed around the same time), I'm just not going to bring them into my house until I KNOW there will be no more babies.

I'm sure that's why the age rec for 3 is on there.

They look very cool, though.


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## Kama82 (Mar 12, 2006)

Is the magnet a big flat magnet that is the same size as the tile or are there smaller magnets inside a plastic casing?

Age recommendations really mean next to nothing, does something magically happen on a childs third birthday that prevents them from putting magnets their mouths? They are guidelines, each parent has to use their own judgment with their own child. Age recommendations can give a false sense of security that can cause more harm than good. I really think there needs to be a list of reasons why a toy is recommended for a certain age so that parents can be aware of the danger of the toy.


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## eepster (Sep 20, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Kama82* 
does something magically happen on a childs third birthday that prevents them from putting magnets their mouths?

By age 3 most children have gotten their 2 yo molars and are finished teething for a while.


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## AllisonR (May 5, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Kama82* 
Age recommendations really mean next to nothing, does something magically happen on a childs third birthday that prevents them from putting magnets their mouths? They are guidelines, each parent has to use their own judgment with their own child. Age recommendations can give a false sense of security that can cause more harm than good. I really think there needs to be a list of reasons why a toy is recommended for a certain age so that parents can be aware of the danger of the toy.









:







ITA.

Age labels are there to prevent the company that made the item from being sued. Many, many kids are not chewing on things at 2, not minding 3. I'd rather have an "under 3" toy that my child loves and uses, regardless whether she uses it to make an imaginary sandwich or the leaning tower of Piza, while I am around keeping a general eye on her; then to forbid her to touch anything "under 3" while I walk off and do something else for 2 hours. NOT saying people here are doing this. I am saying the under 3 label is used to protect the companies from those parents that do this.

There is also age guidelines for average maturity level, not just safety reasons. In which case, I know my children a lot better than a label. Some toys that say age 4, my child may not be ready for until 5 or 6, other ones he might enjoy at 3 or younger.

OP - those look sooooo cool. My kids have GeoMags - which are similiar, and they love them.


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## eepster (Sep 20, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AllisonR* 
I'd rather have an "under 3" toy that *my* child loves and uses, regardless whether she uses it to make an imaginary sandwich or the leaning tower of Piza, while *I* am around keeping a general eye on her;

In which case, *I* know *my* children a lot better than a label.

bold mine

While I agree with what you say, the OP isn't think of getting it for her _own_ child who she would know well and be responsible for supervising. She is considering getting it as a *gift*, and therefore may not know the child well enough to determind if the child still puts stuff in her mouth, and will not be the person responsible for supervising play. With gifts I feel it is better to be cautious, and follow the reccomended ages.


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## CallMeKelly (May 8, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *eepster* 
bold mine

While I agree with what you say, the OP isn't think of getting it for her _own_ child who she would know well and be responsible for supervising. She is considering getting it as a *gift*, and therefore may not know the child well enough to determind if the child still puts stuff in her mouth, and will not be the person responsible for supervising play. With gifts I feel it is better to be cautious, and follow the reccomended ages.

Umm.. actually I am. My youngest is turning two and the present will be for him, hence my flagrant disregard for age limitations...














I do agree completely about gifts, unless discussed with the parents first... but I think all gifts should be discussed with the parents first for soooooo many reasons!

and just wanted to add... I am no where near nice enough to buy someone elses kid something so expensive I need to ask if it is worth the price!!! It is awfully sweet that you thought I was though... really boosted my ego!


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## TheBluebird (Dec 20, 2006)

Man, those look really cool! I wish either of those websites offered better close-ups, though. I want to get a better idea of the size and texture!


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## LuckyMommaToo (Aug 14, 2003)

Quote:

I wish either of those websites offered better close-ups, though. I want to get a better idea of the size and texture!
http://luckykiddos.blogspot.com/2007...architect.html

I don't know if it'll help, but I have a blog post that shows my son building with them. You can see one of the largest size squares on the right (the purple one). The texture is very smooth and plastic.
hth,
-e

p.s. If you click on the photo in my post, it'll get even bigger!


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## SweetPotato (Apr 29, 2006)

My almost 3yo LOVED these at the children's museum and will be getting something like them for birthday or christmas-- however I found Magformers on Amazon and am thinking of getting those instead, as the price is much more reasonable. Both are clear plastic with small magnets enclosed within. I can't imagine how they'd break open unless a child was actually chomping on them really hard or TRYING to break them.


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## lovemyfamily6 (Dec 27, 2006)

Magna Tiles are the one toy that has been played with every single day since we started collecting them almost three years ago. We love them! We have over 200 of them now. The little one plays with them too (not building yet, but he loves them...he's 17 months). They definitely are too big to swallow.


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## PatchChild (Sep 1, 2006)

I'm glad to hear so many positive things about these. I've been eyeing them for a while since my DS loves to build.


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## Cindy-Lou (Mar 7, 2007)

I've never seen those before. Where can we buy them?


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## CallMeKelly (May 8, 2007)

Both of the kinds mentioned here can be found on amazon and through there the diff. companies.

Thank you all for the replies, I think I will order a set this payday!!!


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