My six year old has been in love with magnetic tiles ever since I bought his first set for his birthday. He loves building things and then breaking them back up. I guess all kids do!
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But before going out and buying him this set, I did a fair bit of study on all the market options.
In this article, I will summarize my research on the best magnetic tiles for kids above three.
The reason I came up with magnetic tiles? When I first bought my son a set of wooden blocks a while back, he took to them like fish to water. Unfortunately, there is only as much you can do with blocks before your tower starts to crash under its weight.
A friend advised that magnetic tiles hold each other much more intensely because of the magnetic effect. So you can build much taller and bigger structures with magnetic tiles.
Apart from that, most of them are translucent, so they light up under a lamp, which looks really pretty. And most importantly, you get all the benefits of a building toy - understanding 2D and 3D shapes, recognizing colors, learning patterns, cooperation skills, spatial skills, and fine motor skills!
OUR TOP PICK
Magna Tiles are hands down the most popular brand of magnetic tiles, and the first magnetic tile construction set to hit the market way back in 1997 (Where did the years go? I remember '97 just like it was yesterday).
Since then, Magna Tiles have been the gold standard against which all other magnetic tiles are measured. The tiles themselves are made from secure magnets in colorful shapes with steel rivets.
These tiles are lead-free, non-toxic, and phthalate-free too. But when I bought the Magna Tiles set, one of the main reasons was that these tiles' magnetic strength is incomparable in the market.
Features and Benefits
- What do you get? There are four large squares, 50 small squares in the pack, 20 equilateral triangles, 11 right-angle triangles, and 15 isosceles triangles that make 100 pieces.
- Safety standards: The tiles meet all safety standards of ASTM, CPSIA, EN71, and CPSC. They are 100% non-toxic, made of lead-free, phthalate-free, and BPA-free material. As each tile is welded, the magnet remains out of reach of children.
- Design: The tiles have a criss-cross lattice design with metallic corners. The edges are smooth, so your child's fingers are never in any danger of injury. There is a union-jack type shape in the center, which gives stability to the tile. They look very cool under lights.
- Colorful: One of the reasons I loved the tileset was the cornucopia of colors in the pack. My boy loves the beautiful colors; he just can't get enough of them.
- Sonic welded: Each tile is ultrasonically welded. Whenever my kid connects two tiles, he hears a very satisfying "click" sound, which tells him that the tiles are safely secured. How he loves that clicking sound! I think most of the time, he connects the tiles just to hear that sound.
- Durable: Each tile has stainless steel rivets attached to it, a differentiator from other products on the market. The steel rivets make Magna tiles strong enough to withstand the daily wear and tear that my little one gives it.
Why Should You Buy It?
There are many magnetic tile toys on the market, but none match Magna tiles' quality and durability. In all my research and all the reviews I've read, every person mentioned the tiles' steel rivets and extra strong magnetic power.
Apart from that, the shapes that your kid will create from these tiles are fantastic! My son built a bridge he saw off one of those youtube videos. It looked so pretty and he was very proud!
As a parent, I guess the best part was that the tiles taught him so much about magnetic force and engineering and improved his fine motor skills.
EDITORS CHOICE
If there ever was a strong competitor to Magna Tiles, it is Picasso Tiles for sure. Picasso tiles are probably just as good, if not better than Magna Tiles, both in terms of magnetic force and tiles' quality. Perhaps the only differentiator between the two is the steel rivets that give that extra bit of strength to Magna Tiles.
Features and Benefits
- What Do You Get? The Picasso Tiles 100 tile set contains eight large squares measuring 6x6 inches and 46 smaller ones that measure 3x3 inches. There are twenty small triangles 3x3 inches, 12 medium right-angle triangles 3x4 inches, and 14 tall triangles measuring 3x5.5 inches.
- Scalable: The Picasso Tiles set is scalable to almost any size. You can keep adding more tiles by purchasing them separately. If your kid breaks a couple of tiles, they are easily replaced.
- Learn by playing: Learning something new every time your child plays with the tileset is one of the clear positives. Your child can create and think out of the box with these tiles. Making 2D and 3D patterns is easy to construct with the tiles.
- Best played in groups: Your child will love to play with Picasso Tiles the most in the company of other children! The magnetic tiles set engages children by encouraging them to work collectively and make pieces of a design, which they can put together later. The tile set builds camaraderie and a sense of teamwork. Learning can become fun when two or more kids join together in doing one task.
- Learning beyond imagination: When you give your child the Picasso tileset, they learn to recognize shapes, understand spatial skills such as 2D and 3D shape creation, construction skills, and basic principles of magnetism.
Why Should You Buy It?
Allow your child to think and create something that is beyond your thoughts. If you want your child to learn STEM principles through playing, the Picasso tile set is one of the best.
The pack has a colorful set of 100 tiles that will make your child develop cognitive, creative, and out of the box thinking skills.
BEST VALUE
The 3D macron colored tiles are beautiful and engaging. There are large, small, and medium tiles of different shapes. The magnets used in them are more robust than their counterparts of similar price.
Features and Benefits
- What Do You Get? The tiles are separate forms that help create 3D patterns with ease. There are two hexagons, 24 squares, 20 triangles and eight semicircles. Twenty-four castor accessories, six-wheel assembly, four rhombi, four trapezoids, and 8 Ferris-wheel are available. Further more, the set contains four long triangles and one instruction manual.
- Highly safe material: The second generation 3D macron color film on the tiles makes it highly safe for kids. It is certified by CPSIA and is made with ABS plastic material that is non-toxic and durable. It is made with LT plant pigment that gives a rich color to the tiles and allows children to explore more.
Why Should You Buy It?
If you are looking for value for money, a 132 piece magnetic tile set at the price at which this one is available is a real steal.
RUNNER UP
Cossy Kids is a 120 piece magnetic building block that is another excellent educational toy for your kids. I have added this set to the list because of the two-car set included at this price, a clear differentiator.
The car base, an optional item with both Magna Tiles and Picasso Tiles, is excellent for kids who love toys like cars, dump trucks, and fire trucks.
Features and Benefits
- What do you get? There are four large squares, 44 small squares, a two-piece rectangle fence and a four-piece L shape fence. There are ten-pieces of long triangles, 24 little, and 16 wide triangles. The set contains windows and window frames, two-pieces each, and two car bases.
- Design: The magnetic tiles are made of ABS plastic that is strong and withstands any wear and tear. The material is kid-friendly, non-toxic, and has no odor. All the tiles have round corners that reduce the chances of accidents. The tile set is safe for children aged 3 to 12 years.
- All rainbow colors: There are seven different colors of tiles that your kid will enjoy playing. All the tiles have high transparency, and when light falls on them, they look stunning.
Why Should You Buy It?
One simple reason - the car bases included at this price. Apart from that, the Cossy tile set is made with high quality, kids friendly ABS plastic with smooth corners. Your child can learn shape recognition, enhance motor skills and improve creativity in making unique patterns.
RUNNER UP
This perfect building block set of Desire tiles is ideal for children from age three to eight. There are 57 pieces all together in this tile set with round edges, high transparency, and superior magnets that hold each other well.
Features and Benefits
- What Do You Get? 20 large squares, 12 pieces of equilateral triangles and two right-angle triangles. Four acute angle triangles, four rectangles, four windows, two large squares, and four clicking windows are also available. One wheel base is also available in the set.
- STEM Toy: With one single device, let your child recognize colors, construct what they imagine, and develop cognitive skills. Learning maths, science, and technology with STEM is possible. It makes learning fun and easy. The tile set will help your child use their brains, build 2D and 3D patterns, and much more.
- Enhances Sensory Perception: Working with tiles will help improve motor skills, brain development, and sensory skills. As the tiles have magnets, connecting them is fun. The magnets' clicking sound attracts the kids and engages them in making different patterns and designs.
- Safe: The tiles are made with food-grade ABS plastic. It's safe for the kids as it is non-toxic and odor-free. The magnets in the tiles are powerful and connect for a very long time. It ensures the robust construction of different models.
Why Should You Buy It?
If you are looking for a smaller tile set with all the shapes of the 100 piece options from Magna and Picasso, and a wheel base, this is a great option to try out.
RUNNER UP
This 40 piece set of Dreambuilder magnet blocks will help engage your child in learning something new and creative. These colorful looking tiles are perfect for girls and boys of age three and above.
The pastel color tiles look great and they are available in different shapes and sizes. Each tile is joined by steel sockets that protect the magnets and make the tileset safe to play with.
Features and Benefits
- What Do You Get? There are eight different colors of tiles available in different shapes. There are 16 triangles and 24 squares open in the set. All the tiles are secured with steel sockets that make the toy set safe for kids.
- Strong magnet connection: The magnets are fastened and fixed inside the steel socket. This ensures a strong connection with each tile. Thus it offers a strong constructed frame or pattern that holds each other securely. The tile is made of ABS plastic that is of food-grade material. It makes the tiles safe for the kids to play with.
- Ensures kid safety: The tiles are safe as it is of ABS material that has undergone an Ultrasonic process that ensures your child's safety. Moreover, models connect well and do not fall apart easily. The edges are smooth and ensure easy handling without worrying about accidents. The tiles are 100% safe for kids.
- Package includes idea book: The tiles package includes one idea book that helps children make models and patterns by learning step by step. As the children learn to make models from the book, they can also create beautiful 3D and 2D designs in their creativity.
Why Should You Buy It?
Despite what they might say, the problem with tiles like Magna and Picasso is that they are challenging to hold. Children have small hands, and sometimes the larger tiles are difficult to manage.
The Dreambuilder magnetic tiles are not completely solid, so they are a lot easier to hold, especially for smaller kids.
RUNNER UP
The one hundred eight-piece magnetic marble set is perfect for toddlers of age three to ten. The marbles have round edges that help protect the little hands from cuts and scratches. With ultrasonic welding, the marble is strong and durable.
Features and Benefits
- What Do You Get? There are 38 square tiles, four windows, and four small windows. 2 large pieces of squares, 28 pieces of small triangles, eight-pieces of an isosceles triangle, a two-piece car, and many more attachments. There is also one book in which the kids see and make identical patterns and shapes.
- Educational gear: The children will recognize shapes, learn to be creative, and develop motor skills. When playing in a group, your kids will learn to share and play together. This will help in developing social skills amongst the kids. Your kid will learn STEM, which is all the basics of maths, science, engineering, and technology. They will learn to create what they imagine.
- Safe and durable gear: the magnets are strong and hold each other more intensely due to their larger size. The tile size has ultrasonic welding that prevents the pattern from falling apart. For better magnetism, Jasonwell tiles use magnets that are permanent magnets and have higher magnet gauze.
- Tiles look beautiful: There are eight different colors of magnetic tiles that have increased transparency. The light passes through the tiles, leaving a beautiful colored shadow on the floor. The tiles are perfect for toddlers and preschool kids. The different colors of the tiles attract the kids and keep them engaged for a longer time.
Why Should You Buy It?
What I loved about this tileset were the unique shapes. Moreover, many of the tiles are not fully solid, so they can be hold better by smaller hands.
Buyers Guide: Best Magnetic Tiles For Kids
Safety First
The first thing, of course, is to look out for the safety features. One of the critical things to check is if the edges are smooth or sharp. The smoother the edges, the safer are the tiles.
Secondly, the tiles should be made with food-grade material. They should be non-toxic, BPA-free, and phthalate-free.
Durability
Durability is difficult to check, but when you pick up a magnetic tile, you can feel its weight in your hand. The heavier the tile, the more durable it is likely to be.
Shapes
Shapes, or rather the variety of shapes, are essential to make complex designs. Apart from the rectangular and triangular shapes that are pretty standard, many magnetic tile sets come with car bases and non-conventional shapes like L-shapes and T-shapes.
Number of Pieces
I learned the hard way because the number of pieces matters. After all, children tend to grow bored pretty quickly if there are only one or two shapes that they can make. The more the number of pieces, the bigger the designs that your child can make.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Wash Magnetic Toys?
After playing regularly with magnetic toys, they tend to attract some dirt and grime. But it is not advisable to wash them in water.
This is because magnets start to corrode if submerged in water. Hence you should use a damp cloth to clean the magnetic toys.
Why Are My Magnetic Toys Not Working?
There can be several reasons why your magnetic toys are not working. It can be due to improper storage or if the toy is too old and the magnets have stopped working.
Regular wear and tear are acceptable, but if your child loves to throw around the tiles a lot, they will lose their magnetism.
Final Words
Magnetic tiles are an excellent way to instill creativity, enhance spatial learning, develop STEM skills and even instill teamwork and coordination skills in young children.
But if you ask me, what I love the most is when my son's eyes light up, seeing the beautiful colors when I dim the lights and turn up my desk lamp under them!
I hope this information has been helpful to you, and do share your experiences, stories, comments, and suggestions with us below!
As a parent of a five-year-old inquisitive boy, I have gained a lot of experience finding fun activities and toys to help him understand science and understanding our world in general. On this blog, you’ll find an extensive amount of tutorials, guides, and toys about Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math based on my personal experience to help your child develop critical STEM skills.
