New flexible parts let kids build cycles that look more realistic than ever. This 189-piece set can build three different cool cycles, including a chopper. Other sets available include an RC truck and a 14-model set that builds everything from a sportscar to a helicopter.

This 10-time award winner sets imaginations in motion with wacky gears that whirl and twirl. The 82-piece set includes springs, spirals and propeller, plus small, medium and large gears and bases. The set can be used alone or combined with other sets. Included are: 4 peg adapters, 11 small gears, 5 medium gears, 4 large gears, 7 small bases, 4 medium bases, 3 large bases, 6 six-way axles, 8 pillar connectors, 9 large pillars, 12 small pillars, 1 crown gear, 2 T-connectors, 2 angle connectors, 2 spring connectors, 1 propeller and 1 crank.

This classic set comes with 66 wooden and plastic Tinkertoy pieces to build big structures quickly. Kids can easily build lots of structures that swing, roll and spin. Every Tinkertoy Classic building set comes in a sturdy canister package with a metal lid and bottom. All pieces, except green flags, are made of 100 percent real wood. The starter kit contains four plastic flags, four pulleys, four end caps and eight connectors.
— “Tinkertoys” was among the best-selling classic toys in the store, according to Sylvia Pudtice, co-owner of Giggles for Kids in Suwannee, Ga.
— When asked about classic toys, Roberta Kenworthy, owner of AbraKIDabra Toys in Greenville, N.C., listed “Tinkertoys” as among the best-selling in her store.
— Tinkertoy was cited by Toys "R" Us on its 2006 guide for kids with special needs. Specifically, Tinkertoy was described as a toy that “challenges kids to think.”
— “People love Tinkertoys, as well as Lincoln Logs. We carry both of them because they're so popular,” Gail Small, owner of Dragon's Toy Box in Seattle, told TDmonthly.

Sixty rugged plastic pieces snap together easily to form endless combinations of poseable creatures. In this set, kids can make a cat, fruit bat, lantern fish, desert lizard, snake and firefly or morph them to make all sorts of fantasy creatures. The heads have hinged jaws, and select pieces, such as the cat’s eyes, glow in the dark. All Morphs sets are interchangeable. The Morphs are also available in jungle, sea, pet, runners, fliers and dinos sets.
— “This is a great one,” said Doris Jelliff, bookkeeper for Dinosaur Hill in New York City. “It was a big hit when they first came out and now they’ve come out with new glow-in-the-dark ones.”
— “This is one of the hot sellers,” said Ricki Block of Ariel’s Child in New Windsor, N.Y. “All of the sets are going to be popular.”
— “We started with 60 stores in 2004, but the word got around so now we’re in 700,” said River Dolphin partner Mark McFarland. “The demand has been high; we’ve gotten slammed with orders. We got in 25,000 units today and they are almost entirely sold.” READ MOM REVIEW

Using advanced technology, Atomic BLOX light up when connected to each other. The downside, of course, is that kids will never want to go to bed again after playing with these blocks in the dark. The blocks draw their energy from a battery-operated "Power Blox," which the blocks are built around.

Magnetism is at the core of this nifty building set, as sturdy plastic pieces use magnetic charges to interlock with each other. Metal connectors also allow the builder to erect structures at any angle he can imagine. The set comes with 30 magnetic rods, 14 steel balls, and instructions.

From the successful DinoBonz line, GloBonz are plastic pieces that can be put together to form the skeletal frames of dinosaurs.
— It was a Family Fun Magazine Toy of the Year Award winner.
— The package comes with 32 glow-in-the-dark pieces.
— Susan Holden, a partner at Curious Toys, said that GloBonz “continues to be a great seller for Curious Toys.” She went on to say that many customers “write to us about how they make a character and hang it on fish line from their ceiling to watch it glow at bedtime."

Following the instructions is optional with this 630-piece set. Kids can either use the directions and build one of 26 animals, or they can use their imaginations to build something entirely different.

This K'NEX® product comes with all the parts necessary to build a real, working pirate ship ride. The pendulum-like ride will stand more than two-feet tall and is comprised of rods and connectors and runs on a battery-powered motor. Once erected, the ship will swing back and forth before eventually flying around for a 360-degree spin.

This 380-piece construction set is for the kids that are ready to move to the next level. Children must follow a detailed instruction book in order to assemble the suspension structure, and when it´s complete a motorized elevator will carry marbles to the top. The roll to the bottom is almost secondary to the sense of accomplishment kids will derive from finishing this project.

This construction set comes with a wide variety of shapes, and some pieces have magnetic sides that allow for unique building designs. A 16-page instruction booklet provides the blueprints, so kids have the option of following the design through to the end or using their imagination to build something completely original.

Covered with glossy colorful paper designs, these sturdy cardboard stacking blocks let kids build high without the risk of being clocked on the head with heavy wooden blocks. The colorful designs on each block were created by L. Bayrounat. The 14-piece set includes 9 cubes, 3 bridges and 2 roofs. Wooden animals and figures can be bought separately. The blocks range in size from 2.5” to 5”.

This German take on building blocks should provide young children with an outlet for their constructive imaginations, as the set offers 15 different types of blocks and 62 pieces overall. Kids can erect skyscrapers or use the wheels to build a fire truck; the possibilites are endless. The set comes with a plastic storage box.

This is the latest and the greatest in the Bionicle mythology: Visorak Vohtarak (say that fast three times), VV for short. The story: Web Of Shadows (year 2005): Hordes of these spider like creatures appeared in Metru Nui following the great quake. They quickly took over the Coliseum and spread out through the metru, weaving their webs and capturing Rahi. All Visorak have the ability to create and climb webs as well as a default paralysis power in their spinners.

Putting a new twist on building blocks, the object of Zimbbos is to see who can stack the most elephants onto the pyramid without bringing the whole thing crashing down. Kids take turns rolling the dice to see how many elephants they have to add, and the person who tops off the pyramid is the winner. Let the pyramid tumble and you´re the loser. The game comes with 10 wooden elephants, five wooden jokers, a lion, a bear, two clowns and three balancing bars.

Thomas can be loaded up at the cargo tower, then sent on his way to Tidmouth Station. The set includes a cargo tower with a slide so kids can open it to drop cargo. It also features a full track that measures 23" by 35", train signal and station. It recently won a 2006 Oppenheim Toy Award, comes with more than seven feet of track and 16 curved track pieces and is compatible with the complete LEGO and DUPLO systems.

Magneatos is a jumbo-sized magnetic construction set similar in concept to popular sets made for older kids, but designed for small hands with huge imaginations. The distinctive extra-large size and bright colors of Magneatos make them ideal for little builders. Available in 36-, 72- and 144-piece sets, Magneatos construction sets can be combined with one another. The suggested retail prices for the sets are $30, $50 and $100, respectively. Baby builders can reach for the sky with this popular toy. Its steady sales have earned it a TDmonthly Top Seller 2007 award.
— TDmonthly posted a video of Guidecraft Inc.'s Magneatos in November 2007, in which a demonstrator commented on the "not so sturdy" nature of the product, potentially portraying the design or strength of the magnets as a weakness. TDmonthly did mention positive traits of the toy, but upon further review and observance of children playing the set, discovered even more: Magneatos encourage children to work together, communicate (as they find certain colors of pieces, for example), and compete, since the larger sets, especially, contain enough pieces for children to work on their own projects. Also, the power of the magnets forces children to put more thought into the foundation of their structures, reinforcing principles of balance. Per these findings, the video was removed.

Where to Buy: Rocking Horse Toy Store; Really Great Toys; Berkira

LEGO´s been doing what it does so well for 50 years: creating interlocking pieces that kids can use to build anything their imaginations can dream up. This LEGO-brick-shaped bin holds 500 classic pieces that includes special limited edition gold bricks.

This beautiful set contains all wooden pieces stained to match those of the original Lincoln Logs. Its red chimneys and green slats rekindle memories of classic Lincoln Logs building fun. The keepsake wooden storage case is individually numbered for true collector quality.

The 25" L T-1 Typhoon with spinning rotors is equipped with an XL-4 Voltaic Launcher with firing action, a Plarxx Radar Ray, twin Quintronic Beam Emitters, twin Sonic Screamers, dual cockpits, working boom crane, and much more. Viper, Digger, Specs and Shadow fly the high-tech copter against the mighty T-Rex. This powerful 10" dinosaur has light-up eyes and tongue, plus real chomping action. Its savage pteranodon sidekick has a wingspan of more than 11 inches. The copter has dual cockpits and working boom crane. This 605-piece kit includes the Viper, Digger, Specs, Shadow, T-Rex and pteranodon figures.

Builders seeking a new challenge will love the wild shapes, flexible feel and bold colors in this one-of-a-kind patented high-density foam construction set. The soft pieces link together to create easy flat models like snakes, or can be stacked to build far-out 3-D dragons, monsters and more. Build the illustrated designs using the step-by-step instructions or let your imagination take charge. Awards won include a National Parenting Center 2005 Seal of Approval, 2005 iParenting Media Award, Dr. Toy 2005 Smart Toy/Smart Play Award, a Creative Child Magazine 2005 Preferred Choice Award and 2005 Parents´ Choice Approved Award. The set contains 237 pieces. In addition to the Dragons & Reptiles kits, they also have a Wildcats line. Pieces can be mixed and matched to create more far-out creatures.

This design toy offers creative construction challenges for today´s kids on the go. Children can stack, nest, link and even lock WEDGiTS together to create creatures, structures, mechanical levers, statues and even galactic spacecraft. Packaged in its own portable, plastic carry-case, this 35-piece educational, manipulative product allows kids to create designs, structures, creatures and art forms.

A new 1/150th paper model of the historic Globe Theater where the Bard put on his plays. This full color printed kit is easy to cut out and glue according to 3d diagrams: 20 x 24 x 14 cm.

An 11 piece rainbow colored block set with a 12 pattern card deck. Heirloom quality. This multifaceted didactic system includes an 11 pc. set of circular blocks and a full deck of Play-11™ Cards (vol. A). Six transparent, non-toxic colors reveal the beautiful wood grain. Sold in clamshell packaging with pattern cards in a clear sleeve. Multilingual text – English, French, Italian, German and Spanish. Tieramids are for ages 3 to adult. Multiple award winning!

52 Cards for 22-Piece Block Sets. A multilingual, 52-card deck that works perfectly with all 22 piece block sets. Each deck shows patterns of blocks in 2-D & 3-D with tiered skill levels from 1 to 3. 48 Pattern Cards & 4 instructional Guide Cards are included in a full color box. Made from thick cardstock, with a durable clear finish. Multilingual text – English, French, Italian, German and Spanish. Tieramids are for ages 3 to adult.