K'NEX Building Sets Review

Our seven year old loves any and all types of building sets. And that is the understatement of the year. It is actually becoming a problem as Star Wars LEGOs have taken over his small room. I'm on the hunt for an inexpensive and easy way to display them all. He recently had an opportunity to try out a few building sets from K'NEX and they were a hit!

K'NEX is the next generation of construction sets. It inspires creativity, builds self-confidence and encourages interaction among children and parents. The possibilities are endless!

K'NEX offers a variety of products covering multiple age ranges. We received several sets from the Top Gear and Extreme Opps lines that are all marked Ages 7+. So they were perfect for my son who just turned seven in February. The Extreme Opps sets are smaller sets of about 50 to 80 pieces. He was able to build these all on his own without any help from myself or my husband. That is a big plus for us. While we do enjoy helping him build, sometimes its nice for him to be able to go in his room and play quietly by  himself for a little bit. Most importantly, he had such a sense of pride that he finished these all on his own. As you can see, these are pretty cool looking. He loves all of the moving parts.

Next up are some of the vehicle sets from the Top Gear line. These sets are much larger with a range of about a40 to 200 pieces. These provide a little more challenge to put together. Our son started these on his own and finished most of them by himself. I would say that 90% of each set he built. He just needed some help with the finishing touches, which my husband gladly did with him. The first one is pretty cool since it has two vehicles. The car is pulling a trailer with motorcycle. The motor cycle detaches so you can play with it. It is pretty awesome actually.

The one and only con that I have about K'NEX is sometimes the pieces do not stay together well. For example while trying to add another brick to an assembly, I sometimes found that the assembly kept coming apart. It takes a little bit of work to get everything snapped together securely. Regardless of that minor issue, my son absolutely loved these and that, for me, is the most important part.

What I also love about K'NEX products is that most of their parts are made right here in the USA. This is something that is very important to many US consumers. It is nice to know that your purchase of a fun toy for your child is helping to support jobs right here in the US.

Buy
K'NEX building sets may be purchased at Toys R Us and other toy retailers or direct online at the K'NEX Shop.

Stay Connected
K'NEX on Facebook
@KNEX on Twitter

Please note that the opinions and views expressed in this review are my own and based on my personal experience with the product and/or company. You may encounter a different experience with this than I did. I received free product to review.

Down To Earth Toys Review & Giveaway

Are you looking for a place to shop online for quality and eco-friendly toys this holiday season? I have recently been introduced to a site where you can find something for all of the young children on your list and feel good about your purchase. Down To Earth Toys has a large selection of wooden toys and natural and organic toys for babies and toddlers. Take a peek in the natural and organic section and you will find pretty much anything from a cute little organic puppy doll to beautiful natural wood play kitchens.

At Down To Earth Toys you will also find that many of the toys they carry are toys made in the U.S.A. In fact, about 90% of the toys you will find there are U.S.A. Made. With the growing concern over not just toys but all products made oversees, so many of us would prefer to buy things that are made right here. Not to mention if that if the product is made in the U.S.A. it has a shorter distance to travel from production to your doorstep and that equals a smaller carbon footprint!

Down To Earth Toys offers top quality Toys Made in the USA.We feel that protecting your child, while also supporting America’s economy, are of utmost importance.We know that American made toys are constructed with safe materials and built by fair labor practices.Whether you are looking for baby toys, toddler toys, or outdoor toys… know that you have found a store that is dedicated to offering you toys that you will feel great about giving to your child!

I was fortunate enough to receive a Hickory Dickory Dock Clock by Holgate Toys to test out. This toy is made in the U.S.A. and recommended for ages 2 - 6.



Let me first say why I picked this. As many of my readers already know, I have 3 young boys. My oldest is 4.5 and my twins are 2.5. The twins are both in speech therapy for a speech delay, something we've been working on for a year now. When I saw this clock I thought it would be great for them for learning shape and color words. We also work on basic skills like matching and this toy is working well for us with that. Not only do I have them match the shapes to the corresponding space on the clock, but then we also work on grouping by color. I haven't focused on the actual numbers yet, but we will work our way up to that. I also like that my older son can play with this too. He likes to look up at the clock on our mantle and make up what time it is so now I have a toy where I can actually try to help him with reading time. The hands in the middle of the clock turn easily so you can set it to whatever you want and then let the learning begin.

Shop
Visit Down To Earth Toys to get started with your holiday shopping! They offer $5.95 flat rate ground shipping within the Continental USA. (Oversized items do require an additional fee). In the spirit of being eco-friendly, Down To Earth reuses boxes and packaging when shipping orders to cut back on waste.

Giveaway
One (1) winner will receive a Roy Toy Earth Friendly Log Cabin Set. This fun set is made using wood from mills that follow sustainable forest management practices. Each piece is tumbled for a smooth finish and left in its natural color-free from dyes. Includes 83 pieces and comes in a 100% Cotton drawstring bag. Log Cabin building directions are included.


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This giveaway is open to Continental US Residents 18+ only and will end on Tuesday, December 8th at 11:59pm EST. One winner will be chosen at random using Random.org and will be posted on the Winner's Announcement Page. Winner has 48 hours to claim his/her prize otherwise a new winner will be picked. You must leave your e-mail address in all of your comment(s) so I can contact you. I will not share your e-mail address with anyone, it will strictly be used to notify you if you win. Good luck!

Please note that the opinions and views expressed in this review are my own and based on my personal experience with the product. You may encounter a different experience with this than I did. Down To Earth Toys provided me with an item for review and is providing an item for the giveaway.