Best toys what looks like magnetic tiles for younger & older
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magnetic tiles are great fun to play with. Your child probably can't get enough of it. But what other toys are there that look like it?
The best toys to try are these wooden magnet blocks from Tegu. With different shapes you can build a lot with it. It looks a bit like magnetic tiles, but then again not.
In this article I have the 4 best magnet tile alternatives and a buying guide with what you should pay attention to.
Let's take a quick look at the top picks. Then I'll go into more detail about each of these choices.
Best wooden magnet blocks
You spend a little more on these blocks, but playing with real wood gives a hand feel that plastic will never be able to give your child.
Most comprehensive flexible magnetic toy
You bend the flexible pieces over each other so that they become convex and you can make large things with a lot of open space on the inside.
Best magnetic rods to build with
Clicking these together is a lot easier than with magnetic tiles. This makes the toy really suitable from 1 year old as SmartMax says.
Best plastic magnetic building blocks
With MagiCube you can make faster creations that resemble animals or robots where magnet tiles encourage buildings.
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What we discuss in this comprehensive post:
Toys what looks like buying guide
When looking for a replacement, it is good to look at the following things:
Age
Magnet tiles are the best from 3 to 5 years. There are toys that are a little more fun for children under 3, such as Smartmax and MagiCube.
Toys that stay fun a bit longer are Tegu and Clixo.
 Age from |  Best age |  Age to |
Replayability
With magnetic tiles they can play again and again and make new creations. That's why I also rated all these sets for replayability on a scale of 1 to 5.
This way you get an idea of whether your child will continue to enjoy it after a few times of play.
Sustainability
Magnetic tiles last a very long time. Can't be broken actually. Toys that look like magnetic tiles must therefore also be able to handle frequent play.
I have assessed all alternatives for sustainability.
Best Toys What Looks Like Magnetic Tiles Reviewed
Tegu 42 Wooden Set
- Sustainable wooden toys
- Sturdy magnets
- Wheels in the set give more to do
- Very pricey
Tegu is a responsible brand that makes its wooden toys in Honduras from sustainable wood.
The toy is therefore also naturally safe without plastic, BPA and with water-based paint.
You spend a little more on these blocks, but playing with real wood gives a hand feel that plastic will never be able to give your child.
Is that worth the extra money than plastic magnet tiles? I think so. It is good for your child to play closer to nature.
Tegu is one of the few brands that treats the planet in such a responsible way while also bringing modern toys to the market, such as magnetic building blocks.
This set has blocks in different shapes and the slats also ensure that you can do a lot more.
For example, you can make perfect house constructions, or a real race car:
It is by far the best set in this list, but you pay a higher price for it.
Clixus Wheel Creator Pack
- Really durable material
- A lot to build with little
- Difficult to master
- Very pricey
It's actually a whole new way of building, with Clixo. They have done research into how 3D constructions work and how you can make as much as possible with as little material as possible.
It is STEM toy par excellence.
You can already see a number of examples on the picture, but the possibilities are actually endless. With 20 pieces you can already make a very large construction, something that would require more than 200 pieces with LEGO.
You bend the flexible pieces over each other, so that they become convex and you can make large things with a lot of open space on the inside.
That's why you can make a lot with little. They compete with magnet tiles and claim to have only advantages.
Takes up less space, you can play it anywhere and not just on a flat surface.
All those things are true, but magnet tiles (reviewed here) are still more fun for younger children aged 3 to 5 years.
After that this will be a really nice set to look at.
It is made of a kind of synthetic paper that is fully recyclable. That also makes it even better for the environment.
It is very pricey, but what a good toy!
SmartMax Rods Start Try Me
- Sturdy magnets click easily
- Large shapes suitable for small children
- Difficult to make shapes with
- Ball system shoots slides easily
The SmartMax Magnetic Rods Start Try Me are also very nice toys that consist of magnetic rods (and balls)!
This toy contains 30 large elements and an extensive booklet with information and tips for building.
Magnetic rods and balls can be 'stick' together to create the nicest figures. It's simple, because kids don't have to run off with complicated locking mechanisms.
Clicking these elements together is a lot easier than the tiles from Magformers and this makes the toys really suitable from 1 year, as SmartMax says.
At that age they can't do much with it of course, but a toddler can just grab something and experience what it is like for a rod to "stick" to one of the balls, for example.
With these metal balls and rods you can build something different every day. In addition, a child trains his or her spatial awareness with the different shapes. The possibilities are limitless!
The toy is extremely safe and suitable for children from 1 year.
Geomag MagiCube 24 Piece Set
- Big blocks for small children
- Nice and light and handy
- 24 blocks is not much for creative designs
This block set in which creativity plays a greater role is the best from 3 years old, although they can build fun things with it earlier.
The rounded corners and light blocks mean that a child of any age could pick them up and try them out.
It is a bit for the same age group as magnetic tiles, although they can start well with these blocks a little earlier.
With magnetic blocks you can also make buildings and towers, but it is also suitable for making figures such as animals and magnetic robots (reviewed here).
Conclusion
Magnet tiles are fun, but they are certainly not the only kind of toy where you can build beautiful things with magnets.
The toys on this list are good alternatives, whether you want extra toys or are looking for something for after they've run out of tiles.
Also read: we've looked at many magnetic toy sets, but these 12 are really the best
Always something to do for the holidays or rainy day?
Play Choice now has the ultimate activity book collection, with over 60 pages of fun coloring pages and educational puzzles.
Joost Nusselder, the founder of Speelkeuze.nl is a content marketer, father and loves trying out new toys. As a child he came into contact with everything related to games when his mother started the Tinnen Soldaat in Ede. Now he and his team create helpful blog articles to help loyal readers with fun play ideas.
