My kid has not stopped playing with this toy set since I bought them for him when he was 4 (he’s nearly 6 now). I even had to get another set so his creations could become more elaborate. They’re called Picasso Tiles – a version of the original, popular ‘Magnatiles’ that I found when trying to avoid the outrageously priced original. They are sets of brightly colored shapes that connect together using the strength of magnets. I find that the magnetic snap creates an ease that allows my son’s imagination to run wild. He builds car garages for his cars to castles for his Monster Trucks to live in.

Either way, he’s building and learning structural engineering concepts along the way. And, of course, ya gotta throw in a little lesson about triangle names and angles. *Ahem* Anyway, I got mine from Amazon (see below – check out the used options for an even lower price), but they occasionally pop up on Groupon too.

https://amzn.to/2Gxu0zZ

Picasso Tiles come in different quantities and theres also a small Picasso Tile train set that you can snag for $4.99. We ending up purchasing a set of 60 initially and eventually a set of 100 (because he loved them so much and friends could build structures along side him), and my nearly 6 year old son seems to content building his structures with that amount. As stated before, we’ve had the first set for 2 years, and they have been dropped, bent, and stepped on. They are still just as pretty and intact as day 1. Whenever we have visitors, they always comment of my kiddo’s newly constructed colorful creation. It’s his conversation piece to this day.

Groupon: https://www.groupon.com/deals/gs-magna-tiles-clear-colors-100-piece-set-4

What kid doesn’t love getting mail. And what parent doesn’t love seeing their kids read and discover. Weeeeellll…I recently found a Groupon special for National Geographic kids that I had to share…because c’mon – animals are cool to learn about. The cool part is that animal facts are typically fun for adults too. I got a year subscription for $9. Here’s the link for the mag (lucky you…use Code: SALE3 for 20% off):

https://www.groupon.com/deals/n-national-geographic-kids-magazine

And for me, after buying Nat Geo Kids, I purchased Highlights magazine for $2 more. If you don’t remember seeing this popular magazine at school and at the pediatrician’s office, I’ll jog your memory. Highlights magazine that has been around since 1946, and it’s been around that long for a reason. It’s a teacher favorite that publishes a monthly collection of stories, games, riddles, and experiments that promote reading and creativity. They even have a digital mag for you to sample if you need to see more before you buy:

https://www.highlights.com/store/highlights-magazines-for-kids/highlights-magazine

Happy reading 🙂 !!!