Thank you Tegu
for providing me with a product to review, free of charge.
These are my own honest opinions.

tegu 7tegu logoWooden blocks are considered a ‘classic’ toy. I had some as a kid, you probably did too. I was really eager to get some for my daughter. I did my research and turns out blocks have evolved! I was super excited when I discovered Tegu, who took the classic wooden blocks and brought them to a whole new level thanks to invisible magnets. Turns out magnetic blocks are amazing for kids and here are 5 reasons all children should play with magnetic wooden blocks.

1. Creativity and freedom
tegu 9Tegu’s magnetic wooden blocks aren’t designed with a specific end result in mind. Children don’t have a set with blocks that’s supposed to be put together in a pre-determined way to create an animal or a building or anything else. With Tegu, they can a box of blocks in different shapes and sizes and that’s it! No detailed step-by-step instructions, no batteries, no limits. If they want to create something, they have to rely on their own creativity and imagination which in our day and age, aren’t as stimulated as they should be. As a kid, I loved to build my own designs, with no plans, no expected result. I feel kids don’t experience as much freedom with all those pre-packaged sets of blocks. With Tegu blocks, they get to explore and create from scratch. Get their imagination in gear!

2. Symbolic play
Symbolic play or pretend play is a complex stage in play development and it’s critical not only for cognitive development but also for language development. Having the ability to build something unique such as an imaginary animal or a house for little people and then to play with it is very important. It might not look like they are learning much because there’s no letters or numbers involved but symbolic play allows them to create stories, act them out, practice interactions, etc. Plus if they share their Tegu blocks with other kids, they get a bonus for cooperative play!

3. Physics 101
tegu 6Stacking blocks at a young age will teach children about basic laws of physics. They quickly learn the highest towers and the biggest buildings can only be built if you have a good enough foundation and if you careful place your blocks on top of one another. (They also develop their fine motor skills that way.) Magnetic blocks add an extra level to this. Blocks can only go together a certain way otherwise they’ll push each other away. Magnetic blocks are also great to learn about gravity: one block can hang from another and appear to defy the laws of gravity  but it can only work if you pick a block with the right size/weight. Magnets are fascinating for kids (and adults) and will definitely pique their curiosity.

4.Problem solving
As I said before, magnetic blocks can be a bit finicky: put them together the right way and they’ll stick, put them together the wrong way and they’ll push each other away. Building with Tegu blocks requires a good deal of thinking and problem solving, even for an adult. A child may have a design in mind but realize the structure is too heavy and will need to find a way to strengthen it, or he may run out of blocks in the size he needs and will have to come up with an alternate design. He may realize that magnets allow him to create something totally unexpected that regular wooden blocks wouldn’t allow. Even seeing little ones flip blocks in their hands to find a way to make them ‘stick’ together is so cute, yet so demonstrative of the problem solving skills that children can have at a young age.

5. Safe, durable, sustainable and socio-responsible
Tegu blocks are made from durable hardwood, which are sealed with water-based finishes. Tegu uses mostly Huesito which isn’t an endangered species of wood. They carefully source it to make sure it doesn’t become endangered because of their actions. Not only that, for each purchase of Tegu blocks, you get to choose which one of their great project you’d like to support: you can choose to plant 12 trees or to fund one day of school for a child who wouldn’t otherwise have access to an education. It doesn’t stop there! Tegu blocks are made in Tegucigalpa (hence the name). They decided to build their factory there to empower people: steady jobs, fair wages, career growth. In one of the poorest countries in South America, Tegu is making a difference in the life of many people and families.

tegu 8Tegu blocks come in many different sets and colors (the one in the pictures above is the Explorer Set in Tints). I love how my daughter is able to create unique structures using her imagination and she can also discover and explore magnetism. These blocks are a nice twist on the old wooden blocks and I love how this company is not simply there to make money. Their socio-responsible philosophy is totally in line with my own values and I am glad I was able to share their products with you!

Buy It: Head over to Tegu to see for yourself the great selection of magnetic wooden blocks they offer. They have many great sets and colors to choose from.

Connect: Don’t forget to like Tegu on Facebook, follow them on Twitter and Pinterest for all the latest news and promotions.

Rachel

 

 

disclaimer rachel

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