I’d kept hearing about Magformers on social media but had no idea what, exactly, they were. I had in my mind some sort of transformers type robot, I guess because the name is similar, and I hadn’t delved too much further until my Mum said that Jimmy had been playing with some at a play group and loved them.

She told me, after she’d been looking after him for the day, that he’d made an absolute beeline for these bricks that stuck together via magnets and when I realised that these were the Magformers I had read so much about I was interested to find out more.

My Mum said that Jimmy had really enjoyed playing wih them, that in some ways they were easier to use than bricks like Lego but in other ways you also had to use your brain while using them. She said they’d really captured Jimmy and he had thought they were brilliant.

She also told me that she suspected they would be VERY expensive because they were really lovely to hold and look at as well as being sturdy and well made. We Googled, decided they WERE a little on the pricey side but marked them for a special present on a special occasion like Christmas – they would, after all and as my Mum thought, last for a very long time and be something which could be handed down at some point.

And then recently I was asked if I’d be interested in reviewing them on the blog. Well, that was a bit of a plus! I already knew Jimmy liked them so it wasn’t going to be difficult to get him to have a play! We were sent the Magformers Wow Set (RRP £29.99) and Jimmy has been playing ever since it arrived.

Now, there’s not MASSES of pieces in the box which initially makes you wonder if it’s really worth the money but once you really get playing with them then you realise the potential. Initially I assumed, because it’s a small collection of pieces, that you could only make the one car on the front of the box and if you wanted to make something else then you’d immediately have to add to the collection but I’d been hasty and when I looked more closely I realised there were quite a few different cars and pieces you could make with this one set.

It comes with 16 pieces, two wheel bases and a selection of square and triangular pieces along with a square piece with a driver. Jimmy was a bit annoyed that his driver, according to him, looks like a girl but I’ve no idea why! I drive him about far more than Jonny does these days yet still he seems to think driving should be just for the boys – typical man maybe?! The set also offers 8 patterns demonstrating how easy it is to build with Magformers and Includes 11 patterns for Magformers youngest fans from 3 years old. The Suggested 20 models of vehicles which can be designed with the set Magformers are on fairly big cards and because the photographs are very clear it is easy to see exactly how to make each one without having to actually read anything. This is perfect for someone of Jimmy’s age and he immediately got to building.

I really like the way the pieces, which are obviously magnetic, stick together without much precision needed and of course, when tidying up they all can be stuck together too making them a small bundle to store away. If it weren’t for the instruction cards this set could be stored in a very small box instead of that in which it came but because we intend to buy more I am going to get one of the toy boxes we use from IKEA and let Jimmy have one just for Magformers. This will also be big enough for the instruction cards which I shall put in a folder.

I feel this is the sort of toy that Jimmy will play with now at the age of 3 but that he will still be keen on, just as children are with Lego, when he’s quite a bit older. Although it isn’t cheap, I think you do get what you pay for and it will be a collection to add to at Christmas and birthdays for years to come before then hopefully being a big set we will be able to pass down too.

I’m really glad we’ve discovered Magformers because they’re absolutely fantastic. It encourages use of fine motor skills in the building and then a really cool toy to play with when you’re done and until you’re ready to dismantle it and make something else entirely different!

We were sent the Magformers Wow Set for th purpose of an honest review.

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