Manipulatives

2 years & up. Encourage children to explore their creativity as they build and discover basic engineering skills. My First Polydron Gears Set is ideal for introducing younger children to the concept of STEM, using gears. Assemble structures using squares and add gears by simply pushing them into place. Once connected, turn one gear and see the rest of them rotate! Not only do the gears mesh together on a flat surface, but also at an angle of 90 degrees. Features 36 durable, lightweight plastic… More »

5 years & up. Create your own unique marble run with zany-patterned, magnetic foam pieces! This Tumble Trax™ Magnetic Marble Run by Learning Resources will help hone your critical thinking skills and stretch your imagination as you figure out how to line up the pieces in a way that keeps your marbles moving smoothly down to the bottom of your run. Can you make the marble speed up, slow down, stop, or change direction by rearranging the pieces? Follow the activity cards to guide you as… More »

4 years & up. Straws and Connectors are ideal in helping children develop Science, Technology, Engineering®, and Math (STEM) skills. It allows children to enhance hand-eye coordination, motor skills, logic, and problem-solving skills all while playing. Build a fort, rocket, boat, tower, tunnel, or bridge! Design your own scientific model, or create something unique. The opportunities are endless! The straws fit snugly on the connectors and are flexible so you can build arches and tubes.… More »

4 years & up. These colorful plastic stacking sticks can create endless building experiences. The unique snap and lock feature will hold pieces in place to make stacking and transporting easy. Encourage children to use their imagination to build unique structures or replicate buildings they see locally. Each piece is color-coded making it easy to build along with the suggested designs. This set promotes fine motor skills. Includes various lengths of sticks, building base, and 2 sizes of wheels. The set has 211 pieces.

3 years & up. Never has building been so wild than with these colorful and different bricks. Designed to snap together right side up and upside down to create a unique pivoting action. The set contains large and small Flexiblocks®, Flexiwivels, Flexiwheels, axle blocks, Flexilinks, and Flexibears. 373 piece set. Made in the USA.

3 years & up. Children can begin early exploration of physics, STEM lessons, and architectural design using the Unit Block Marble Run 40 piece set. Rubberwood blocks feature drops, bumps and routed paths that allow for multiple building opportunities. Ten double-sided concept cards provide building inspiration for different block arrangements as well as corresponding lessons related to physics theories. Set includes 4 starter acrylic marbles and 36 block pieces scaled to unit block proportions… More »

3 years & up. Children can experience Eastern-inspired architecture, indoors and outdoors, building with the Notch Blocks Eastern set. Solid plastic, neutral-colored blocks feature notched parts that easily connect for strong, detailed builds. Using included ladders and bridge pieces, children can build different structures with varying elevated platforms and span natural elements. Set includes 10 double-sided build cards. Available in 87 pieces or 132 pieces.

4 years & up. Develop social emotional and STEM skills in a collaborative, play-based environment with the IO Blocks® Center. This all-in-one table brings movement, simple machines and dramatic play to the original IO Blocks® friction-fit, construction toy platform. Combine gears, slides, IO people and standard IO Blocks® pieces to create limitless builds using problem solving, introductory architecture and budding STEM skills. Constructions are stabilized on the raised grid tabletop… More »

3 years & up. These colorful counters turn sorting and counting activities into exciting adventures. With these textured Backyard Bug Counters, children develop fine motor skills, sensory learning, color recognition, and important early math skills. Use these counters in a lesson about addition and subtraction to give children a visual of the concepts they are learning. The counters are made of soft rubber and come in 6 colors packed into a reusable plastic tub. Suggested activities also included. Set of 72.

3 years & up. Children can experience Western-inspired architecture, indoors and outdoors, using the Notch Blocks Western set. Plastic, neutral-colored blocks feature notched parts that easily connect for strong, detailed builds. Using included ladders and bridge pieces, children can build different structures with varying elevated platforms and span natural elements. Set includes 10 double-sided build cards. Available in sets of 85 pieces or 129 pieces.

3 years & up. Give young children an easy, fun way to develop their fine-motor skills. This set contains nuts and bolts that pair with one another by both color and shape. Encourage children to match the nuts and bolts and then twist the nut onto the corresponding bolt. In addition to building fine-motor skills, this fun activity will strengthen shape and pattern recognition. Bolts measure approximately 2.5". Includes 72 plastic nuts and bolts pieces and plastic box.

3 years & up. Introduce your child to the magic of light, color, and creativity with this 54-piece Translucent Building Plank Set! These vibrant planks come in 5 bold colors - red, yellow, blue, green, and aqua, perfect for light table play, color-mixing fun, building, game play, and hands-on learning. Made from durable acrylic, each plank measures 3"L. Wash with soap and water. Storage case included.

3 years & up. Children can experience a nature-inspired, tactile building experience indoors and outdoors with Big Branch Block Builders. Real branches in various lengths feature notched sides for perpendicularly stacked builds. Special parts create window frame and roof details. The unrefined wood and real branch material wears over time, revealing cause and effect behaviors and natural evolution to children. Authentic marks, spots and imperfections in the wood pieces provide a natural appearance… More »

3 years & up. This 90-piece set includes a variety of items to create working waterways. Children can experiment with the effects that construction, gravity, and distance have on water pressure and flow as they create endless waterway configurations. Materials are transparent to allow for easy viewing of water flow. The Build a Waterway STEM Kit builds on children's natural curiosity by providing the materials and freedom to explore. The funnels, measuring pitchers, connector tubes, blockers,… More »

3 years & up. This unique building set adds a new dimension to tube construction -- wheels! Children can build endless tube designs and add wheels to make them move. Easy-fit construction, this set includes 26 straight tubes, 26 shaped tubes, 6 tubes, 6 cross tubes, 8 wheels in assorted vibrant colors for a total of 72 pieces. This set also comes in a durable stackable plastic container.

3 years & up. These versatile, easy-fit tubes are the perfect hands-on manipulative for endless creative exploration! Use them independently or elevate playtime by incorporating them into a light table, sand, or water play for a dynamic sensory experience. Simply add a child's imagination, and watch as curiosity leads to exciting discoveries! Designed for durability and easy organization, this 80-piece set comes neatly stored in a sturdy, stackable container measuring 12"L x 7"W x… More »

3 years & up. Design all types of construction vehicles with our engineering set. Perfectly sized for small hands, children can connect the chunky bolts, wheels, and joints. As children build, they boost planning and motor skills. A total of 210 pieces in a stackable plastic container.

3 years & up. Prepare for some marble speed racing with this Do-It-Yourself block set! This Marble Run Race Track is made of wood and includes everything you need to create a one-of-a-kind marble track! Track includes a jump, bell-bucket, spiral funnel and a sliding track for your 20 marbles to get through. Build the towers and tracks, then send your marbles rolling down through all the trick, twists and surprises! Includes 81 pcs.

18 months & up. Make building a captivating experience with this collection of Click Builders. Young children can design an infinite number of structures, which will improve their fine-motor skills, creative-thinking skills, and problem-solving skills. The transparent colors will also teach children about color patterns-especially if they play with these builders on a light table. This set universally connects with other builders. Smallest block size is 1.25". 72 piece set.

3 years & up. From simple designs to more engineering marvels, these simple sticks connect from end to end or along any side. Add rings to make movement and added interest, the possibilities are endless.This large set includes 36 sticks (2.75"L) in 10 colors, 4 large rings (2" in diameter) and 6 small rings (1.5" in diameter) in 10 colors. 460 pieces.