CleverClixx: Playing with our great new toy

Construction toys, like CleverClixx Magnetic Tiles, with almost limitless options immediately catch my attention. Add in vibrant colours, compatibility with other brands and a multitude of different sets and packs to suit different needs as well as budgets, and it’s a winning proposition in my book!

We already had a small set of another brand of magnetic tiles – but it never felt like we had enough.

So – why did I decide to go with CleverClixx?

Put simply, they’re attractive looking magnet tiles! The subtle star shape inside, and choice of vibrant colours or pastel shades is great. Yup, I’m a sucker for something pretty, I’ll admit it.
Compatibility with other brands – I liked knowing they’ll work with what we’ve already got and if we add anything else in the future.
The different options to enhance play – the Curve Pack and Brick Pack both really caught my eye as adding another dimension to the building potential.

What The No-Nonsense Mum Bought

I bought a few different sets to play with:

We chose the Pastel colour for most of our CleverClixx and they are lovely shades. The Brick Pack comes in their ‘Intense’ variety (i.e. brighter, bolder colours). Most of the sets come in a choice of colours, and which you get comes down to personal preference as to which you or your kids like the most. The Big Plates might seem like an expensive addition, but for bigger creations these give you a huge advantage!

First Impressions

I mean, it’s a box with tiles in it, so there is only so much to say here. They come nicely packed, in boxes sturdy enough that if you wanted to keep using them for storage you could. You won’t, though – they’ll all come together in one happy mixture after each creation!

The tiles feel a decent weight and the magnets are strong – not like some off-brand ones which simply don’t cut it. Instantly we (I include myself in this as a big kid…) just want to pick them up and start building a “thing”. And really, what more do you want from a new addition to the toybox than to want to play with it right away?

Value for Money

I’m going to be straight up: these aren’t cheap toys to purchase. But – and it’s a big positive but, so hear me out – they offer a massive amount of play options for a huge age range. They’re something you’re likely going to be playing with for a long time. It’s also fair to say that all of the big brands of magnetic tiles are around the same price point, too. Yes, there are cheaper non-branded alternatives – and generally there are some mixed reviews about them with poor magnet strength being a fairly common complaint along with longevity. The old adage of buy cheap, buy twice may well come to play here.

Personally I can see how these are a quality product, they have a good design aesthetic and feel like they’ll stand up to a lot of play. This is especially important given how many years this type of toy could be played with – these open ended construction toys are great for preschoolers as well as primary school kids (and I expect even older kids would happily play with them too, although they may be too cool to admit it). For a toy that will cover several years of play, I reckon they actually do represent pretty good value.

Play Time

I’m not sure why I bothered tidying these away each evening – as they’ve come back out to play every day! They’re the first thing my Mini Human has been reaching for, which is brilliant. She’s made some great creations, learning about how different shapes work together and figuring things out as gravity inevitably comes to play, too. I will admit it – this No-Nonsense Mum has had a bloomin’ good time playing with them, as well. There’s something fun about just picking up shapes and building, seeing how it looks, how it goes together and what will happen.

Now that we have a decent number of tiles, our builds are getting bigger and more ambitious. My daughter has loved incorporating Lego into the play too – I’m really pleased I spotted the Brick Pack. We’ve used Lego to build staircases, flowers, animals and all sorts to add into the buildings she’s made. They’re a great extra to have to get their imaginations flowing and turn a construction toy into a story telling toy.

It’s no exaggeration to say that Mini Human has spent hours and hours just this week playing with these. They’re brilliant – and my only regret is not getting them sooner.

Where to Buy?

I purchased my CleverClixx from a fantastic independent online retailer – Lottie & Poddy. I’m just another Mum buying toys for their kid – so this is a genuine No-Nonsense Mum recommendation! I chose to get them from there because they’re a small business run by a fellow Mum who tries out toys and only stocks brands she would buy herself for her children. What more could we ask for?!

Have you tried CleverClixx yet or are you thinking of adding Magnetic Play Tiles to your toybox? The No-Nonsense Mum would love to hear your thoughts.