
The Best Building Toys
- Gary B.
- UPDATED August 13, 2019
- in Building Toys
Best Overall
Melissa & Doug
Wooden Blocks Set
Building toys are an integral part of any childhood, as anyone who has fond memories of stacking blocks, clicking together LEGOs, or linking up Tinkertoys will tell you. The benefits of building toys include greater confidence, manipulation and motor skills, problem-solving, and, at higher levels, scientific and technical skills. Here are some of the best building toys to get your junior architect or roboticist started!
Our Top Picks

Best Overall
Melissa & Doug Wooden Blocks Set

Upgrade Choice
Wonderland Company Building Bricks

Best Budget Buy
ZOOB Builders 500 Piece Kit
How to Choose the Best Building Toys
1. Recommended Age
You can judge best whether your kid is up to the challenge of more complex building toys, but the manufacturer’s age range is still a useful guideline.
2. Composition
Most building toys are either plastic or wood. While there’s no inherent advantage to either kind, some parents do prefer the more organic feel of wooden toys.
3. Number of pieces
The more pieces in a building set, the more possibilities and replay value it has. But confronting a smaller child with a ton of pieces is also a recipe for confusion and frustration. Not to mention your own frustration when cleanup time rolls around!
4. Type of toy
Most building toys are either construction sets, where the kid is provided with step-by-step instructions on how to build various projects, or freeform, where the kid is just provided with the pieces and can come up with his or her own designs. When deciding here, consider if your kid will find guidance helpful or prefers to be self-directed. Of course, it’s also helpful to remind your kid that you don’t always have to follow the directions!
5. Storage included
Building toys often mean lots of little pieces that can end up everywhere. And many building sets come in plain cardboard boxes that aren’t much use for storage. However, some toys do provide more durable plastic or wooden containers that can be helpful for putting things away.
6. Supervision required
One of the attractions of building sets (for parents) is how they can absorb a kid’s attention for longer periods of time. That said, some building toys do require adult supervision, either because they’re challenging and a kid may need help, or because of small pieces that can wind up in smaller kids’ mouths. The need for supervision may be reduced as kids gain confidence in their own building skills.

The Winners
#1
Playmags Magnetic Tile Building Set
This colorful set includes 40 square magnetic tiles that can be stacked and formed into sheets, cubes, and other structures, as well as 40 “clickins” – plastic inserts with letters , numbers, and symbols that can be inserted in the tiles. This way, your kid can combine building fun with letter and number recognition, and some basic math and spelling.
The Playmags’ Magnetic Tile Building Set tiles are solidly made and can stand up to serious playing, while the magnets make them easy for even the youngest to fit together. That’s why we call this our choice for Best Magnet Building Toy.
- You'll love: Small kids will enjoy finding and matching colors, numbers, and letters.
- Watch for: Even though this is advertised as an “80-piece” set, there are only 40 magnetic tiles included.
Age Range: 3+
Composition: Plastic
Type of Toy: Freeform
Pieces: 80
Storage included: No
Supervision Required: No
#2
Melissa & Doug Wooden Transportation
This Melissa & Doug Wooden Puzzles Transportation set includes three wooden puzzles, each with six to eight pieces, with scenes including cars, trucks, and construction equipment. The art is bright and colorful, and the pegged pieces are easy for even toddlers to grasp and manipulate. Kids who are too small for more complicated puzzles and building can still get a start by figuring out how to match each puzzle piece with the right space. Of course, the pieces can also be used as toys in their own right!
- You'll love: Great for kids who have car and truck fever.
- Watch for: Probably not interesting enough for kids older than the toddler years.
Age Range: 2-4
Composition: Wood
Type of Toy: Puzzle
Pieces: 22
Storage included: Not applicable
Supervision Required: No
#3
DUPLO My First Cars and Trucks
LEGO’s toddler-themed Duplo line is a natural introduction to the expensive plastic block addiction. The DUPLO My First Cars and Trucks set includes three wheeled vehicle bases and an assortment of other pieces, as well as instructions on how to build several types of vehicle. Your kid can build a family car, fire truck, crane, dump truck, or whatever else he or she can imagine. Great when combined with a carpet or sheet printed with roads.
- You'll love: Being able to build and rebuild whatever cars and trucks they love the most.
- Watch for: May still be too complicated for smaller kids.
Age Range: 18 mos.-5
Composition: Plastic
Type of Toy: Construction set
Pieces: 36
Storage Included: No
Supervision Required: Only for younger kids
#4
Melissa & Doug Wooden Blocks Set
Best Overall / Best wooden building blocks
This brightly colored set includes 100 wooden blocks in a variety of shapes that can be used to build as far and high as your kid wants. Or, possibly, for you to build and your kid to knock down. The blocks are small and light, and smoothly sanded and constructed to make them safe and fun for little kids to handle. The quality and inexpensive price make these our Best Wooden Building Blocks.
- You'll love: Who doesn't love blocks?
- Watch for: Blocks are on the small side – not good for kids who are still in the put-everything-in-your-mouth phase.
Age Range: 3-8
Composition: Wood
Type of Toy: Freeform
Pieces: 100
Storage Included: No
Supervision Required: No
#5
Click n' Play Wooden Domino Blocks Set
You can’t actually play dominoes with these, but you can do almost anything else you can with real dominoes: stacking, building, making patterns, and of course making chains for domino races. That said, the Click ‘n’ Play Wooden Domino Blocks Set is a bit small and lightweight compared to real dominoes, and younger kids may not be coordinated enough to make anything with them other than a mess. Includes a storage bag and wooden stand to help space dominoes for chains.
- You'll love: Setting 'em up and knocking 'em down (and not cleaning 'em up).
- Watch for: Some buyers complained of a strong paint smell; leaving them to air out overnight should take care of that.
Age Range: 3-8
Composition: Wood
Type of Toy: Freeform
Pieces: 300
Storage Included: No
Supervision Required: No
#6
ZOOB BuilderZ 500 Piece Kit
Best plastic building toy
ZOOB BuilderZ 500 Piece Kit features small plastic pieces that link together in ball and socket connections, and which can be used to create surprisingly complex structures. Even better, the design of the connections means what your kids build can move and flex and be played with, instead of just being a static structure. Includes a builder’s guide with over 50 projects, or you can just dive in and see what you can make! The sheer potential in this set makes it an easy choice for our Best Plastic Building Toy.
- You'll love: The complexity makes this a great choice for kids who are bored with simpler building toys.
- Watch for: Pinched fingers!
Age Range: 6-10
Composition: Plastic
Type of Toy: Construction set/freeform
Pieces: 500
Storage Included: Yes
Supervision Required: Only for smaller kids
#7
Wonderland Company Building Bricks
Best LEGO alternative
Would you rather not sign your entire bank account over to the plasticmongers in Denmark? This 1000-piece bag delivers bricks that are completely compatible with LEGOs, without being flimsy or poorly fitted like some LEGO knockoffs. The Wonderland Company Building Bricks includes 10 colors and all the commonly used brick sizes and shapes. The sheer value for money makes it easy to crown this our Best LEGO Alternative.
- You'll love: A huge brick-building bonanza that will keep even multiple kids happy.
- Watch for: This is just plain bricks – no fancy pieces like wheels, doors, etc.
Age Range: 3+
Composition: Plastic
Type of Toy: Freeform
Pieces: 1000
Storage Included: No
Supervision Required: No
#8
LEGO Juniors 10667 Construction
Best lego building blocks
The LEGO Juniors 10667 Construction set intended to get kids used to playing with LEGOs. The set includes pieces for a truck and a crane with a wrecking ball, as well as various construction-themed accessories (and even a wall to knock over with the crane!). Of course, your kid can just use the pieces for freeform building fun without having to follow the instructions. The pieces are completely compatible with other LEGO sets, although not Duplo. It’s hard to go wrong with LEGO, and the ease of entry into this set makes it our Best LEGO Building Blocks.
- You'll love: A great intermediate step between Duplo and more complicated LEGO sets.
- Watch for: It's LEGO, so get your wallet ready.
Age Range: 4-7
Composition: Plastic
Type of Toy: Construction set
Pieces: 160
Storage Included: Yes
Supervision Required: No
#9
Learning Resources Gears
This Learning Resources Gears set includes 46 plastic gears with bases, axles, and a crank handle. Kids will enjoy seeing how they can build chains of gears and set them all in motion by turning just one. Figuring out how a chain of gears will operate can help boost kids’ problem-solving and planning skills, and an included instruction set helps your kid get started with some simple gear designs.
- You'll love: The ease of making complex moving designs with just a few gears.
- Watch for: Because of the pressure needed to get the gears on the axles, can be difficult for smaller kids to assemble.
Age Range: 3-6
Composition: Plastic
Type of Toy: Freeform
Pieces: 100
Storage Included: No
Supervision Required: Adult assistance might be required for more complicated builds
#10
Melissa & Doug Wooden Construction Set
If you’re old enough to remember Erector sets, this Melissa & Doug Wooden Construction Set should look familiar – except in wood, and with nuts and bolts large enough for smaller kids to handle. Kids can build a plane, a motorcycle, a race car, and whatever else their imaginations can come up with. The colorful nuts and bolts can give kids sorting and matching fun along with building.
- You'll love: Using the included screwdriver, nuts, and bolts, just like grown-up tools.
- Watch for: Not compatible with other Melissa & Doug building sets, even though it looks like it should be. Some users have complained about durability issues, including bolt heads breaking off.
Age Range: 4-6
Composition: Wood
Type of Toy: Freeform
Pieces: 48
Storage Included: Yes
Supervision required: No
#11
Viahart Brain Flakes Interlocking Disc Set
Continuing with the classic toy theme, the Viahart Brain Flakes Interlocking Disc Set will look familiar to anyone who played with Rig-a-Jig back in the day. The multicolored discs can be linked together to form remarkably complex shapes, either following the instruction booklet included or using your kid’s imagination. The solid locking action ensures stability, no matter how far out your kid builds.
- You'll love: Escalating complexity that lets kids start simple and build bigger and bigger as they add more to their structure.
- Watch for: Again, these are a bad idea for kids who are still in the eat-anything phase.
Age Range: 3+
Composition: Plastic
Type of Toy: Freeform
Pieces: 500
Included: Yes
Supervision Required: Possibly for younger kids, to keep pieces out of mouths.
#12
Melissa & Doug Cutting Food
The Melissa & Doug Cutting Food is more of a pretend-play toy, but it can also provide the same fun that building toys do, including sorting, matching, and fitting things together. With the included wooden “knife” and cutting board, kids can pretend to slice food items apart, assemble and eat sandwiches, and then reassemble the food using Velcro tabs. A wide variety of food is included, and it can be combined easily with other Melissa & Doug cooking play sets.
- You'll love: A fun simulation of an adult activity.
- Watch for: Velcro will eventually lose its stickiness over time.
Age Range: 3-5
Composition: Wood
Type of Toy: Freeform
Pieces: 28
Storage Included: Yes
Supervision Required: No
#13
Melissa & Doug Wooden Railway Set
One of the most popular train sets for smaller kids, the Melissa & Doug Wooden Railway Set can also be used for building fun as kids learn how to lay out and combine track sections and design their own perfect railroad. Includes 100 track sections plus accessories including train cars, other vehicles, signs, people, and more. Check online for alternative track setup possibilities, or just show your kid how to put the track segments together and stand back!
- You'll love: A great starter set with plenty of room to expand.
- Watch for: Takes up a lot of floor (or table) space.
Age Range: 3+
Composition: Wood
Type of Toy: Construction set
Pieces: Approx. 130
Storage Included: No
Supervision Required: No
#14
Goldie Blox Invention Mansion
Best building toy for 6 year olds
The Goldie Blox line of toys is aimed at drawing girls into building, science, and engineering. This Invention-Mansion dollhouse variant includes punch-out chipboard walls and floors, along with plastic accessories. Kids can design their own mansions and, with the instructions included, build in cool stuff like ziplines, trapdoors and secret rooms, bridges and ramps, and more. The amount of play time an imaginative kid can get out of this makes this our Best Building Toy for a 6-Year-Old.
- You'll love: The sheer variety of houses and other buildings the modular construction makes possible.
- Watch for: The wall and floor pieces are heavy-duty cardboard, but it's still cardboard. They can bend, crease, and tear, and of course don't get them wet.
- The variety of builds and sometimes unclear instructions mean that younger kids will probably need supervision and help until they get used to the set.
Age Range: 6+
Composition: Plastic, chipboard
Type of Toy: Construction set
Pieces: 350
Storage Included: No
#15
Thames Kosmos Geckobot
The window-climbing Geckobot is actually only one of seven devices you can build using this set, which includes a motorized air pump, tubing, and suction cups that your kid can use to experiment with suction and hydraulics. This set is much more complicated than a lot of the other toys in this list, and requires patience, steady hands, and a willingness to accept trial and error to put together properly. But scientifically-minded kids will enjoy the new areas of learning it opens up for them.
- You'll love: Being able to build an actual working robot.
- Watch for: The cover to the battery case requires a mini (eyeglasses-type) screwdriver to remove and replace.
- This can be a tough build and will probably need adult help at some point.
Age Range: 8+
Composition: Plastic
Type of Toy: Construction set
Pieces: 176
Storage Included: No
#16
Lego Friends Amusement Park Set
This huge LEGO Friends Amusement Park Set includes pieces and instructions for building a roller coaster, a Ferris wheel, and a drop tower, plus a ton of amusement-park-themed accessories. While it’s not motorized, the rides do work — you can turn the Ferris wheel, roll the coaster along the track, etc. — and the coaster includes battery-powered light-up bricks. Also includes four doll mini-figures so your amusement park can have patrons.
- You'll love: A big, challenging construction set with tons of LEGO fun.
- Watch for: This is not a set you’re going to put together in a hour, so not suited for impatient types.
- This can be a tough build and will probably need adult help at some point.
Age Range: 8-12
Composition: Plastic
Type of Toy: Construction set
Pieces: 1124
Storage Included: No
#17
LEGO Mindstorms EV3
The LEGO Mindstorms EV3 includes pieces for building five robot models, including motors, sensors, and a computer core, as well as a remote control for piloting the robot. You can also download an app that enables your kid to write programs for the robot on a smartphone, desktop, or tablet. The EV3 is a great way for older LEGO kids to take their building skills to the next level, and our Best Building Toy for Older Kids.
- You'll love: If your kid is into robotics and coding, this is a great way for him or her to learn more.
- Watch for: If your kid plays with this a lot, you will want rechargeable batteries.
- This can be a tough build and will probably need adult help at some point.
Age Range: 10-15
Composition: Plastic
Type of Toy: Construction set
Pieces: 601
Storage Included: No

Quick Decision
Melissa & Doug Wooden Blocks Set – Best Wooden Building Blocks
Every toddler deserves a really good set of blocks.
Wonderland Company Building Bricks – Best LEGO Alternative
Seriously, if your kid can’t have fun with a bag of 1000 LEGO-esque bricks, you’re not trying hard enough.
ZOOB Builders 500 Piece Kit – Best Plastic Building Toy
Leads kids naturally from simple links to complex building projects.

best LEGO City Building Sets

Gary B.
Gary is a father of two, self-identified RC fanboy, and part-time guitar plucker. When he's not racing his collection of remote-controlled vehicles or strumming away, we bend his arm and get him to write with precision and expertise on a range of mechanical and electrical toys.
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