Review: Geomag Animal Magicubes

Tuesday 3 October 2017

Geomag Magicubes are building blocks reinvented. Everyone who has tried playing with these magnetic cubes we were sent to review has found them surprisingly entertaining. They might be targeted at preschool children (and my 3 year old nephew loved them), but both my 1 year old and 6 year old have played with them for hours. They even appeal to the adults who have visited recently. Impressive huh?

The building blocks together in the shape of a bird in front of the box and next to the instruction cards

As simple blocks to build with the Geomag Magicubes are easier than Duplo or wooden building blocks because they can be attached to each other on any side. The Magicubes have magnets inside which make them stack easily and balance. The magnets aren’t too strong though so they are easy to pull apart, even for little ones, and you get the fun of towers falling over when knocked slightly. Each cube is the perfect size for little hands.

They teach balance, fine motor skills and building in younger children and when they get a bit older they can build the animal jigsaws or get more creative. They are a great STEM toy where the child learns without realising. Each set makes 4 different animals and come with instruction cards to show you how. My 6 year old enjoyed making animals, but she also likes to turn them into a mini castle and playing with her little figures on it. Obviously this leads to a few tears as Little Sister wants to take the castle apart and build towers, but that’s all part of family life.

Close up of a toddler playing with Geomag magicube Safari set

Little Sister has spent hours playing with these blocks, including over half an hour at a time non stop without getting distracted by ANYTHING! What is so interesting to a 1 year old? Well she takes 1 block at a time and stacks them next to and on top of each other until her tower falls over, she then just builds upwards again from the remnants that are now on their side. It’s often the simple toys which keep children entertained for longer and these colourful cubes are just the right balance to be easy to use and versatile for long term play.

I really like them too because when tidying up I can slide them towards each other and the magnets make them satisfyingly click together. They store neatly without the need for a box and I love all the straight lines. Every other adult that has come into my house over the last couple of weeks has been attracted to them too.

The Geomag Magicubes connected together to make a whale with a crab and the instruction cards

We have two sets which can be connected together for general play. Both sets are recommended for 18 months upwards. The Polar Animals set is 8 magnetic cubes which can make a seal, penguin, bear and whale. The Safari set has 14 cubes making it slightly more complicated to make the giraffe, parrot, lion and camel. Obviously you can mix it up and make your own animals too. My 20 month old is still very much into the stacking the blocks and taking them apart stage so she isn’t too interested in the pictures, but older children who have had a play (and the adults) are.

The Magicube Polar Animals set out of the outer box and showing the internal packaging

For anyone with a basic understanding of physics you can predict the behaviour you would expect from the blocks. Surely one side will attract and the other repel, after all that is how magnets work with a fridge right? You get two magnets and they push each other apart, but hold them next to the metal door of the fridge and they stick. Well with Magicubes they have done something very clever: there is no repelling. Whichever way round you want to connect the cubes they stick together. Genius! I don’t understand how it works, but the result is a toy that has my children going back to it again and again.

A close up of a toddler playing with the magicube set

Geomag have kindly provided a Safari set for a giveaway. If you would like to enter go to the rafflecopter widget below. Giveaway closes midnight on Sunday 15th October. All normal terms and conditions apply (and you can view them in the widget). Good Luck!