Any good HE type toy recommendations?

[oolaroola]

Am thinking of getting some Wedgits and a marble run set but Wedgits are quite expensive so wondering if anyone who has them can tell me if they're any good?
We got a set of magna tiles for xmas and the kids have played with them loads but they are also pricey and we could also do with another set of them!

Any other recommendations would be welcome - I have two boys 7 and 3.
Thanks dudes.

SmallBoy, aged five, has had Wedgits since he was three and loves them.

What a shame! I took a large set to the charity shop last week. I had no idea they were so expensive: they were hand-me-downs. They went under the name "Takasima" but it looks like the same stuff. My younger daughter, who likes building toys, quite enjoyed it but we always had an issue with how much space it took up in our small house. It's totally indestructible and easy for a very young toddler to manipulate.

Here are other things dd has liked. Unfortunately they aren't cheap either:

Gear set: www.quercettistore.com/en/products/georellotech The set above which allows/requires you to build upward has more interesting components, but the set which affixes directly to a baseboard is the only one your 3yo would manage without frustration: www.amazon.co.uk/Quercetti-QA2341-Georello-Kaleidogears-55pc/dp/B00000J048

Magnetic building toy: www.geomagworld.com/eng/ The Geomag brand has very powerful magnets, allowing you to do things with it which you can't do with similar cheaper versions. Sadly, the little starter sets don't have enough pieces to do much at all. You have to spend £30 or so. All visitors to our house, of any age, have fiddled with it, usually for quite a long time. I would guess this is a great toy for anyone who needs to develop hand strength - the magnets are so strong that if you aren't used to it, your hands ache after playing with it! The range of ways in which you can use it is astonishing. We've had it for ten years and it is still in almost daily use.

Here's something rather cheaper, a make-your-own-clock set: www.amazon.co.uk/Make-Your-Own-CLOCK-Kit/dp/B0039ZMZGK It takes some patience but you and your 7yo could do it together. Fascinating. It is a bit of a one-trick pony though, so you'll want to pass it on to a friend when you're done.

What about an ant farm, butterfly garden or flower press?

Car boot sales have provided most of our best toys. I like the fact that you never know what you're going to find next. An old manual typewriter, a printing set, a bagatelle. At a pound or two, if it doesn't hit the mark then you can pass it on without too much regret.

Thanks Saracen really helpful. I like the look of all of them! Especially the gears and the clock movement.

Any tips on the ant farm or butterfly garden? We had a bloody ant nest in the kitchen last summer which was a pain - they were eating the walls.

Anyway, any more advice about marble run from anyone much appreciated.

We order butterflies sometimes from Insect Lore. It's a bit expensive though, when there are caterpillars wandering around in the garden getting ready to turn into butterflies... :-)

Oh thanks ommward. We did find a chrysalis and tried to keep t safe to see it turn in to a butterfly but it went mouldy. Will go on a caterpillar hunt when the weather gets better.

What's the difference between a HE type toy and a toy?

Well, those kits from Insect Lore are great becuase the caterpillars come in a little pot with their own food - you basically just watch them every day for a few weeks while they grow and then become chrysalises and then become butterflies. But our garden was pretty full of butterflies anyway last year, so I never bothered!

Hakluyt, I identify an "HE type toy" as one that could, potentially, be interesting enough to be played with for many many many hours in a variety of ways. Because HE kids have a lot of time on their hands, I want toys which are really good value in that respect.

So my build-your-own-clock suggestion doesn't really fit the bill as much as the Geomag or gear toy, for example... unless it is likely to lead the child on to further investigations. It just sprang to my mind because I was thinking about gears!

Ah right. What I call a "toy" then.

If they are little, then treasure baskets. Older, then really good quality paints, pencils, crayons and paper. And clay. A good recipe book and free rein in the kitchen. Scissors that cut properly and glue that actually sticks. Tools that work. Rope. The components to make jewellery. (Good for presents and to sell) Something to take pictures and a printer. Sand. Water. Bubble mixture. You don't need anything else. Oh, if they are inclined that way, Lego. Lots of the plain bricks, not the fancy special kits to make one thing.

Fabric, and the things to sew it with.

But whatever you buy, buy the real things, not the children's versions. Things that actually work- knives and scissors that cut, cooking utensils you can make a proper meal in, tools you can cut wood and nail wood together with. Show the children how to use the real things, rather than buying watered down versions to suit an arbitrary idea of what is suitable for their age.

Sorry, rant over!

I was kinda referring to STEM toys but wanted other suggestions as well.
Thanks all.

We had a fantastic book of physics experiments for kids-how old are they? I'll see if I can remember what it was.

Fabulous suggestions, Hakluyt. I agree with your rant!

My DCs love Polydron and Numicon. Both are expensive though.

I got "Gears! Gears! Gears!" when they were younger but ditched it as it was just a bit... meh.

As for marble runs I am really lusting after a Quadrilla one.

Great thread, I came on to recommend magna tiles which I see you have. How fantastic are they! Have you tried them with a light box or with flashing and multicolour LEDs.

I'm really marking my place as money and space is tight and I want to again get the value out of our purchases we have with the magna tiles (can you tell I love them )

We also recently got a Rubik's cube and I'm thinking about getting the ball of whacks.

Have you got a toy library nearby? Ours has a lot of educational toys and instruments.

Just seen your response Lelivre thank you. We love magna tiles here but no we haven't tried them with lights, that's a great idea.
No toy library here I don't think but will have a look, I'd completely forgotten about them.
Have plumped for a marble run and see how that goes. Have also gone for a couple of maths board games as my DS seems to have much more stamina for learning if it's more fun.
I like the look of the Polydron that Fuzzpig mentioned.

:) what maths board games did you get?

Have gone for qwirkle and

brainbox

but we've been so busy we've only had a chance to play qwirkle so far which I think is going to be really good, one of those strategy games that's a bit of a grower.

Ooh I've not played actual qwirkle but I love qwirkle cubes! :)

And I'd not realised there was a maths Brainbox (we've got art and Roald Dahl although like you haven't had a chance to play them yet!) - will have a look thanks :)