geomag/supermag/magnetix

[doziduck]

ds1 saw one of these on tele and has asked for it for his birthday. I'm not sure which it was but what is the difference and which is best? He will be 9 btw.

geomag is the expensive one
magnetix is the cheaper version
but apparently they are completely compatible (I had a thread on this not long ago!)

never heard of the other one

In toys r us if you buy a 92 piece geomag set (about £30) you get a free 46 piece one!

Geomag is loads better than the others IME. Much stronger magnets so the structures you build are much more stable. Definitely worth getting rather than cheaper ones, and an all-round good buy!

Another vote for Geomag, find it very therapeutic

We've got some Geomag; it's great - fun to fiddle with. But it's quite pricey for what you get. I'm considering getting some of the cheaper stuff, so they can build bigger structures. (Ds2 wants to build the Eiffel Tower!)

Roisin, do try it before you buy any if you possibly can. The stuff we've got (I think magnetix but not sure) would be useless for building large structures. You can barely build a cube without it falling over

I know, you could do the Leaning Tower of Pisa instead

Oh bum ...I guess that explains why the cheap stuff is so cheap!

Thanks for the warning Tamum.

I'd check what ours is if I could, but we decanted it out of the original packing ages ago. You just don't get that satisfying clunk, sadly.

Incidentally, I went and got one of those Plug and Play 2 sets myself for ds's birthday- he's suddenly seen the point of electronics!

Ds1's Plug and Play 2 is on top of the wardrobe waiting for Christmas. And guess what? The other day he said what he really really wanted for Christmas was P&P2

Oh, it's lovely when that happens, isn't it? So much nicer than when they announce that they don't really want x any more, when x has been on top of the wardrobe for several months waiting for Christmas!

whats a plug and play 2 set?

Sorry doziduck, I had rudely started another conversation. Roisin and I had discussed them a while ago- they are electronic sets that can be put together very easily to make a doorbell, say, or a fan. In the Plug and Play 2 you can make a radio. They have been discontinued, although a few places still have them but I have seen near-identical ones recently under a new name. If you're interested I can try and find a link?

Here's the original Plug and Play which will give you an idea. Set 2 is for age 10 (I think) onwards.

Eldest got original for his 7th birthday...it is excellent and well worth the money (mind you, I managed to pick it up for £19.99).

butterfly

Another vote for Geomag. Wonderful toy, worth the extra £. Thanks for the Toys R Us tip Jampot.

We've got Supermag and Magnetix, they work well together and DS loves them. Haven't go enough to build the Eiffel tower but DS is only 4 and makes some great snakes and trains!! I hate it when the bits go under the sofa though!!

Re the Plug and Play, if you want to get something new, I would recommend going for the Cambridge Electronics set. It's very similar to the John Adams P&P, but the John Adams Set 2 has now been discontinued, whereas the Cambridge set has various add ons, advanced versions, etc.