Birthday pressie recommendations please for 4 year old boy who likes to build things

[mabel1973]

I was thinking maybe lego (too difficult?), Duplo (too easy?), K-nex (don't really know what this is, but have seen it in the shops)...basically something along those lines that he can build loads of different things from.
They have something at his playgroup that is made of of loads of cubes and long bits that you click together and he spends hours playing with it, but I don't know what it's called.

I know the sort of thing you mean, my DS used to play with a similar thing at nursery. Duplo probably would be a bit easy, K-nex IME is quite hard until they are 7/8 (I found some of the bits quite hard to connect together). Lego probably your best bet but probably better to buy a big tub of it rather than a specific model to make.

Never bought it myself but what about easy meccano

what's your budget?

I have just got this for DS (4) after seeing it in a local shop - it is the best, best marble run I have ever seen. Really stable and easy to put together, and lots of variations.

big hit with all the four year old construction freaks that i know

my DS's LOVE their sticklebricks (sp). Got them a big tub a few years ago and it's still played with daily.

they also do junior knex
its quite good

oh yes, DS had a marble run - not as good as that, a cheap one from Asda but agree they are great fun and lots of variations.

I've just bought this for a 4 year old boy for xmas - looks quite good value for lego!

direct.tesco.com/q/R.204-2078.aspx

Thanks for the suggestions.
The zoob stuff looks good, I have never heard of it before and is the sort of thing `i was thinking of, so he can just use his imagination and build something that probably resembles a dogs dinner, but he thinks looks like a space rocket!

ELC also do something called big builder

• I think that's what it is anyway. It's like giant plastic meccano and it's great - my nephews have a set each and build amazing things with it. Sory to be so vague adn can't even search for you as have a wriggly baby on my lap!

we got some of the zoobs stuff from amazon, so he can build all manner of wierd and wonderful things.
Thanks everyone.