Connetix Ball Run Pack* £79 from Connetix Tiles
If you've seen my previous Connetix post you'll already know that we're fans of this brand and type of toy, so I'm excited to share with you a fantastic addition to the Connetix family- the ball run. I'm not exaggerating when I say that my toddler is obsessed with this thing, every day without fail she asks to get the ball run out and we've already spent countless hours crafting and building all kinds of different tracks. And it is genuinely fun! It took us a few attempts to make anything particularly great, but once we'd figured it out, we found there are so many cool twists and turns you can add to your track. It's so satisfying to watch the ball run through!
This set comes with a mixture of plastic tubes and Connetix 'tiles' which have circular holes, and clip together. There's a good mix of different curved and straight pieces for your maze which opens up a world of creative possibilities, as you can design tracks with various twists, turns and obstacles. Some of the skills and knowledge that playing with this toy can help with include: cause and effect, the effects of gravity, understanding magnetism, fine and gross motor development, colour recognition, the relationship between slopes and speed and more. Connetix are designed for 'STEAM' education (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) which can lay the groundwork for further important learning as you work together to construct and fine-tune their ball run designs.
The recommended age on this set is 3+ so admittedly if you have younger ones most of the trickier building and planning of the track will be left down to you. However they’re able to connect the pieces and do a fair bit on their own with guidance, and once it's is built will spend absolutely ages running the balls through the track. I will say it can be slightly fiddly, so be sure to push each of the clear maze pieces into the tile and get a good 'click' so it's as sturdy as possible but once you get the knack it's super addictive. This toy has provided a really good opportunity for us to sit and do something together, connect and have that one-on-one time (and that's definitely easier to do when the activity is fun for you as well!)
Since we have another Connetix pack I've been able to combine the two to make even bigger and better ball runs. However this particular set comes with loads of parts, so you definitely don't need any extras so if this is the first or only kit you plan on buying it's a great standalone piece. If you have an older child then they'll of course be able to do everything by themselves- and as an adult playing with this I can say that it is enjoyable to do and something that older ages will definitely enjoy and appreciate.
