Kids and building go hand in hand- make it bigger, higher, better, more greener- whatever strikes their fancy that particular day. And yes, greener is certainly a word, especially when preceded by “more”. Not only are building toys a good time, but they help with parent child bonding, motor skills and hand-eye coordination, social skills and cooperation, creativity, spatial skills, and more. So, lets get building!

LEGO, of course, are great building toys. With many sets and sizes to choose from, there is something for every kid (and parent) to play with.  LEGO DC Comics Batman™: The Penguin Face off lets kids recreate and act out scenes from favorite superhero moments. The Penguin has stolen a diamond and has his minions guarding it- Batman must save the day, of course.  Complete with scuba Batman and Penguin minifigs, scuba vehicle and duck boat to build, it also has weapons (because what are superheros without their weapons), Penguin’s umbrella, 2 minion penguins, “diamond”, and more for about $13 on http://shop.lego.com.   Another cool thing about this set is that the Penguin and Duck Boat were also seen in the recent “LEGO DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League vs. Bizarro League” movie.  While the movie is quite a mouthful, it was pretty funny, and a good flick for the whole family (and fans of LEGO and/or Superheroes).   If you want to play “real” heroes, take a look at the Swamp Police Starter Set.  For $10, you get 4 minifigs, an alligator, boat, raft, “hideout” spot, and quite a few accessories like a spider, snake, handcuffs, walkie talkie, shovel, and more.

Building toys don’t have to be all blocks, bricks, and hard edges anymore- have you met Bun Bun? These are soft and collectible stacking stuffed animals, created to be stacked and piled up.  Stacking plush toys have already created a splash overseas in countries like Japan, and they are now hitting the US markets. Bun Bun comes in a variety of sizes, colors, and animal varieties, and encourage kids to be creative and to see how high they can stack their new cuddly toys. Both boys and girls we have tested them with love them, and can’t get enough.  My son is in love, since they combine two of his favorite things- building and animals.  Stuffed animals?  Even better!
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