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Magnetic Play

Guidecraft 144-pc. Magneatos Construction Set

Guidecraft 144-pc. Magneatos Construction Set
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Guidecraft 144-pc. Magneatos Construction Set

 
SKU:  

G8102

Availability:   Out of stock
 
WARNING:
CHOKING HAZARD -- Small parts. Not for children under 3 yrs.
 

3 years & up. Children can create structures, build on imagination skills and experience the fun and mystery of magnetic construction. These jumbo sized pieces are magnetized and connect together easily. Designed for small hands and huge imaginations. Includes 144 pieces.

 
 
 
Out of stock


Product Details
Product Length:20.0 inches
Product Width:20.0 inches
Product Height:6.0 inches
Product Weight:7.0 pounds
Package Length:19.21 inches
Package Width:18.27 inches
Package Height:4.8 inches
Package Weight:11.99 pounds
Average Customer Rating: based on 14 reviews

Features
  • Designed for small hands and huge imaginations

  • Magnetic contruction set

  • Makes a great gift

  • Perfect for Ages 3+


Customer Reviews
Average Customer Review:3.5 ( 14 customer reviews )
Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 38 found the following review helpful:


4Pretty cool toy, BUT it is also a collection of hard plastic-coated metal balls.  Jan 25, 2007 By Mark A. Peot
My children (age 6 and 2) have built some pretty neat things with Magneatos. Unlike the tiny metal balls and rods in a Magnetix, the large rods and balls do not pose a choking hazard. The rods come in two different lengths, that allow the child to explore a wide range of geometric structures.

Pluses:
* It is easy for kids to build complicated geometric structures. The magnetic rods teach kids the properties of magnets.
* In order to build tall structures, the child has to learn how to build strong "crystalline" structures on the lower levels.
* It is easy (and automatic) for young children to assemble balls to rods. No fine manual-dexterity required here!

Minuses:
* There are 144 pieces to return to the box each time. Half of the parts roll, which means that they are distributed evenly throughout the house when it is time to put them away.
* The toy has an additional use as a collection of 40 or so 3" hard plastic covered lightweight metal balls that your child will throw around the house (and my two year-old does just that). My two year old has constructed an improvised atl-atl by putting a ball on the end of a rod and then slinging the ball.
* The ratio between the mass of the parts and the strength of the magnets is less than for the smaller building sets. This means that models will be a bit more fragile than Magnetix models. You cannot build structures that are as tall and your children cannot play with the model they build or carry it to their parents.

6 of 6 found the following review helpful:


2Magneatos Nice, but Weak - really cannot use for construction  Jan 10, 2007 By W. D. Shehane "Grandpa Dave"
We bought the set for our grandson for Christmas. We were impressed with quantity and quality of the parts - that met all expectations. But when you go to build something with it, the magnetic force is so weak that it just falls down - a real bummer and a disappointment. So you are limited to single dimension construction, flat on the carpet, and cannot go up even a single layer without real engineering skill to construct trusses to totally reinforce the structure. Even then, a slight touch brings everything down. And it seemed like such a neat idea....

3 of 3 found the following review helpful:


3Magneatos  Apr 03, 2007 By A. Smieja "Cozy Cottage Child Care"
Just like the review from Grandpa Dave, I too thought this was such a wonderful concept. My daycare kids love to discover with magents and this toy is safe as far as choking hazards. However, we too found that every time they built something it would fall right over. After the 2 sets arrived just yesterday, we've already had many tears over broken masterpieces. This will end up being a great toy for toddlers who will discover magnetism but my preschoolers will probably just let it sit once the "newness" of the toy wears off. Too bad since I paid a lot for them. Amazon has the best price that I've seen though.

1 of 1 found the following review helpful:


1Very disappointed  Dec 27, 2010 By fghgfhcgfhjghfhghjjhjhjgfhjjn
I bought this toy for my 5 and 3 year olds. I thought it was a great educational and fun toy since my kids like building toys but unfortunately the magnetic strength is so weak that the slightest bump and the whole construct collapses. I'm very disappointed. I can't imagine how a company that makes a toy based on magnetic strength fails to make it strong enough to do what it claims. I feel like I've been tricked into giving my money away for nothing.


3Wish I could have given it 5 stars...  Apr 05, 2011 By rufous
Got this for 3 yr old granddaughter. It is a versatile construction toy for building 3D as well as 2D structures with the magnetized rods/balls. The plastic pieces are solidly built, have a certain heft--feel substantial. The shorter rod (they come in 2 sizes) is about the length and diameter of an adult's curled fingers+thumb when made into a fist. The colors are bright and appealing. The balls are hard and should be limited to building structures or to rolling them on the floor in some made-up game--they obviously should not be thrown.

Initially, your child will need help in putting together 3D structures that do not collapse during the building process. This can be very frustrating. A 4-piece square or rectangular building unit needs a diagonal rod of appropriate length to reinforce the unit or it will collapse when more rods/balls are added. The child easily gets this supportive-rod concept and takes an interest in making the structure sturdier--an added level of difficulty kids like cuz they can master it. It takes a skill they are proud to have learned. The 3D structure will topple on provocation, but knocking these constructions down is part of the fun for toddlers. These are not structures built for the ages...
Stronger 3D structures can be built using 3-rod triangular units that lock the structure together...they are less vulnerable to collapsing.

2D structures built on the floor can be loooooooooooong snakes or skeletal creatures, but they cannot be dragged along the floor cuz the magnets aren't strong enough to hold the rods together. But things don't have to move to be interesting--the shapes can be fun in themselves--like stick drawings.

It's a versatile building toy yet does not earn 5*. Do I wish the magnets were stronger? Yes. Docked one * for weak magnets. Docked another for value for the set is kinda pricey--I don't feel I got 5* value for the price.
Note: I gave it 3 stars for fun value...but the review published fun value as 4 stars (?)

See all 14 customer reviews on Amazon.com
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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