Customer Reviews

Tinker Toy 200-piece Plastic Construction Set

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I picked this set over the other 105-piece set offered here because there are so many more pieces for the money. Once I get it, I notice that this is a different set with somewhat different pieces, and all the pieces are made of plastic, while the other set is made of wood. I don't mean this to be a bad thing, because there are a few ingenious-looking connectors that you can turn to change its angle of connection, and I doubt it can be made in wood the same way. I bought it for my 5 year old son who finds it a little difficult to poke the sticks into the connectors because they fit rather snug, but after a while he got used to it. He isn't used to it not having instruction like Legos, though, so he just looks at the picture on the can with frustration until I build it for him. I then take digital pictures as I dismantle the project so that he can then use them as instructions. He does OK. The set is bright colored and sturdy, and it makes a beautiful and realistic Ferris wheel that stands about 2.5 feet tall, complete with ride chairs that remains vertical as the wheel spins.

Besides not having instructions, my other complaint is that the entire set fills only half of the can if you just dump everything in, and the can is made out of paper (except for its top and bottom). I think they wouldn't have gone broke if they made the whole can in tin, and it would have lasted a lot longer. Overall, I am happy with my purchase, but I may consider buying the other set too.

I was wary of getting plastic tinker toys, but we've been pleased with how they've held up. I saw numerous reviews on the wooden once with complaints about breaking and splintering, and we haven't had any pieces tossed out yet after more than a year. These are the only toy in our house that is played with each and every day, by both of our children. We make lawn mowers (my son's favorite), snow blowers, baby swings and strollers(for my daughter's doll), airplanes, buildings, scooters, umbrellas, flowers, animals, you name it. My 2 year old has no trouble manipulating the pieces to make simple things (the flowers and umbrellas are her specialty), and my 4 year old gets more and more creative about how he accomplishes things. Definitely worth the money and tripping over them all of the time. My husband and I are getting better at making things too... he's downstairs making a BBQ grill out of them now!

True -- the old time wood tinkertoys seem more "real" somehow -- but my guys like the plastic because it's easier to play with. The rods fit better into the little holes, making spokes or windmills easier to create. Great colors too. We have both this and wood tinkertoys and they are interchangeable. We have found that the plastic breaks more easily but it does take intentional and considerable effort... (as does the training process toward good toy stewardship).

My sister and I used to spend hours constructed dozens of buildings, designs, etc with our Tinker Toys. When choosing a gift for our 5 year old boy (who seems to have "architect" in his veins), we wanted to pick something to get him off his video games. I was thrilled to see this 200 piece Tinker Toy set in a large carboard drum. I was a bit disappointed that they chose to make these in plastic instead of wood (the wood was more durable), but the concept is still the same. Our son and my husband spent 2 hours putting all kinds of contraptions together. Still lots of fun to be had with this classic playset.

WHEN THE TINKER TOYS ARRIVED AND MY TWO YEAR OLD TWINS UNPACKED THEM, I HAD FOUR SOLID HOURS OF PEACE AND QUIET AS THEY SAT AND PLAYED. THE DRUM IS STILL THE FIRST TOY WE PULL OUT IN THE MORNING AND IT'S THE LAST TOY TO BE PUT AWAY AT NIGHT. THE GIRLS CAN MAKE ANYTHING THEIR LITTLE IMAGINATION'S THINK UP-WITHOUT NEEDING HELP OR GETTING FRUSTRATED BECAUSE THE PIECES ALL FIT TOGETHER EASILY. THIS IS AN EXCELLENT LEARNING TOY FOR ANY CHILD OLD ENOUGH TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE PIECES CONNECT TO ONE ANOTHER.

With so many toys on the market these days, it's hard to find one that will grow with your child. My son and daughter received this toy at 3 years old and 18 mths old. While we had to take away the extra small pieces, tinkertoys have been played with for more than 2 years now, everyday. They encourage creativity, sharing, motor skills, and teamwork. There's no bells or whistles, batteries, or noise. It's the perfect toy. My kids make everything imaginable with tinkertoys, recognizable or not. They have only broken 2 sticks in 2 years, as these toys are high quality and colorful. Tinkertoys are a must in every house.

My girls love this toy. I had the wooden ones as a child and had actually forgotten all about them. At a friends child's birhtday party my kids found a set of wooden tinker toys in the play room and just went to town. I got home that night and started looking aroung online for them and saw the plastic set. I went with it and I am glad I did. They play with these almost everyday. Even my husband joins in and helps build stuff.

I have a few of these sets and love them just as much as my kids do. I too was worried about switching from the original wooden Tinker Toys to these plastic ones a few years ago...but am glad I did.

First off, if you have owned the wooden ones, you know the sticks get worn out after your kids play with them for awhile and they won't stay in the wooden circles/blocks...which leads to a very frustrated kid. These plastic ones don't wear out like the wooden ones do. Also, here is a HUGE plus...you can't chew on them!! Not your kids...dogs! My dogs were always trying to steal a wooden block from my kids to run behind the couch and chew it up...but they have no interest in the plastic ones. I guess if your children chew on them as well it could be a plus also, no wood to splinter them and no lead paint worries.

The sticks are very well built in this set...it is not just a hollow tube, but has reinforcement on the inside of the tube yet still allows air to flow through it. The other pieces are just as well built (trust me, between myself and my husbad stepping on them over and over again...they still look brand new). They are brightly colored and fit together nicely, which means happy kids!

My local toystore stocks these for almost half of what they are selling for on here...so I suggest you try that before ordering these online if you want to save money...could probably get 2 sets for the price of 1 online.

This is a great toy, very educational, but don't buy it here on Amazon for $80+, its free shipping is delusional -- in local Toys'R'Us it's only $35....I just bought it yesterday.

I had bought this toy for my son's 8th birthday and it was a hit. I have three children and they all loved it. It's been three weeks now and they still play with it daily, it was a definate hit. My only disappoints were: They are plastic now, instead of wood. I recall as a kid, breaking the wood ones now and then. But the plastic is just as breakable, yet without the typical peircing points a broken wood one would have. I bought the large 200 piece tin of them, when I opened it up 2/3rds of the tin was nothing but air (they did take the time to add in cardboard so you wouldn't know.) I was disappointed such a large tin was so empty - but nontheless, the toy was a super hit. I wish I had bought them earlier.