Clean Up!

When play time is over, ask your children to collect all of their Magna-Tiles to clean up! Cleaning up and developing a sense of responsibility is important for children and a part of play!

• Magna-Tiles are flat so they stack easily and save space!
• Gather Magna-Tiles by the power of magnets – turn it into a game!
• Stack all of the same shapes together for convenient storage in any bin or container. Organization is a very important skill throughout life! Start early and make it fun! 

Clean up, clean up, everybody do your share!

Tall Towers

Children love building towers with Magna-Tiles!

A Magna-Tects first towers might look like this: 

STACKING: Small hands will practice putting the pieces together and taking them apart over and over again. This is how children learn – by repeating this simple action! Young children will be able to build without frustration as the pieces “click” together.

Older children will enjoy the challenge of building  a tower as HIGH as possible!… how can I build taller? I might need a stool to reach the top! What can I use to give my structure more support? Which shapes help me build the tallest, strongest tower!?

 

Wait, I improved it! #Batman

A Magna-Tect was making the shape of the Batman symbol with Magna-Tiles! After taking a picture, she realized that her design could be improved!

She moved and improved her Batman Symbol!  Ta-da! It is easy to take apart and put Magna-Tiles creations back together… Use trial-and-error to make your Magna-Tiles masterpiece just right!

Compare the two images… do you see where she added two more triangular prisms?

The more time that you spend with Magna-Tiles, the better you will understand how shapes fit together! The more time that you spend working on a creation, you will see that there are endless ways to make it! Be creative!

Tracing Shapes

Trace Magna-Tiles shapes on paper to develop fine motor skills and make NEW shapes!

When you take the Magna-Tiles pieces away, use the tracings to compare and contrast 2-D shapes!

Which has more sides? A hexagon or diamond shape?

 

Magna-Tiles + Sunlight

Build near window on a sunny day for natural sunlight!

Magna-Tiles Habitat

Magna-Tiles create great habitats for Hex Bugs!

A flip book video by paper engineer, Matt Shlian

Can you identify the 3-D shape? Fun!

 

Play: An Important Tool for Cognitive Development

Magna-Tiles were used to assess the play of Gabrielle, a three year old.

Learn how and why Magna-Tiles play contributes to your child’s cognitive development by developing key functions:

• Working Memory and Recall
• Activation, Arousal, and Effort
• Controlling Emotions
• Internalizing Language
• Taking an Issue Apart, Analyzing the Pieces, Reconstituing and Organizing it

Read the feature article, “Play: An Important Tool for Cognitive Development” in HighScope Extension’s Curriculum Newsletter! Click this link to read the PDF:

http://membership.highscope.org/app/issues/142.pdf

Magna-Tiles are now available on Amazon.co.uk!

Now Available in Europe!

Please visit our official Valtech Magna-Tiles Amazon Storefront to shop Magna-Tiles Clear Colors or our new Magna-Tiles Solid Colors!

Shipping is available to the following countries:

• Germany
• France
• Spain
• Italy
• Belgium
• Luxembourg
• Netherlands
• the Republic of Ireland
• Portugal
• Austria
• Bulgaria
• Cyprus
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• Estonia
• Finland
• Greece
• Hungary
• Latvia
• Lithuania
• Malta
• Poland
• Romania
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Sweden

Project: Magna-Tiles Around The World

Magna-Tiles Around the World Project

Where do you play with Magna-Tiles? We want to see Magna-Tiles in YOUR CITY!! This project was inspired by ideas that you can build anything you can imagine! We see Magna-Tiles basic geometric shapes all around us in the real world – nature, architecture, everyday objects… look around you!

4 year old Magna-Tect Lukas built this very colorful “Catheral” in perfect synchrony with the spectacular view of the real Cathedrals in Basel, Switzerland!! Do you feel inspired by the beautiful architecture in your city?!

To submit a photo, e-mail it to valtechmagnatiles@gmail.com or upload it to Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook using #magnatiles. Please be sure to include your location! Optional: tell us something fun about your creation or city! Thank you for your participation. The Valtech Team

Replicas

Magna-Tiles in the classroom!

Students made a structure with Magna-Tiles and took a photo of it. One week later, three different groups were asked to make a replica of the structure by looking at the photo!

Magna-Tiles Model Structure photo:

Here are the three separate replicas that were made by looking at a picture of the original structure. Can you see any differences?

Try this activity with your students!

 

Thank you! Photos via Mrs. Tiffany

Magna-Tiles Bridge

Magna-Tects created a bridge by hanging Small Squares between posts! Children will explore weight and measurement through constructive PLAY!

In this photo, there are 3 Small Squares between each support. What would happen if you doubled up the Small Squares? The bridge would be heavier! How would you re-design the bridge if the posts were farther apart? You could add another smaller post that is made by pieces standing on their edge vertically! Do you think that this bridge can support a toy resting on the middle small square? Make it with Magna-Tiles to find out!

Encourage Children to experiment with which shapes provide the most support and balance in their Creations.

Magna-Tiles Hamster House

Check out what Magna-Tects made for their hamster! Challenge your Children Q: If you close the top to the hamster house, what 3-D Shape will you make?

A: Rectangular Prism

Magna-Tiles Turtle Castle

Children always find new, fun ways to play and BUILD with Magna-Tiles!

The Little Couple

Did you see Magna-Tiles on the television series “The Little Couple”?!

Bill made a pretty cool structure with the light shining in from the windows! Jen says that he is getting better at building!