One difference to note is that Magna-Tiles tend to have steel rivets on each corner, which can serve as an extra bit of security holding the two halves of each piece together compared to the traditional and non-riveted adhesive methods used by Picasso Tiles and others.īoth Magna-Tiles and Picasso Tiles tend to offer a wide variety of shapes that kids can build with. The magnets are both pretty standard ceramics and both tend to do an excellent job at holding the pieces together so that kids can build without being too hard for small hands to pull apart. This means that both brands of magnet tiles are non-toxic, lightweight and durable enough to be handled by kids everyday.Īs might be expected, both products are also CPSIA (Consumer Protection Safety Improvement Act) compliant, meaning they are safety-tested, phthalate- and lead-free and generally safe enough to be used by children 12 or younger.īy and large, Magna-Tiles and Picasso Tiles are quite similar when it comes to their overall construction.īoth products are made of two halves of plastic and have a series of magnets running along their edges that serve to hold the tiles together when stacked. Picasso Tiles: Constructionīoth Magna-Tiles and Picasso Tiles are made of BPA-free, food grade ABS plastics. Starting with relatively simple rivet-sealed, magnet-containing plastic shapes, the company has since grown and expanded its line to include 3D objects, dinosaurs, animals, glitter shapes and more.Ī popular alternative to Magna-Tiles and one of its main competitors, PicassoTiles has also expanded quite a bit in recent years, with kids containing everything from regular plastic tiles to fun diamond patterns, from lego-connecting kits to race car tracks and marble runs. Magna-Tiles are the makers of the first magnetic tiles in this form, introducing them to great fanfare in the late 1990s. They have even been successfully integrated into more formal lessons, being used to better physically represent abstract concepts for kids in math, science and even coding. Magnetic tiles can also be quite educational, and many schools and homeschools have used them to supplement a child’s learning and development, helping students hone their motor skills, develop their planning and critical thinking skills, and work on their creative thinking through guided play. They also don’t hurt quite as much when stepped upon, something that parents should be happy to hear. In this way they are a lot like stickle bricks, lego and other building toys, only being made with large plastic shapes and magnets they are a lot larger and easier for younger hands to handle, connect and pull apart. Their edges are lined with small magnets, which let the tiles connect to one another and be formed into pretty any shape that a child can think of, from towers and buildings, to cars and even jet airplanes. The tiles themselves are made of plastic and come in a variety of colors and shapes. But First: What are Magnetic Tiles?įirst introduced in 1997, magnetic tiles are a kind of toy whose engaging and open-ended nature has made them quite popular in homes around the world. To help out, we’ve compared the two so that parents can make a more informed decision before purchasing a set. Magna-Tiles and Picasso Tiles are two excellent and highly-rated choices in the world of magnet tiles and have a lot of different sets and variants available for purchase.Īlthough similar, the two brands do have some subtle differences. If you are a parent of a child who is a bit too young for a Lego set or a hands-on electronics kit, magnetic tiles can be an easier to use option that can let them build whatever their imagination comes up with, while letting them hone their planning and design skills. When it comes to providing kids with open-ended, explorational and even educational play, nothing really beats free-building toys.
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