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Soft & Sturdy Jumbo Blocks | 
 enlarge | Brand: Step2
Category: Toy
Buy New: $31.51 (On sale from $39.99)
You Save: $8.48 (21%)
New (4) from $31.51
Avg. Customer Rating:  7 reviews
Sales Rank: 7602
Batteries Included: No
Age: 4 - 6 years
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 1 x 1 x 1
MPN: 7566KR
Model: 7566KR
UPC: 733538756698
EAN: 0733538756698
ASIN: B000ALH16K
Release Date: September 12, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 2-3 business days
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| Features:
| • | 44 easy-to-grasp shapes in 4 colors | | • | Low-tack blocks stack at angles | | • | Quiet and soft, these blocks won't hurt your house or other children | | • | Blocks also float for water fun |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Preschoolers will love these chunky foam blocks. They're easy for small hands to grasp and they're safer than traditional wood blocks. Blocks come in four bright colors - red, blue, green and yellow -- and a variety of geometric shapes. Promotes color and shape recognition. Foam is safe, sound-free and even floats in water! 44 blocks.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 2 more reviews...
 Safe, Quiet and Fun March 29, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I purchased these blocks for my 15 month old grandson for Christmas. They are absolutely wonderful for quiet play. They stack well due to the very slight tackiness of the surface, which means that they don't slide apart or topple like wooden blocks do when not stacked directly on top of each other. He has been successful in building a stack 6-8 blocks high with the various shapes before it falls over. He enjoys kicking them and throwing them, and they will "bounce" rather than hurt furniture and other children. The large size makes them easy to pick up and hold; no more lost pieces under the couch! I liked the variety of shapes and sizes, and intend to purchase more. I wish that I had had these foam blocks when my children, neices and nephews were small; it would have made for much safer play time when all twenty-six of them were at my house or their grandmother's!
 I'm Not Two, But The Kids Loves It February 12, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I bought this for my granddaughter. She just turned two. I figured she'd play with them for two days, and that would be that, but they've kept her interest -- off and on -- more than a week!
But I chose them because (1) she likes to put things into boxes, and she likes to put boxes in boxes; (2) these are soft so she won't "put an eye out" - not even after her baby brother arrives; (3) THEY DON'T MAKE NOISE.
You can't always think entirely of the kid when getting presents. Think of the poor parents! After you're gone and have already taken aspirin, think if you had gotten wood blocks in a house with two floors and a kid who already throws like a center fielder.
Hey it was better than clothes, and she does use her imagination. Her "buildings" are architecturally better than most of the stuff I've seen go up in metropolitan areas...and more colorful, too.
Great building blocks December 31, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
These are nice because they are a good size, colorful, soft, durable and they float in the tub!! We have all played with these. I would recommend these blocks to parents.
Everyone loves this toy! July 18, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
These blocks are the greatest! My 3 1/2 and 2 year old both play with them everyday. Comes with lots of blocks which all work great together. No complaints at all.
 Mixed feelings. March 27, 2007
28 out of 28 found this review helpful
I have very mixed feelings about these blocks. Along with the previous reviewer, I thought these would be a perfectly safe toy for my 2 year old to play with along-side her 4 year old brother. As it turns out, they are not firm enough to hold up to a still oral toddler. Our blocks, which have been used for just six months, are covered in tooth marks and have edges that are crumbling away. I definitely cannot fault Step2 for this, as they clearly advertise these blocks for 3 and up. However, I feel it's important to warn parents who view these as a safe alternative for their toddlers. I was one of those parents and now I only allow my toddler to play with these under my supervision.
As far as play value, blocks are wonderful. Blocks are a classic toy and I thought these would be a perfect alternative for the same reasons a lot of other parents will--inexpensive, pain-free if used as weapons or when they tumble down, etc. I liked the concept of blocks so much that, after I became aware that these are not a good option for younger kids I actually went all out and purchased a large set of solid maple unit blocks for my third child's first birthday. He will also enjoy block play but can't use the Step2 blocks for the reasons stated above, even with my supervision because, as all parents know, everything is floor to mouth at that age and for quite some time to come. Obviously, the maple blocks were more expensive than the foam but not nearly so much as people might think. Do a search for wooden unit blocks on-line and you will find some solid maple blocks at reasonable prices. They will prove their value as time passes because they will never deterioriate and can be used for years and then passed down for generations.
When I received the maple blocks, I was stunned at how inspiring they were to my 2 and 4 year olds. They watched as I unpacked their younger brother's gift (I refer to it as his leverage for encouraging his older siblings to share--ha ha) and fussed and howled for HOURS when I had to put them away. They clearly preferred the plain wooden blocks to the colorful foam ones. I have to admit that I definitely did as well. As you hold just one you think, "Yep, it's a piece of wood." But then you see and hold all the different shapes and it's beautiful to think of all the creative opportunities in front of your kids. Their weight alone makes building and balancing more interesting. Also, they follow unit sizing, which encourages the development of math and science skills. Finally, the variety of shapes is greater, which makes it more interesting to build.
Foam or wood, I encourage a gift of blocks for young children--just not foam for children who still mouth objects or are teething. Do investigate the prices on wooden blocks. Though they are initially a larger investment, they will prove their value long after the foam ones are dry and dusty in the corner. As far as the fear of injury from wooden ones, I will just say that I have baskets of toys that could be improperly used as weapons if a child has a mind for that. I have a Fisher-Price corn popper that could tell a few tales of sibling rivalry. Ugh!
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