Review: Haba Building Blocks Zoolino Maxi

Approx. price: £23

Age range: 1+

ToyTalk Awards Winner: Wooden Toys

Website: www.haba.co.uk

by David Smith
Children have enjoyed playing with building blocks for centuries, but Haba still managed to catch our eye with the Zoolino Maxi set.

Perhaps it’s the bold colours, or the array of different shapes. Perhaps it’s the extra character added by the animal faces (you get a bear, a bunny and a rhino). It’s also possible that the sheer tactile pleasure of holding these beech wood blocks is the real key. The blocks are smooth and weighty and make a wonderful noise when knocked together.

Whatever the reasons, our testers loved piling these blocks up and knocking them down again. Children can experiment with mixing patterns and colours, or they can concentrate on building the three animals and inventing adventures for them.

As confidence increases, the animal parts can be mixed up to make new and intriguing combinations. The box has a few suggestions, but the real fun lies in creating something original.

There are enough pieces (16 in all) to attempt a really ambitious tower as well – and even though this will always end the same way, that’s all part of the fun.

With the added benefit of helping to develop spatial awareness and fine motor skills, these are simply wonderful building blocks that will give years of pleasure.

Durability: 5/5
Longevity: 4/5
Value: 4/5
Score: 90%
Conclusion: A beautiful set of building blocks with real character.