Which Magnetic Tiles are Best for My Kids?

There's no doubt about it, magnetic tiles are an awesome addition to any learning space. But which brand? And what type of pack?

The magnetic tiles used in this blog are a mixture of our own personal purchases and also products that have been kindly gifted to us. All images and opinions used in this post are our own. This post contains affiliate links.

It is no surprise that most parents feel a little overwhelmed when it comes to choosing magnetic tiles for their kids. There are lots on the market, some pretty expensive, and you want to make sure that you are making a good purchase for years of play. From my personal experience, it's hard to go wrong with any type of magnetic tile. We purchased our first set years ago and have been slowly adding to the collection. It is such a fun open-ended toy that kids of all ages can enjoy!

I decided that it's best to recommend tile brands based on what you are looking for. My comments are simply from my own experience, having observed how my kids have played with them as they have aged.

Getting Started - Buy in Bulk with Picasso Tiles

When I first started looking at buying some magnetic tiles I was a little intimidated by the price of some of the brands. Spending $50 plus wasn't going to get me very far in some cases, so I decided that to start us off I would go for one of the cheaper options so that I could get a decent number of tiles and take it from there.

I purchased the Picasso Tiles 100 piece starter set and the Picasso Tiles 82 piece creativity set. These two sets came to a little over $100 but it meant that we had a nice big selection of tiles to explore. I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of the tiles and for what we wanted them for I had no complaints at all. The fact that the magnets are not super strong (definitely strong enough though!) actually suited us at the time as it meant baby sis was able to manipulate the tiles more easily.

My kids loved building all sorts of creations, from castles, to rocket ships, to trains. We have also used them frequently over the years for simple play based learning activities. They make great color sorting platforms, and because they are not a high priced item, we freely combine art and sensory play with them without a fear of 'ruining' them.

Add Some Variety - Make Building Interesting with Shape Mags

After your kids have become pros with their bulk collection of tiles, it can be beneficial to start adding some novel pieces. Shape Mags are my top choice in terms of giving you a wide variety of shape, size and style of tile.

Baby sis loves the 'baby pieces' which are included in the 120 piece classic set. There are smaller rectangles and fence shape tiles which are just perfect for toddler building!

Big bro on the other hand will happily play for hours re-designing his cars over and over. He loves the fact that there is even a person to put in there too! I'm already eyeing up this Deluxe Car Accessories Set for him for the holidays!

Invest in Quality - Make Challenging Builds Possible with Connetix Tiles

Connetix Tiles are a newer magnetic tile brand on the market. They pride themselves on quality and strong magnets, and they totally nail both of those. We were kindly gifted the 100 piece set and I couldn't wait to compare them to our other less expensive tiles. You can literally feel the quality. The tiles are heavier and have very smooth edges. I also love how bold the colors are, just look at the colorful shadows in the picture below!

Having a set of tiles with really strong magnets has added such a creative flare to our tile play. We've had the confidence to play with them in all sorts of settings as we know that the magnets will hold strong. Here is baby sis happily sticking them to our outside railing.

Quality tiles with strong magnets are also a bonus when we are using them for toddler sorting activities. It means baby sis doesn't need to worry about knocking down the color boxes as she jams the loose parts inside them.

I hope you've found that information helpful. I really haven't come across a magnetic tile that is a bad purchase, but there are certainly ones better suited for certain types of play. I would add that our most played with tiles are the plain ones, i.e. not ones which have inserts or are part of a themed set. We have some fun letter ones and STEM sets, which do get played with, but in terms of open-ended creative play, a plain set is your best option.