I am always on the lookout for cool toys for our light table. And one toy that I have been eyeing up for quite awhile are these translucent WEDGiTS building blocks. So, of course, I was super excited when I was given the opportunity to review a set of them.
We have been enjoying them for a couple of weeks now. I say "we" because I truly like building with them too!
Both boys have also been engaging in all sorts of imaginative play using them, ranging from building pyramids for camels and bath tubs for rabbits to baking layered cakes and exploring with them on the light table.
Open-ended building, creativity, and light table play?! It doesn't get much better than these WEDGiTS! Let's take a closer look at what they are, why we like them, and some fun ways to use them.
I was provided with a WEDGiTS Deluxe: Translucent Set from ImagAbility in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own. (It looks like this particular set is no longer available on Amazon so here's an alternative.)
What are WEDGiTS?
The WEDGiTS Deluxe: Translucent Set comes with thirty pieces in bright colors (blue, green, yellow, red, and white) of various sizes. They stack and they wedge (hence the name). And they can be put together to build all sorts of neat creations!
The set also comes with a booklet of building ideas to get your kids inspired. There are also two clear plastic stands included. They can be used for building with, but are also where you can store all the pieces when not in play. You'll see them in action shortly.
As mentioned earlier, the particular set from ImagAbility you see in this post appears to no longer be available. Here's an alternative set of wedgits building blocks that comes in different colors.
WEDGits Building Blocks on the Light Table
First things first, we had to try the WEDGiTS on the light table. That's the reason why we were given the translucent set in the first place. The colors really pop when on the light table, as you can see.
Remember how I mentioned that the set comes with two clear plastic building stands? Well, my boys love using the stands on and off of the light table. Here they are building a tower in the stand on the light table.
Once the boys played around with and got the hang of how the WEDGiTS could stack, nest, and wedge together, I set out some colorful tube shots to extend their play on the light table. My boys ended up experimenting with the materials to make some pretty neat sculptures.
Building with WEDGiTS Blocks on Mirrors
Obviously, the WEDGiTS look amazing on the light table, just like I hoped. Yet, they're also great for exploring with mirrors and natural light.
My boys found building tall towers with the WEDGiTS on mirrors quite engaging. They'd build a tall tower and examine the reflection in the mirror, which makes the tower look even taller. Here are some photos of their exploration and creations:
WEDGiTS Building Blocks Review
I personally really like these translucent WEDGiTS and so do my boys. Here are a few reasons we've enjoyed playing with them so far:
- Open-ended: They encourage open-ended and imaginative play, off and on the light table. Plus, they come with a book of building ideas to get you started.
- Durable: They have been knocked over so many times and the pieces are still in perfect condition. They are definitely built to last.
- Fairly versatile: You can build so many neat things with them (e.g., their signature frog design that actually "hops"), especially when you combine them with other materials (as shown above).
- Easy storage: Since they are designed to stack and nest, they fit nicely inside the plastic stands and box for easy storage. And it's easy to know if a piece is gone missing or not because of how they all fit together nicely in the box for storage.
- Great for light table play: The translucent pieces look amazing on the light table.
One thing to note, though, is that some of the building techniques (e.g., wedging them together) can be a bit tricky to master at first. However, younger kids can easily (and happily!) stack them until they get the hang of the different building techniques.
What do you think? Will you be giving these WEDGiTS building blocks a try?
