The children's magnetic constructor Magformers has recently become more and more popular, gradually starting to compete even with the famous Lego. Even the creators of popular cartoons are already demonstrating this constructor in their creations: for example, a set of this type can be seen in the famous "Smeshariki". Nevertheless, for many parents, this kind of constructor is still a mystery, due to the relatively recent appearance of such kits on the market.
What is it and what are the benefits?
Magformers are so well known for being one of the first magnetic builders in the world. The parts in such a set are connected with each other very simply: they are not even equipped with spikes and grooves, since they are held together by the force of magnetic attraction. This not only greatly simplifies the task for the little ones, but also increases their interest in the game, because the invisible connection in the understanding of the baby seems to be an element of some kind of magic.
Outwardly, the details look pretty simple. Most basic sets of 6, 14 or 20 pieces are flat geometric shapes of simple shapes: triangles, squares, and rhombuses, each with a slot in the middle for easier grip.
Inside the robust plastic case, there are strong (8x stronger than normal) neodymium magnets, making the connection much more reliable than competing brands. This fact allows, in the case of large sets of 144, 200 or 258 parts, to build huge structures, especially since for such sets the manufacturer was not too lazy to make elements of a more complex shape.
It should be noted that the magnets inside the elements rotate freely, therefore all the parts are interconnected as the child needs.
Due to the simplicity of the shapes of the parts and the connection method, this set is suitable even for the smallest children. Simple geometric sets of up to 26-28 parts are usually suitable for both boys and girls, but those that consist of at least 30-32 components often already contain specific elements necessary to assemble a particular craft.
The smallest with the help of Magformers develop hand motor skills, preschool children have the opportunity to get a visual aid on three-dimensional geometry and at the same time evaluate the possibilities of magnetic attraction. Parents will also like this set: causing genuine interest in a child, he is a serious competitor to "harmful" hobbies in the form of modern gadgets.
Should you buy cheaper counterparts?
Since no good original idea is ignored these days by Chinese manufacturers offering cheap analogs of their own production, the Magformers concept is no longer unique either. Many parents consider it advisable to buy sets from Mag Building, Magical Magnet, or even completely unknown Chinese companies that did not even bother to sign their work in at least Latin letters. Kits are also issued that are signed in the same way as the original, but in fact they are not.
It should be noted that not all reviews of such products are negative. A person who has tested the original and the counterfeit in action is unlikely to say that they are identical in quality, but after the price has been reduced by two or three times, the purchase seems to many to be really profitable.
At the same time, you should still choose very carefully, because fakes are of both good quality and very mediocre... Magformers himself predictably opposes the purchase of such copies, pointing out a number of their shortcomings. Among the arguments of the company is the unacceptably low quality of fakes, which are distinguished by much less durable plastic, which is far from always safe from an environmental point of view, as well as unreliable and simply weak magnets.
In addition to fragility, such a purchase also poses an increased risk of health problems, because plastic, when breaking, leaves sharp torn edges, and the magnets falling out of parts are small enough to be swallowed.
So that consumers, who want only the best for their children, have the opportunity to distinguish quality from low-quality, the company that makes the real Magformers suggests looking at the signs that distinguish an original product from a counterfeit of an unpredictable level of quality.
- Suppliers of inexpensive analogues are trying to save on literally everything, because the difference is already noticeable in the appearance of the packaging... The original box is always very neat and stylish, with the Magformers Original inscription on it. And although it is not difficult to forge this inscription, if it is not there, it means that the author of the creation does not even try to seem the original.
- In almost all original kits, except for the XL Cruisers series, embossed Magformers lettering in every detail... It would seem an insignificant detail, but the companies that produce fakes simply do not have enough money and the desire to recreate the original so carefully.
- Magformers are a priori expensive constructor. The high price is due to its quality, but because of this, any discounts of 40-50% of the cost are excluded. A good store can offer consumers a small discount of 5-10% for any reason, but fakes under the guise of the original are successfully sold at discounts of 60-80% or more, which is a clear sign of Chinese origin.
- The best way to guarantee product originality is to trust only trusted vendors. Large children's stores, regardless of whether they operate on the Internet or in direct contact with the consumer, will not risk their reputation and offer customers goods of questionable quality. If the site, which sells a uniquely cheap "original", looks like an obvious one-day, we are dealing with an obvious fake.
Popular models
The range of Magformers constructors impresses the imagination with a huge variety, especially since more and more new kits are constantly being released. The most popular sets are worth considering in more detail, because it is always better to start with what is in demand.
- For the smallest, the 14-piece Window Basic set, some of which mimic transparent windows. However, many parents deliberately skip this level of complexity due to the high cost and relatively low interest of such a constructor. As a multivariate alternative, you can buy Tiny Friends. The manufacturer claims that 12 different animals can be assembled from just 20 parts.
- If the child is small and he is alone in the family, a relatively small set is enough for him to begin with. Starter kits of simple geometric shapes (My First Set series) can have 32 or 54 parts, but there are also more complex ventures with the same number of elements. These include Sea Adventure themed sets (you can collect a boat and other related crafts), Jungle Adventure, or Magnetic Desert.
It should be noted that original sets usually consist of exactly 32 parts, while 36, 38, 48 or 58 elements are often Chinese art.
- If you need to please a girl, you should pay attention to the Carnival set of 46 parts. In principle, the elements look the same, however, the delivery set contains figures of boys and girls that the little ones will definitely like. The set itself is geared towards assembling a Ferris wheel, on which you can put the mentioned characters, but you can also assemble something else. But if such a test may be too difficult for a child, pay attention to the Pastelle set of 30 components. The details are usual here, but they are made in delicate shades of pink and lilac, which distinguishes them from the standard "rainbow" of bright colors.
- There's nothing better for a boy than a radio controlled car Magformers have a 52-piece Supercar set especially for this occasion. Of course, the finished craft will not be ideally similar to a non-designer car, but the manufacturer tried to add original parts: there are already normal wheels, a control panel, and a radio-controlled motor.
- If you need a constructor an order of magnitude more difficult, girls should be offered the 56-piece Inspire Princess, and the boys the 55-piece Space Magic. Constructors of this type already involve the assembly of rather complex crafts with characters that would "serve" them, so the child should at least understand what he is assembling, and why such a construction could be useful in real life.
- When the child gets older, those constructors that do not restrict it to a certain model proposed by the developer become good ones. For independent design, you need an abundance of parts of different shapes, and parents, depending on the level of development and interest of the kid, can choose, for example, Designer from 62 parts, Creative from 90 elements or Challenger, in which there are 112 components at once.
When choosing a large designer, it is important to pay attention to the variety of details. For example, details of an ordinary shape, but glowing in the dark, can become a pleasant bonus.
Reviews
Regardless of which set of Magformers is meant, comments about such products are usually impressive with the score - of course, unless it is about a cheap Chinese fake. Simplicity, originality, safety and quality - all these characteristics of such a constructor are highly appreciated. The average score for each of these criteria is higher than 4.5 out of 5.
Criticism is usually few and far between, and it concerns high cost. Indeed, even a tiny starter set of a dozen parts costs about one and a half thousand rubles, and even large and beautiful sets can cost parents tens of thousands of rubles. For all the quality, the question arises as to how justified such a purchase is.
With all the high cost due to quality, there are complaints about it. Parents note that a craft assembled from a construction set is much inferior in strength (as well as in cost) to a similar toy, which would not be a designer. Each individual detail, declared by the designer as a model of strength and durability, in fact, is also not such - commentators rightly note that there are no toys for children that cannot be broken.
For information on what can be folded from the Magformers constructor, see the next video.
