Review and Giveaway - HearthSong Connectagons

When I was young, I loved to build things. I had a set of blocks and a set of log cabin logs, and I also remember building lots of things with glue and popsicle sticks. HearthSong has created an award-winning building set called Connectagons that I couldn't wait to share with my daycare kids. I gathered them around me at circle time and told them I had a new toy to share with them. They were immediately captivated.

I showed them the box of Happy Faces Connectagons that I had chosen. There are currently nine different Connectagon themes at HearthSong, including Fairy Garden, Under the Sea, and Treetop. I chose the Happy Face ones because they are slightly larger and thicker, made especially for young children. I showed the kids how to connect them and then put them on the table for the children to explore.

Before I turned the kids loose on the new toy, I broke down the word "CON-NECT-A-GON" and had them repeat it. It is important to me to expand their vocabulary and this new word was a complicated one, but they mastered it. Then one of my toddlers immediately began lining them up in a row, very typical for this age group. We talked about the colors of the Connectagons, then sorted them by color. We also observed how some of the faces were different.

My five year old immediately began to connect the pieces by turning them in an alternating pattern. They are made of wood so they will certainly hold up to the many hands that will play with them here. As the three older kids worked on connecting them, I asked them where they thought the name Connectagons came from. A four year old girl said, "It's a shape like a hexagon." The five year old boy said, "Because it's a connect toy." I was impressed they broke down the word that easily. They must have an awesome teacher.

One of the four year old girls immediately made a flower. Then she stood it up on its side and announced it was a ferris wheel. Have I mentioned enough in my blog posts that I absolutely, positively love open-ended toys? My personal favorite was this rocket a three year old boy constructed. 

PSST...I saw some special offers on the HearthSong Facebook page and Twitter page today!

GIVEAWAY!

I'm so excited that HearthSong said I get to give one lucky reader a set of Happy Faces Connectagons! I'll take entries until midnight August 27, 2011, then choose a winner via random.org. Please use the rafflecopter form below to enter. You must be at least 18 to enter and win, and as always you must follow my blog via email, GFC, or RSS. Good luck!

Disclosure: I received a set of Connectagons at no charge for this review. My opinions are always true.