Reviewed for 2008, Kindergarten

Pick up a pack of these colorful creations and give your kid a lesson in structure, balance, patterning, and proportion. Whether she stacks them into vertical skyscrapers, nests them within each other, builds willy-nilly, horizontal, or cantilevered creations-- this is open-ended play at its best. Unlike traditional blocks, Dados have small notches around their edges so they can be slotted together, not just stacked, in a multitude of three-dimensional ways. Beneath all the fun, children will get a mental workout-- honing pre-math skills like patterning and spacial reasoning, while working pre-writing skills like finger dexterity and small muscle control.  But beyond all the educational benefits, they'll like Dado because they can make something new each time they open the box. Top notch! (Fat Brain Toys, Dado Squares $25, Dado Cubes $25)

Where to buy Dado Cubes and Squares