We are big on promoting creativity in our household and with that building things is a central theme when playing with toys. Unfortunately, I’m not ready yet for Legos as they could be choking hazards and more importantly, foot hazards for parents who may accidentally walk on them. Introducing Magnetic Tiles.
What are Magnetic Tiles?
Magnetic tiles are exactly what they say they are. They’re plastic tiles that come in different geometric shapes like squares, triangles among other random shapes. Along the edge of each shape are magnets that are used to connect the tiles together. Those magnetic tiles are then used by kids to let their creative juices flow.
There are two brands we have at home, Picasso Tiles and Magna-Tiles. The latter are probably the more popular ones on the market.
What’s The Difference?
This is the million-dollar question; well, technically $100 question. Let’s start with price. A box of 100 Magna-Tiles will cost roughly $120 through Amazon, while a box of 100 Picasso Tiles are around $48 through Amazon. Picasso Tiles are more than half the price of Magna-Tiles which could be enough for someone to make the purchase.
The biggest difference visually is that the Magna-Tiles have metal rivets in the corner and the Picasso Tiles don’t. From there, the more expensive brand is just a bit heavier.
In building towers, we found the Magna-Tiles to be sturdier than the Picasso Tiles. This caused an issue for the Picasso Tiles when we were building tall towers. They had a harder problem staying secure and put together. This was in contrast to the Magna-Tiles that did a better job of staying intact. I read the magnets are stronger in the Picasso Tiles, but it didn’t show when playing with them.
What about the quality? I’ve read that the Picasso Tiles tend to break easier. Out of the 100 Picasso Tiles we originally purchased, around four of them have already cracked in the last six months. I noticed that Picasso Tiles are held together with glue, which may be the reason for quality. We’ve had zero Magna-Tiles break. This could pose an issue for parents who are worried about broken plastic pieces on the ground. Keep in mind, we have only played on the carpet. I’d be curious to see if there would be more breakage if we played on the hardwood floor.
If you have both magnetic tiles, they are compatible so you can play with both, which is nice.
Which One Would You Buy?
I’m all about saving money, and I think part of me would lean more towards the Picasso Tiles. If the Magna-Tiles were slightly cheaper, I’d be more inclined to recommend them more, but over a dollar per tile sounds like a lot for a kid.
The biggest pluses for the Magna-Tiles are that they seem to be safer and more powerful. Fortunately, my daughter isn’t too rough on her toys and I don’t envision any more breaking, which makes me lean towards recommending the Picasso Tiles. Plus, having more secure magnetic tiles for a child who prefers stacking them than building anything doesn’t make financial sense. But what am I saying? We have both.
In conclusion, go with whatever your gut tells you. I’m of no help.
Check them out for yourself here: Picasso Tiles on Amazon or Magna-Tiles.
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