Schylling Stacking Robots - Colorful Wooden Stacking Toy for Kids - 9 pcs. Fun Puzzle for Balancing and Imaginative Play - Ages 3 and Up

Honestly, these can be marketed as something that toddlers can give to their daddies so they can watch us spend hour upon hour fascinated by these little stacking guys. My daughter (age 3.5) likes them inasmuch as she plays the Godzilla to my Tokyo. On the other hand, I, with my adult attention span, can spend hours trying different arrangements and patterns of stacking. probably the same gene responsible for my ability to watch Duel over and over and over again OK, the review...What are they? These are a collection of identically shaped 'robots' (painted wood cutouts) that have symmetrical notches in their bodies that allow other robots to hang, balance, and stack on each other. The fun comes in realizing the many, many different ways you can stack them. It takes imagination, fine motor skills, and - dare I say - finesse to explore the various combinations. For the budding engineer, they also provide nifty lessons in gravity, balance, and leverage, depending on how you stack themPros:* They are attractive - These 'robots' are really identically shaped wooden cutouts painted in bright, vibrant colors to look like proper robots, with all the attendant dials and gauges you would expect to see on a robot. The colors are bright and cheerful.* They are durable - After many, many encounters with my resident Godzilla, these little stacking guys have not only held up, they still look almost new. One nice aspect to this toy is that the paint job can really take a beating without it affecting functionality in the least.* They stimulate imagination and hand-eye coordination - Well, they do for this daddy, anyhow, unless you count the way a toddler will finely calculate the force necessary to do maximum damage as she stomps through my work. Joking aside, it seems to me that these would have a similar effect that puzzles do. Indeed, I enjoy watching my daughter turn these around to see how each notch will hold up the robot as it is placed on another. That is, when I allow her to play with them after my turn. Really, the beauty of these is that they stimulate the brain without the need for bells, whistles, or batteries.* No batteries, No noise, Nothing to break or wear out - Unlike some other toys that eat batteries, or make terrifying noises in the middle of the night when they are supposed to be off (like the toy phone that ultimately met an untimely demise in my workshop one weekend) these stacking robots are simple and straightforward. I suppose they could break, but you'd have to beat one with a hammer to find out.* Value - While I do think that the cost is reasonable to begin with, I also think that this ranks huge in the value department. There aren't many toys in our home that deliver the bang for the buck that this one has.Cons:* Age appropriate? I'm not exactly sure when my daughter will be more interested in building things than tearing things down, so it's a good thing these are tough toys. If you want the immediate gratification that comes with watching your child spend hours with his or her new toy right away, check to see where they are on the development curve. Or, if you are like me, get them these stacking robots early and enjoy watching that devilish glint appear in their eye as you begin to build your tower...Other Thoughts:These appeal to this reviewer primarily because they stimulate the mind without gadgetry. I'm no Luddite, mind you, but I do appreciate a break from the electronics sometimes. I appreciate their durability. I really, really like the fact that both daughter and daddy can enjoy this toy both together and independently. Fun, educational, durable, and inexpensive... and an easy five stars!

So much fun to play with the Grands!! So many ways to build and balance!!

Bought this because it reminded me of a toy we had as children. I was not disappointed! It's really fun to stack these guys. Adults and kids enjoy them! Super well-made and durable wood. Highly recommend!

My 3-year old son was given these robots by his Grandparents at Christmas, and at first glance I was sceptical about how fun or interesting they would really be. I assumed (wrongly) that we would stack them a few times, get bored, and move on. What I did not realize is that these robots can be stacked in many different ways and can be very challenging depending upon the configuation a child chooses to go for. My son has has these for two months and is still realli intrigued by them, as are we. I recently purchased a second set so that we could expand his collection and build even larger robot structures, which I recommend you do as well (having a second set has made it an even bigger hit with both my little son and my husband). These robots teach balance, patience, and are fun to use. I recommend this toy to any parent whose child enjoys building and stacking.One note of caution: My son threw one of the robots (when frustrated at bedtime) and it chipped immediately. Though they are quite well made, I expect that they would all chip quite quickly were they thrown around. I don't recommend these robots if your child is likely to throw them or to throw things at them. Also, I suspect that it is probably best that they don't get wet as they would probably fray around the edges if the wood were to get wet (but that's just my opinion).

Both of my children one almost four and the other 18 months love to stack these, they are a nice strong wood and painted super cute

This is truly an excellent toy. The robots are sturdy and a good size for children to manipulate. They are designed with strategic grooves so that they can fit together in a number of ways. My four-year-old was very excited to get these out of the package and spent most of a morning playing with them.One tip you should make sure to teach your kids if they want to accomplish some of the suggested buildings on the box is that you have to balance it by placing a piece on each side at the exact same time. If you place one and then the other, the weight will knock everything down. Practice makes perfect!The real proof of this toy is in what my son said about it. He has had his heart set on a talking Spiderman toy, and maybe he'll get one sometime but it's not tops on my list for him because I'd rather he play creatively with something than just push a button to hear a recording. After playing with his robots for a while, he exclaimed, "Oh, Mom! This is so much more better than a talking Spiderman!"I have only one complaint about this toy, and that is, I think it is disappointing to only receive 9 robots in this package. For the price, I think 12 would be nice, or even more. But we like this so much I can see purchasing another one to add to it in the future.My Prime shipping got this here less than 24 hours of placing my order, WOW! Thanks, Amazon!