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Review + Giveaway | Mental Blox 360 3D Building Game

It's been a hot minute since I did a review and a giveaway on this blog, yes? What better time than December, when you are probably making lists and shopping for plenty of kids that seem to have everything already! #LearningResources has something that might fit your criteria.

When offered to review the Mental Blox 360 3D Building Game, I immediately said yes because it looked like something clever and different that we don't already have in his house. Sure, we have standard blocks and Legos, but this is geared more towards ages 5+ and is a real brain exercise. A 'smart toy' that has nothing to do with technology for once. Score!

I had all three of my kids open the box from Learning Resources when it arrived, and I wasn't sure which child would really dig this gift the most. I sort of thought Porter would like to just stack the blocks because of pretty colors, and I figured Cecelia would like organizing all of the guide cards. But Truman? He takes the cake with this game and is totally obsessed.

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This is a game where you pick a guide card and it tells you which blocks to use. Then it shows you a configuration from a certain angle---either looking down on the blocks from above, or from the side. It's all about point of view and spatial relations, so it's more than just stacking the blocks however you please. Truman started with the easiest card and moved to the medium cards quickly. Then he pulled out the hardest cards, which are edged in red and I got a little panicky. Spatial relations are HARD man, my brain isn't great with all of those abstract angles and such. But Truman takes after his dad and completely nails it.

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We had some trouble with card #37 and even looking at the answer on the back was tricky. We saved the hardest card, #40, for Nate when he got home from work. I should have continued to take pictures of his debut with this game because he was absolutely focused and got it assembled right away. Truman was in awe!

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The little kids liked their own version of this game, too, and Cecelia could accurately assemble the first card configuration which made me super proud. Mostly she just likes to stack the blocks in fun ways, as does Porter. But I'd say for first graders and above this game really packs a punch. Truman told me before school one day that he wanted to try the hardest cards as soon as he returned from school, so I shouldn't put away the box because he had plans to master it in the evening. And he will just sit there and work through the cards without getting frustrated somehow. It's like this game was meant for his brain, that's for sure.

It's kind of fun to have the kids put this away, too, because inside of the box there is an outline showing how to make each of the shapes fit well. Total bonus for me, so that they don't get thrown into a big pile and shoved somewhere.

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The game is sold online at Learning Resources, and today they are giving one of my readers a set of blocks. You have to be in the U.S. (sorry, international readers) and you'll need to visit the Rafflecopter link below to enter. I'll randomly draw a winner on 12/10/16. Ready, set, go!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

74 comments:

  1. My smart 8-year old niece would dig this! She definitely enjoys a challenge. Thanks for introducing me to this company!

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  2. Isaac would love this! I have terrible (embarrassingly terrible) spatial relationship skills...Isaac outshines me by a long shot!

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  3. This game is right up my alley and makes me super excited! I teach Drafting/CAD part-time so 3D thinking comes more naturally for me. But it's awesome that it was turned into a game for kids :)

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  4. This looks so fun! My oldest daughter loves to build things. She would enjoy this!

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  5. Oh man. I suck at spatial reasoning. You should see me park. This would be awesome for Charlotte! Hopefully, it's not genetic :)

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  6. My 7 year old would love this!

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  7. My cousin's son would LOVE this game. He is so into shapes and figuring things out.

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  8. I've looked at this on LR several times....my older two would love this!

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  9. Both of my boys (4 & 8) would love these! And, they look like they'd last to be handed down again and again...always a bonus in my book!

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  10. My 5 year old son would love this!

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  11. My 5 year old boy would love this!

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  12. I'm pretty sure both my kids would love these! Grayson (3) is so smart and loves figuring out how to put things together. Sawyer (1) would enjoy throwing them at the dog :-)

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  13. This looks so refreshing compared to all the crap toys that are out there.

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  14. Joining the chorus of "my 5 year old" :)

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  15. My 4 yo would love playing this- with dad!

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  16. My nephew would love those!

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  17. My cousin's grandson would love this. He likes to visit me and while his older siblings play on their tablets, he's always wanting something fun to do. This would be perfect.

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  18. My little boy would love this, it looks so neat

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  19. I love games like this for my kids! We are a puzzle family, for sure.

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  20. My 5 year old would love this!

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  21. Very cool! I could see Kai loving these in a few years.

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  22. This is definitely something my 5 and 7 year olds would enjoy. Thanks for reviewing it!

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  23. My daughter would love this - it reminds me of the CAD classes from high school back in the day.

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  24. These look really neat! My 4 year old would love this!

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  25. I think my first grader would like this. Actually I think we all might!

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  26. My math-inclined 6 year old would love this. Thanks for the giveaway!

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  27. My daughter would LOVE this! And I would love that it's an educational game and not technological :)

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  28. I want to play with these! I think the kids might beat me at it though. How did Porter get so big kid? I think I am glad Helena is still almost bald... She look younger than she is.

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  29. My 6 year old son, Levi, would love this!

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  30. Very cool, always looking for new ideas for the kids!

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  31. My daughter would love this and I'm actually curious to see what areas my four year old could figure out! Cool toy!

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  32. Faron 'Stripes' Gay12/03/2016 11:24:00 PM

    My students would absolutely love this gift. I actually teach first grade and they are all into building things right now.

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  33. My son and my engineer husband would love this! What a great product!

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  34. I would love to give this to my kids. I love toys like this what really help with critical thinking.

    jessicarwarfield at gmail dot com

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  35. My first grader would love this!

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  36. My kids - 5 and 3 - would LOVE these!!

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  37. This would be interesting for my nephew!

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  38. Fun! I always love learning about toys we don't already own! I feel your pain on the spacial relations. ;)

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  39. Tara.hunter@hotmail.com12/04/2016 09:18:00 PM

    My four-year old would LOVE these. Little engineer in the making.

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  40. I have boy girl boy kids the same ages as yours and they would love this!

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  41. I have a four-yr-old grandson who would absolutely love this!

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  42. My son is only 4, but this could totally be something he can do with his 8 year old cousin!

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  43. This looks fun - I think the whole family could enjoy it.

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  44. My son, who is 6.5 and my daughter who is 4.5 would absolutely love this.

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  45. so fun! love how it grows with them.

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  46. My nanny kid and nephews would love this!!!

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  47. I think this would be something our whole family would love. We have a 2 year old, 6 year old and 13.

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  48. My first grader would love this!

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  49. My 7 year old nephew would love this!

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  50. I know a little guy who would love this. He lives in California and I would love to send it to him!!!
    Mary Mattioni

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  51. We're at the point where our son is outgrowing little kid games but not ready for much bigger kid games ... this seems like a good option! Thanks for the review - never would have known about this otherwise.

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  52. What a fun and smart game!

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  53. My nephew would love this!

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  54. I would love this! Ha! But also Charley, my 5 year old.

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  55. My girls have so much fun building with the blocks!

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  56. Would love these for my girls!

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  57. I have nephews that would love this gift!

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  58. What fun gift! My son the builder would love this!

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  59. This would be so perfect for my 5.5 yr old! Going to track one down right now!

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  60. Our friends' kids would love these! Our daughter might still be a little too young for it, but you never know! I like that it's a smart toy and doesn't require parking your butt in front of a screen!

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  61. My almost-5 year old would love this gift!

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  62. My almost 5 year old would really enjoy this. She loves a challenge!

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  63. Great Christmas gift for the kiddos!

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  64. This would be perfect for my 6 and 4 year old children!

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