Learning Resources Gears! Gears! Gears! Machines in Motion Gears Toy Age 5+

My grandson was able to assemble 2 or 3 gears and get the idea immediately, but it will be some time before he is able to follow the instructions to make the suggested models. He likes the fully assembled models which is motivating. We felt the similar kit aimed at 4 year olds would be a bit limiting and not interest him for long. What is important is that he is happy to experiment which should give him an intuitive idea of the basic principles. Appears to be well made, but prologed frequent use might mean that it becomes hard for the pieces to hold together.

Got these for my sons fifth birthday following the success of giving him the easier, more basic set, for his third birthday. Its one of the toys that he goes to the most, very good for imaginative play, he's always building fantastic little machines. This set will require a bit more adult help I think until he gets the hang of the possibilities.

Gift for a 3 year old with the engineering skill of Brunel...

The box for this 'Machines in Motion' playset is chock full of chunky plastic pieces - consisting of (a) cuboid pieces used to build a machine's underlying frame; (b) many, many gears of different sizes; and (c) a few accessories, such as a wrecking ball and winch. My 6-year old needed quite a lot of help to put this together - the instructions aren't as intuitive as Lego, which he's very used to and copes with well. So, although this comes with a 5+ age range, it is actually very challenging at that level and the building part of the process would keep an older child entertained. The resulting toy is very chunky, sturdy and brightly coloured, and may appeal to younger kids. There are instructions for 3 "builds". I was slightly disappointed with this, as we got through those quite quickly and my children struggled for inspiration to put the gears together in other recognisable ways. It would be better if they'd included more examples. The pieces also fits back into the box quite easily at the end of a play session, which is definitely a plus!

This is today's edition of Meccano, for those who remember it. Loads of bits and pieces for a child to fix together in endless combinations, bringing out the engineer in them. Meccano was metal but this is plastic but still very sturdy. Amazing the creations that can be put together and taken apart again. Lots of decent sized building pieces to fix in primary colours for added pleasure. A nice size for childrens' hands.

A fascinating set of cogs, belts and propellers for the inventive child to fit together in a variety of ways so that they move. A simple toy but such a hit with my 5 year old child guinea pig. He played with them for a lot longer than I expected and came back to them again the next day which is always the sign of a good toy. They're great for the imagination; they look appealing and are perfect for developing interest in how things move.

My daughter (8 yrs old) played with this by herself, and managed to get the first design working, although she's good with Lego and she enjoyed playing with this. There are about five design listed on the leaflet and at the moment she hasn't got the heart to disassemble the first one shown in the picture and try any others. This is basically half way between Lego and Meccano, but it's nicely done.

Strong and sturdy pieces, that form inventions limited only by your imagination. Unless the child is already good with mechanics, will probably need some adult help - and that adult will need to have a mechanical mind themselves! On the other hand, the child may surprise you by finding it easier than you do... The instruction sheet includes photographs of possibilities to get you going, or initial targets. It's a great way to understand gears and how they can be configured - and what doesn't work. Very satisfying to get a propeller running, especially if a 90 degree turn is involved. The chain is also satisfying.

My almost 4 year old liked these toys. He could connect them and take them apart by himself which was a big plus. They seem well made and so far they seem quite durable. The directions could be a little better but thats the only issue we have had with this product and we own several sets

Muy buen regalo, excelente para los niños!!!!

Realmente un sistema de engranajes fáciles de manejar para niños desde, tal vez, los 4 años. Son hora de diversión porque te permite hacer varias configuraciones. Lo único es que hay que advertirle a los niños que hay que cuidar las ligas y las piezas siempre bien guardadas, porque imagino que si se pierde o se rompe alguna, sería un poco dificil encontrar las ligas de ese tamaño, las piezas se ven resistentes, en general. Lo recomiendo totalmente

Ai miei bambini di 5 e 7 anni è piaciuto molto. Facile da montare, devono fare un po' di forza su alcuni pezzi ma ce la fanno. Robusto, buona qualità. Gli ingranaggi girano bene e la macchina costruita funziona e resiste bene, ed è di grande effetto.

Great for kids