Monday, April 30, 2012

Little Tikes TikeStix Clubhouse Building Set {Review & Giveaway}

I'm pretty sure that it is a childhood right of passage to turn common household objects and furniture into innovative and entertaining creations. Who didn't grow up using couch cushions, chairs and a sheet to create a fort? Or climbed into a cardboard box and turned it instantly into a boat or a castle?

These days, however, things have been made just a little easier for kids thanks to the companies that create playful, engaging, iconic products that are fun, durable and loved by children and parents alike. Which is why building and constructing will never be the same thanks to Little Tikes and their TikeStix Clubhouse building set.

Little Tikes Tikestix

Featuring 50 sturdy, interlocking pieces, the Little Tikes TikeStix Clubhouse is a creative, inspiring, innovative construction set that provides a way for kids of all ages to think critically, enhance their motor skills, and build the creation of their dreams. What could be better?

When the large, colorful box arrived, my kids were clamoring to get close to it for a glimpse of the entertainment that was awaiting them inside.

Little Tikes Tikestix Clubhouse

Pulling out the pieces, we found a variety of different sizes and shapes (made out of extremely durable plastic), eight yellow clips, and a piece of green fabric. All that was left to do was start building!

Little Tikes Tikestix pieces

With a handful of ideas included with the TikeStix (and even more found on the Little Tikes website), we had to start with the classic clubhouse/fort. As we began connecting and constructing, it was easily apparent that the large pieces fit well in little hands...

kids building toy

...although at age 3, Little Sister B needed help giving them a strong push to make them click securely into place (TikeStix are recommended for ages 4+). However, once each piece was fully connected to the next, they held together strongly to build vertically and horizontally into the walls and roof that we needed.

Using the clips to attach the green fabric across the top...

construction toy

...the girls were thrilled to stand back and see the completed results. It didn't take more than a minute before they were in and out, pretending and imagining and coming up with all sorts of adventures, tales and stories of what they could do inside.

building a fort

Over the course of the TikeStix being in our home, they have come together to become all sorts of creations. At first we tried out more of the provided ideas, such as the tent, airplane, spider, truck garage, and canoe...

construction toy boat
Paddle! Paddle!
...but I have especially loved watching my kids come up with their own clever possibilities. It seemed as though each time they took the TikeStix apart, they put them back together in a new, original way! Little Sister B had a friend that was nearly life size...

Little Tikes Tikestix review

...and the girls have had a great time turning these pieces into any number of animals. The most popular seemed to be the "bug with many legs..."

Little Tikes Tikestix

...and some sort of creature that looked to be part bug, part rhinoceros and maybe part turtle?

Little Tikes tikestix

For use indoors or outdoors, the Little Tikes TikeStix Clubhouse is a unique set that takes the simplicity of building blocks and transforms them into large, easy to hold parts for kids to build a world that they can literally fit into. Whether used alone or with multiple children, this is one box that will be pulled out time and time again (I love that the box can actually be used for storage)!

More information about this innovative toy can be found on the Little Tikes website, along with a variety of other large and small TikeStix sets that can be purchased separately but are all interchangeable with each other. The TikeStix Clubhouse retails for $49.99 and truly does lead to endless construction possibilities!

And, thanks to the generosity of Little Tikes, one person will be able to create just about anything that they can dream of as well, because...

One lucky person will win a Tikestix Clubhouse building set
from Little Tikes!

Little Tikes giveaway

(Enter with the Rafflecopter form below - if you don't see the form, click here! If you have any problems entering, there is a video tutorial found here that can help.)


a Rafflecopter giveaway

A big thank you to Little Tikes for providing a TikeStix Clubhouse for me to review as well as for one lucky giveaway winner. The opinions shared are my own and honest and if you really need to see more, click here to see how I roll.