Melissa and Doug 60-Piece Standard Unit Blocks Reviews

• Every child should have these!

  
  By AGFW667QNHDOY on 2004-02-25
  These blocks are all you could ask for--and at an unbelievable price!! These are indeed "Standard Unit Blocks". They are just like what you will find in Preschool and Kindergarten classes. The selection of sizes and shapes is very, very good for a set with only 60 blocks total. That being said, if you can afford it I would strongly recommend buying 2 sets. When youngsters start building it's a shame if they run out of building materials for their creative experiences. The quality, weight, and workmanship of these blocks is outstanding. This is surely a gift that can be passed on for generations. In this day and age of pricey toys-so many being electronic and/or requiring only "one right answer or goal" it's incredibly refreshing and truely necessary to encourage children to be creative and explore learning through active free play. I purchased 2 sets of these blocks for my 3 & 4 yr old boys. I believe that the purchase of these blocks are probably one of the most valuable "toy" choices I have and will make.
  
  

• The quintessential blocks

  
  By A302LOKRT6U1TQ on 2003-10-12
  The craftmanship and detail approaches perfection while the variety of play becomes infinite. My son (4 years) continues to astound us with his imagination and engineering feats when he builds with the "Standard Unit Blocks." This will be his second box, allowing him to expand the existing set and enjoy his play even further.
  
  

• This is NOT a true standard unit block set!

  
  By A3754T0W9KEMM3 on 2005-05-28
  If you are looking for a budget set, you can't go wrong with this set or any of the M&D products. BTW, I find M&D very good at copying other products from various companies like HABA, Brio etc; maybe that's why they can afford to sell their products are a cheaper price.
  
  The storage box is great for keeping things in place, but don't expect a child to be able to lift over 15 pounds of blocks without hurting himself.
  
  Cheap is the key word. However, if quality is what you are looking for, you will be disapointed. The so called hardwood is rubberwood. The wood and/or the staining smells strange, like moldy smell (we are onto our 3rd exchange and they smell the same). The staining, finish or whatever you call it, is so thin that it comes off readily with a single wipe and you'll have to oil the blocks to keep them smooth again.
  
  Many of the blocks are not true SUBs. Just look at the bigger triangle on the photo of the crate and you'll see what I mean. and the smaller pieces like 1/4 circles are for the sole purpose of increasing the block counts.
  
  

• Best blocks for the money. Period.

  
  By A2MVRR773PQMN6 on 2007-10-02
  There is one reviewer here who didn't like these blocks. (I'm guessing that reviewer has other, more expensive, unit blocks.) Please allow me to address the points raised by that reviewer.
  
  "The Weight": Some children can lift 15 pounds (like my 3-year-old), and some can't. Know your child, and supervise the little ones when moving the full box of blocks. Common sense, really. Not a problem. Usually, my kids leave the box on the floor and just push it across the carpet.
  
  We have had one box split near the bottom at one end. A little wood glue and an overnight clamping session, and it was good to go. The dovetail joints are plenty strong for the job, even if there might be weak points in the wood. For the first while, my kids' favorite piece was the box (it was a boat, a bed, a car, etc.), so I'm not surprised that it had a problem.
  
  "The Smell": yes, these blocks to have a slight odor to them when the package is first opened. It's the finish they use, and it's not strong at all. I would guess it's some type of natural oil. (Tung, linseed, or something similar.) I'm highly sensitive to chemicals and other odors (headaches and allergic reactions), and this didn't bother me at all. It dissipated quickly, and is completely unnoticeable after a short while. I especially like the finish M&D use on these blocks because it's not readily apparent, and yet it has kept the wood smooth. Even blocks that sneaked (under their own power, I'm sure ;o) into the bathtub have dried very well. The grain of the wood raised slightly, but smoothed back down nicely with play, and never splintered at all. The feel of these blocks is great, too. Smooth and pleasant to touch, but with enough texture to make them easy to manipulate for small hands.
  
  "Not True Standard Unit Blocks": Um, yes, they are. The larger triangles are the size of two of the smaller triangles, two of which equal half of the standard unit block (1-1/2" x 2" x 5"). The hypotenuse of the large triangle is also the same length as the standard unit block (5"). The large triangles use variations of the same "unit" all the other blocks do. Just because HABA or other companies don't have a block that size doesn't mean it can't be done. Each and every block in this set shares the same width, as well as one other dimension (whether that second dimension is exactly the same as the first, or is a multiple of it).
  
  And those little quarter circles are some of my kids' favorites. They're also great for helping to teach fractions, as are the half circles. Put 'em on their rounded edges on top of a little block, and you've got a nifty sailboat, to boot. Or on top of a pillar, and you've got a minaret spire. They're great.
  
  "Not hardwood": Rubberwood is a hardwood. Not all hardwoods are as heavy as cherry or oak. Can you imagine how heavy this box would be if the blocks were made from a heavier hardwood? Ay! No thanks. It's heavy enough as it is.
  
  I love it that the Rubberwood is tough as well as light. Along with the very tight, straight grain and smooth feel, my kids have abused these blocks for nearly four years now, and they're still looking great. (We now own two sets.)
  
  To sum up: We love love love these blocks. If you have more than one child (or one very imaginative and creative child), you would do well to purchase two sets. (And you're still paying less for two sets than you would be buying 60 unit blocks from other companies.)
  
  Cheap? No way.
  
  An excellent value? Definitely!
  
  

• The best toy I ever bought

  
  By A3744UVOQQNJ97 on 2006-12-04
  This is a great set of standard unit/kindergarten blocks. They are a bargin at $50 for 60 blocks. I bought these for my oldest boy when he was 3. He is now 6. The blocks still look new. The best part about these blocks is they can be played with any other toy. When he was three they made houses and tunnels to go with Thomas the train. At four they made up the landscape for countless power ranger battles. At five they were the background for star wars. At six they are used for pokemon action figures. My youngest boy, now three, loves them as well. He uses them to run his toy cars and make castles.
  
  We purchased a set for my brother-in-law when his boys where two and three. They are now five and six. They've thrown out just about every toy they had bought when the kids were small, but they still have the blocks. A great toy. Well made. The only toy we have that the kids never seem to outgrow.
  
  
• Excellent price for unit blocks!
  By on 2004-02-02
  We bought these blocks for our four year old son. They were a hit! Our 7yod and 2yod enjoy them as well. They are extremely durable and have rounded edges. They are solid blocks and are actual unit blocks instead of small blocks. I was tickled at what I got for the price. We are looking to buy 1-2 more sets so that we have plenty for all of their creations!
  
  
• Great product
  By A34O7Y5G6MNTLM on 2005-10-24
  We purchased a set of these blocks almost a year ago, and our two kids have played with them every day since. The only problem we had with the set was that one side of the box had not been glued properly so was very easy for the kids to remove, which was easily fixed with some wood glue. The blocks themselves are of very high quality, and I especially like that all edges have been sanded down. Many sets that we looked at had sharper edges that worried us. Overall, we have been very happy with all of the products from Melissa and Doug that we have purchased, and this set is no exception. We're even thinking of purchasing another set because with two kids there never seems to be enough blocks.
  
  
• great block set
  By A1WM46R3H6PD51 on 2006-02-08
  Our 4.5 year old son received this block set for Christmas from his godmother. He loves them (as do the 2 and 6 year old sisters). They are sturdy and the variety is great. He has constantly amazed us with his "creations". He also uses these blocks with his cars, trucks and legos to create whole cities. This was a perfect gift with the wooden storage box to boot!!! I would recommend this set to any boy or girl with a big imagination.
  
  
• An OUTSTANDING gift
  By A37EJLKN4UC0HM on 2004-12-02
  Our family received 2 sets of these blocks and they are well worth the money spent. I would highly recommend purchasing 2 sets at once (especially if free shipping is offered as this alone will save you a bundle of $$). This set is top quality (as we have found true of all the Melissa & Doug products we have purchased) and you will not be disappointed.
  
  
• These blocks are fabulous!!
  By A2V3OXGSEHQMTB on 2006-06-20
  We have two sets of these blocks and they have been money well spent. My 6 and 4 year old girls spend hours playing with them. My 15 month old also enjoys them (when her older sisters let her near them!). This is a good basic set to own for hours of creative play. I highly recommend getting these blocks. You and your children will not be disappointed.
  
  
• ALL children should own these!
  By A3BD49JJRMV7MY on 2005-01-02
  Heavy-duty, beautifully finished LARGE blocks. I thought my 5 year old might be getting too old for blocks. In fact, we've owned cheaper, smaller ones several times and they always fell down, frustrating the kids. When I asked her kindergarten teacher what interested her most at school, she told me "she would build all day if she could!". She gave me a catalog of a school supplier whose sets started at over $150.00! WAY out of my price range. I searched Amazon and found these and couldn't be happier (unless I ordered 2 sets!). Though she may be embarrassed to admit, I keep finding my 13 year-old building! This was the BEST price and I was lucky enough to get free shipping. You'll NEVER find THESE at a garage sale!
  
  
• Awesome blocks but...
  By A33XDZJA193DOH on 2006-01-06
  As far as blocks go there really aren't any that are of better quality than these. Nicely finished and made from high quality hardwood. The standard set only includes 2 of the large size blocks. This set would be perfect if they included 4 large ones instead. Also, my son likes to knock down tall towers (buildings, creations, etc) and has been hit in the head by the falling blocks. They're big and heavy which is a plus except for this instance...they HURT! Still, nothing minor supervision doesn't cure. They're still the nicest blocks I've seen.
  
  
• great toy
  By A3AXDQD8GWJFO8 on 2006-05-19
  We got this toy for my daughter around the tiime she turned 2. About a year later, she still regularly plays with the blocks. And that is saying a lot, since she has a LOT of toys, and loses interest in most of them pretty quickly. Some issues with the wooden box: it's hard for her to get them to fit inside nicely, but looks nice and neat when done correctly. Also, she likes to sit in it. I don't think they put any glue on the joints, and it's fallen apart a couple of times. (We HAVE put on glue.) One or two of the blocks have chipped a bit, but still in great condition. This set does not come with nearly enough pieces, so ordering two may not be a bad idea.
  
  I recently figured out something to do with the box when it falls apart: we use the bottom piece as a ceiling and build a second story on top of it. That makes for even more fun.
  
  
• Great product for price
  By AA7VFF8SOPJQW on 2006-07-03
  We love these blocks and will probably purchase more. My father made a set of blocks like this (out of similar wood) and it cost him more than this set. My kids love it, and it has no age limit.
  
  
• Great Blocks for a Great Price
  By A22KOXJ80NHLL on 2005-06-14
  My kids love them. They seem sturdy and large enough to build big structures. Great Product!!!
  
  
• Nice Blocks But is the shipping really free?
  By A3S3GGVSMN1BDM on 2005-12-06
  These appear to be great blocks but i have to say i am very disapointed with amazon.com. I found this SAME EXACT set by melissa and doug in my Local TJ max and more for (...)!!!! HMMM amazon (...)and free shipping or TJ max (...) As you do the math you can see your shipping is not free it is built in to the product cost. Shame on you Amazon!! I have also found that many times the items that are on Sale Cost more to ship. Just my observation. It is convient to have things shipped, but i really feel taken on this block set.
  The block set itself is great as are all Melissa and doug products we have purchased. They are nice and big for clumsy little hands. Great product but save 20.00 and Check your TJ Max Stores!!
  
  
• Very good quality for the money!
  By A13NHCGO34VAL7 on 2005-12-09
  I was very impressed with this set. First, the blocks are very nicely sanded and have rounded edges. Second, they are big blocks and lots of them. There's enough to really build something, but I could see buying a second set later if the child really loves these and wants more. Third, most of these are good shapes. I only have two complaints. I wish there had been 2 more of the really big blocks (4 total would have been nice). And I wish they didn't have the 4 little bitty "quarter circles." Those seemed lame. I would have liked maybe 4 half columns, instead. There was enough room in the box for that. Fourth, the box they come in is nice, but be warned. It's HEAVY when full of blocks. I had trouble lifting it when full, so don't expect a child to be able to lug this around. However, when not full, it could be used as a really big block. Rubberwood probably isn't the classiest wood around, but it was very nice, and I feel proud to give this as a gift. It easily looks like a set that costs 2 to 4 times as much.
  
  
• Mom and Son Approved
  By AS1CHLNN7LEJX on 2005-01-16
  I purchased 2 sets of these blocks for my 6 year old son for Christmas and he loves them. These blocks are the same size of the ones he plays with at kindergarten. I am very pleased, and having two sets there is plenty for him to build with.
  
  
• my nephew loved it!
  By A37WGIMAVXMTH6 on 2006-01-15
  This was the highlight gift of Christmas morning. My 2 year old nephew loved it!
  
  
• It's preschool geometry (and a little algebra too)!
  By A2SEMDX8SN9FMT on 2007-08-30
  My 3.5 year old son loves these blocks! He has spent as much as an hour constructing and then deconstructing complex raceways, runways, towers, houses, and stuff only he can identify. The standard unit (smaller blocks are proportional to larger ones; two little rectangles are equal to one larger one) blocks make more visually appealing and symmetrical structures and unbeknownst to him he's learning about congruence, triangulation, and fractions (two wedges = one rectangle). Well he's just having fun building things that he can knock over, but subconsciously he's experiencing math.
  
  My 11 month old daughter loves them too, they are chunky enough for her little hands and smooth enough not to splinter her lips when she samples them and there's no dye to leach into her skin.
  
  The blocks are large and made of dense, smooth hardwood. The sturdy wooden box makes clean up and storage easy and fun. Don't settle for lesser/smaller/cheaper blocks. Don't be swayed by fancy colors or a set with more pieces (they're probably tiny pieces anyway). 60 blocks is more than enough for two kids' building projects and the natural wood color leaves space for their natural imaginations. Do get standard unit blocks to help develop early math skills. Do trust these blocks are what your pre-schooler needs and will love playing with for years to come. (These are identical to the blocks my son uses at his Montessori preschool.) Do wear a helmet when your kids are tossing them around. Do believe me when I tell you, Melissa and Doug rock!
  
  
  
• Beware of wood filler
  By A1RASTH81WCN5Y on 2008-06-24
  Please be cautious if you have young children who might chew on these blocks! Some of the blocks have wood filler in them. My son mouthed a block with filler and was able to chew the filler off. When the filler is wet, you can scrape it off with your fingernail. Who knows what kind of glue and chemicals are used in the filler.
  
  
• Best Buy!
  By A21VS5T75WFDFK on 2005-04-05
  Wonderful set of blocks at an excellent price! We bought two sets- one for upstairs and one for down. My three year old plays with them quite often.
  
  
• An excellent modular set of architectural blocks.
  By A1H3KUXY9CX4NC on 2007-03-10
  I purchased these for my grandaughter, and as is sometimes the case, had as much fun as she did with them. They are proportioned to a common set of scalable standards that invite the full use of your imagination. I can find no fault with these well-made, smoothly-sanded, easily-stored blocks other than to wish that I had bought two or three sets to support even grander building projects.
  
  
• building blocks
  By A5L03OYMCFAF0 on 2007-03-13
  Bought this second set for the grandkids. The blocks are great for creative fun, a second set was needed to make bigger and better structures!They asked for more of these for a birthday gift and I was happy to purchase them.The kids are 3 and 5.
  
  
• Great Blocks!!
  By A1PCYQ7YYLJWOT on 2007-08-09
  My whole family enjoys building with these blocks....from 1 to 41!! I like the size and weight of the blocks, easy for the little hands, and too big for the little mouth!!
  
  
• Superior Wood Blocks
  By A3AS7MZKGIT2XX on 2006-11-10
  Item was well made and an excellant item for toddlers. It is highly recommended by parents and child
  
  
• Build Away!
  By AQ9CYT8G6X81E on 2007-01-11
  Bought these blocks for our kids ages 6, 4.5, and 2 for Christmas. They have really enjoyed them. Very sturdy. I would have to say that I would agree with others on that it is probably best to buy 2 sets. We only bought one but plan on purchasing another. That way they can build more stuff.
  
  
• Just as expected
  By A1IPUDCRVB981X on 2007-03-08
  These are the preschool size blocks. Big, chunky and easy for my 2-year-old son to stack and build with. They are exactly what I expected from the picture and the description. We have no complaints (except my son likes to hurl them at his little brother). As with just about any toy, they can do damage when thrown. But he has already figured out how to build roadways for his Hotwheels to drive on, including bridges!
  
  
• Best size wood blocks ever!
  By A1PTNEXGDVFCBQ on 2007-05-07
  My kids love them! I'm glad I didn't waste money on smaller size blocks. (The wood storage box is an added bonus!)
  
  
• Outstanding
  By A3QKKB4LRAZVT7 on 2007-06-08
  The big blocks... at last! I bought three sets of them (they were on sale for a STEAL here) so the children's possiblities wouldn't be so limited.
  
  There is no better MEANINGFUL toy on the market than good old unit blocks.
  
  

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