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!

My grandson loves these. Got them when he was 4. At 7 he still races to them each visit. We spend lots of time inventing new stacking schemes and contests. Simple and intuitive, even for grandpa!

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

We got these robots for a robot themed room for my then 6 year old daughter. My original intention was to keep them out on display on top of her dresser, more as decor than an actual toy. When she saw them, she started stacking them and changing up the display every few days. Sometimes she would put them in 3 rows of 3, or she'll stack them all up in one tall structure.I like how they can be stacked in multiple ways, sideways, upside down and right side up. The box showed several examples of how to stack them, and after trying those, we tried all sorts of other combinations. There is a slightly higher level of challenge than standard building implements (blocks, legos etc.), in that you need to keep symmetry in certain stacking combos otherwise they'll all topple over.We've had them for just over 5 months, and have seen no damage. Even though they're a little bit pricey, I'd definitely say they're worth it. Durable, fun, and attractive to boot!Update 3/2/14 = these still look great! My daughter is 8, still arranges these in a different arrangement around 1-2x a week and there's no chipped paint or broken wood or fading at all.

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!

I purchased these for my 3 year old son for Christmas. He loves robots and building so I thought I couldn't go wrong. Well, these are super cute and quite tiny. I purchased two packages. They are smaller than I thought and I think two packages are perfect, especially if you have more than one child. So, verdict on these is, they are great, but my son is frankly not that interested in them. He likes them but has only spent about two minutes attention on them since Christmas. My 5 year old daughter has built with them. She was entertained but only for a few minutes. I, however, sit and build with them the longest. I think they are a fun activity. I am glad I purchased because my children can certainly grow into them, and in the meantime I can play with them! I don't buy any electronic toys for my kids and they have a good amount of wooden toys mixed with playmobil, calico critter, and the more standard, barbie, my little pony, transformer etc. so, my children love to use their imaginations, and often build homes for their dolls using blocks, Legos, or paper and tap. So, I'm somewhat surprised they were not more draw to these. They may just be slightly challenging for their age or possibly the balance aspect or figure shape may seem limiting to them...not sure. All and all, I still recommend, but I do not think these are worth more than $12.00 a box. I had some points on my card so I was able to get the price down and that made it worth it. The markup is ridiculous. You'll see when you see how petite these cute robots are. Schylling sells them for $14 and some change on their site currently but then your faced with shipping charges.