Thursday, August 28, 2008

Is it poker or blocks?

I was over at Hearthsong checking out all of their blocks as Connor has a serious addiction to those small wooden things. While I was over there I noticed these strange looking discs that lock together to form designs. They look a bit like poker chips with slits in them.

Connectagons are wooden discs that hook together through slits, I spent the first few minutes of my first test run just flipping them back and forth in my hand trying to come up with a design that I wanted to make. These are not standard blocks, honestly I'm not sure even what to call them other than "discie things that slide together" mind you I don't think thats a good technical term for them, but it seems to describe them fairly well.

Making my first design made me stop and rethink my plan a few times. They are not like a lego its almost impossible to make a strait line or build something flat, most of the designs I ended up making with them ended up looking like some forgotten piece of modern art. I had to stop for a moment and think about the recent trip we made to the art museum here in town and how perfect these discs would be for their hands on art exhibit. Honestly, I have never see anything quite like them. You would be pleased to know that they come standard in their own wooden box which makes them wonderfully easy to store or stash on a trip.

Needless to say if your attempting to foster creative thinking in your child or you just are looking for an usual twist on the standard block, Connectagons are amazing. Connor is still way too young to play with them the way they were designed to be enjoyed but I honestly cannot wait to pull them out for him when he gets a bit older. I am so curious as to what he will create. It's not like he can just build the standard block house or castle in strait lines. Connectagons require a lot more thought and some more planning to design a structure. That in part is half the fun!

Head on over to Hearthsong and check out Connectagons and all the other great creative learning toys that they offer!

Hearthsong was amazing enough to send us two sets of Connectagons to give away to our readers!

To enter :

  • Leave a comment on this post. Check out Connectagons and tell me what you would build with your set if you won!
  • Make sure there is a way for me to contact you - if your email address is not on your profile or you are not a blogger you may leave it in your comment or email it to me directly (angelaandconnor at gmail dot com) We have had to disqualify a lot of potential winners as of late as many people do not have emails available in their profiles or leave anonymous posts without any way to contact you.
  • Please US entries only.
  • To get extra credit :
    • For an extra entry :
    • Bloggers - Blog about this contest and leave me the link on your comment, or add me to your sidebar and let me know its there.
    • Non Bloggers (or bloggers) subscribe to my mailing list/RSS feed and earn another entry!
    • One extra credit per person. Please post your extra credit in a separate post.
    • This contest will end September 15th at midnight!

186 Comments:

Millie said...

Oh I wouldnt make anything I would let my sons go at it and I am sure my oldest one would make an animal of some sort and my youngest some kind of weapon lol.. Thanks for the chance to win such a great prize!!
cadewill[at]yahoo[dot]com

Millie said...

I have your button on my blog :)
cadewill[at]yahoo[dot]com

Michelle Constantinescu said...

My son loves blocks too! I saw something similar to this, but it was all plastic so I didn't get it for him. This would be perfect to set aside for Christmas! I'd get right in there with him with these. A monster? An airplane? Maybe a flower garden. Okay, that last one was for me...

themommyspot(at)gmail(dot)com

Anonymous said...

I am a subscriber

Anonymous said...

These are great. Love the bright colors. Great way for your imagination to go crazy. I would build anything tall to see how tall it could be. This is what my nephew likes to do..

Rebecca said...

I would probably build some abstract sculpture, I always used to build abstract stuff with legos, it was really an attempt to use all the legos in one design. I love construction sets, I always had great fun with them,

legacyofbrutalitysa{AT}gmail.com

Rebecca said...

I am a subscriber

legacyofbrutalitysa{AT}gmail.com

Stephanie said...

very cool! we would build our green dream house using every last bit of our imagination. fingers crossed!
tvollowitz at aol dot com

Anonymous said...

If I won these, my son (5) and I would go for tall, tall, tall! We'd build the highest tower we could manage. Cool!

elaina said...

I love Hearthsong. I first discovered it because my mother in law receives their catalog, and I fell in love. One Christmas, I bought all the children in my life gifts from them.

I'd love to see what my gifted nine year old daughter, Sage, would make with the Connectagons. I have a feeling she'd end up building something like the DNA spiral of molecules.

elaina said...

I'm a subscriber, btw! :)

FawnGeorge said...

I would probably make a forest of trees, house and a farm. Then I would just put it together and see what I come up with. I would have a hard time keeping my husband from it. He loves putting things together like that.

mammalnut2000@yahoo.com

Superdumb Supervillain said...

Maybe a coral reef? These things are super cool!!!

groovyoldlady said...

Greetings. I am groovyoldlady (at) roadrunner (dot) com.

If I had some Connectagons I would build a goat pen for my yard. Ok, so maybe I'd need a couple of sets...

I've been gently pressuring the hubby for dairy goats for 3 years now. Maybe if I get that pen out there he'll finally give in so the girls and I can get our goat fix!

Maja said...

angelina115@hotmail.com

My son would try and bulid a spaceship, I am not sure if it is possible. ;)

Great prize.

Maja said...

angelina115@hotmail.com
subscriber

mverno said...

maybe a crane if its possible

HilLesha O'Nan said...

We would build a tree. :)

HilLesha O'Nan said...

I blogged about your giveaway here.

MageMorgana said...

Knowing my grandson, we would probably attempt a pirate ship ;)

ladyblue1112000[at]yahoo.com

Jenn S. said...

These are great! My son loves to build and he loves Star Wars. I can see Tie Fighters , Cruisers..etc, built out of these.

Amanda said...

I think I would try to copy some Modern Art from my favorite art book. You've inspired me. :--)

Anonymous said...

My sons and I would make a jungle gym for Army Men.
twincere[at]hotmail.com

chromiumman said...

how bout some trees

Grateful Gramma said...

I'm sure my granddaughter would want to build a castle for a princess.

agordon10 said...

My son would make airplanes

Anonymous said...

My son would build a dinosaur.

rebbi511 at peoplepc.com

toughturtles said...

great for my nephew

Anonymous said...

I guess we'd make whatever is going on in my granddaughter's imagination. Hearthsong has such great stuff!
susieqq13@gmail.com

toasters lie said...

My nephew would try to make a dinosaur.

sweetsue said...

I would attempt to build ferris wheel. I am not very creative though, with Legos I can only build houses.

sweetsue said...

I am subscribed!

Anonymous said...

I'd love to build a jungle!

urchiken at gmail dot com

Anonymous said...

My girls and I would build a castle for all of the princesses in the kingdom to live in!
ashlyn@chuparkoff.com

nancy said...

We'd try building different animals, what a great toy for using their imaginations!

mogrill said...

We would build a cabin!

tatertot374 said...

Thank you for having this. I would love to win these for my 3 kids. We could build houses or dinosaurs with them. The possiblities are endless. Thank you!
tatertot374@sbcglobal.net

redron said...

pirate ship

Julie M. said...

These are amazing! I think my girls and I would build a castle, or a house for their polly pockets!
I also subscribed.

miriama said...

I would send this to my grandson and since his dad is in the Navy, I am sure he would be making some pretty imaginative boats.

phxbne said...

I would try to make something as tall as possible!

phxbne said...

I subscribe to your feed

Anonymous said...

Well, I wouldn't be making anything out of it; but I'm sure our daughter would come up with something.

Sonya Cocherell said...

Gracie and I would probably build a tree or flowers. She's crafty, I'm not :)

Sonya Cocherell said...

Your button is on my sidebar. Thanks so much!

NSMOM said...

I'd probably try to create a car or truck for my boys and then let them build the house and garage around it... too cute.

Thanks,
Maureen (jnomaxx at hotmail dot com)

Sharon said...

my nephew, who I spend tons of time with...and loves Nascar...would make a race car. THANKS

llinda29 said...

I would build a tree

Heather said...

Gosh my first thought is a peacock but I am not very talented in the building department, I would let my husband and children try instead.

hayley said...

We would try to build a friendly monster!

oreo89 [at] gmail [dot] com

Unknown said...

These are just the neatest looking things. I would have to try to build a dinausaur for our little boy. Thanks for the great giveaway! ecghick@yahoo.com

Christi S said...

This company is going on the 'look at for Christmas gifts' list! What awesome toys! I think I would build a building of some sort....sprawling or skyscraper, not sure yet! Thanks for sharing!

LINDALSHOT said...

A dinosaur!

judybrittle said...

I think my grandsons and I would try our hands at a super robot. Thank you!

judybrittle said...

I'm subscribed

Bebemiqui said...

My son I would build an alien.
bebemiqui82(at)yahoo(dot)com

sabb266 said...

I have never seen anything like these. They are really interesting. These would be perfect for rainy day play with my grandchildren! There are so many unique things we could build with these. Maybe an airplane, an alien, a spaceship, the possibilities are endless. Thanks for the giveaway and the introduction to this site and these unique blocks

Tammy said...

I think we would try to build some sort of an animal with this.

nobluefood said...

probably try to build a tree.

Maude Lynn said...

I bet that my daughter would want to build a castle!

kelli at pfrog dot net

Karen said...

A car !

jceko77 said...

I would help my daughter build a flower
jceko77@yahoo.com

Unknown said...

I think these would make great butterflies and bugs. Really the possiblities are endless. Thanks.

thundercloudgirl[AT]hotmail[DOT]com

Anonymous said...

I recycle everything

luckydolls123[at]verizon[dot]net

Julie Donahue said...

I'm sure my son would build a Star Wars ship or something. :)

Julie Donahue said...

Your button is on my new 40countdown.blogspot.com.

Abby said...

A pyramid!

ajcmeyer AT go DOT com

Abby

Jamie said...

I think it would be awesome to build a rainbow. These are such neat toys.

kygirl said...

Tie Fighters

Kristie said...

They look like they would be good to build a tree.

khmorgan_00 [at] yahoo [dot] com

Anonymous said...

I'd build an abstract floral arrangement, but my grandsons would make a new galaxy, I'm sure.

Kelly said...

Knowing my son and husband, we would end up with a cow and horse pen and a barn probably

Rattled Mom said...

My son and I would build something fabulously tall and abstract! What a fun and unique building toy!
beezerly (at) yahoo (dot) com

Kandyland29 said...

This is awesome and creative!! I would see if the kids could make a giant fish! watsonkm2578@aol.com

Unknown said...

I would make jewelry - my kids might make flower or butterfly designs

Unknown said...

you are on my sidebar!

lace said...

Those are amazing! We'd probably build a house and some people to go in it. My niece turns everything into little people.

erinls said...

I know we will be making tiaras, necklaces and who knows what other girly things! Fun fun fun!

Sarah S said...

cool toy!! we would probably build (or attempt to build) a dog since my son loves dogs.

Christine said...

These look awesome! I would probably just build crazy designs.

Anonymous said...

My two sons would have fun with this. I'm sure they'd enjoy making forts and vehicles for their action figures.
-Terra
partymix25(at)hotmail(dot)com

Kari said...

this is great! I'd love to win for my son!

Kari said...

Im also a subscriber!

Anonymous said...

my little man would want to build a train!

Anonymous said...

your button's on my blog :)

sue s said...

we would build a house for his stuffed dog

pink182 said...

i would "try" (keyword) to build a dance floor to shake my groove thing on!! woo-hoo

Ane said...

My kids would probably love to build a house with these! These are too cool!

kenzkween at hotmail dot com

Ane said...

I am a subscriber too!

Claire said...

ANimals - we seem to make animals form everything! OH AND COFFEE - MY SON IS REALLY INTO "COFFEE!"!

Alice H said...

I'd love to try building a dinosaur - or maybe a skyscraper. Thanks for the chance! afdr3d@umkc.edu

Katie said...

I think these are screaming coral reef. You could build one and stick toy fish and sharks in there for some multimedia fun.
katiekarr at gmail dot com

Melanie said...

My husband and I could have SO much fun playing with these until the little one gets old enough. I'm wondering if we could design our dreamhouse with these...we don't like the standard block houses :)

mathbook28 at gmail dot com

Xenia said...

I could see Connectagons turning into really cool animals, whether real or imaginary. All the bright colors and abstract shapes - my daughter would really get a kick out of them!

Thanks!
xpsundell(at)gmail(dot)com

Jennifer said...

My nephew would love these! And, I know one of the first things he'd want to try to build would be a dinosaur, because he's OBSESSED with them. Thanks for the chance to win this for him.

For an extra entry - I'm a feed subscriber!

michelle said...

My kids would go crazy for these. They usually go for making the biggest creations they can out of things, so I would assume that one of this toy's first projects would involve being formed into a tower of some kind.

michelle at northofthe49 dot com

Denise said...

I'd build a big ol' cactus, or maybe some coral.

denise.fahl@gmail.com

Miss Spoken said...

I'd help my son make things geometric. After we mastered that, I'm sure he'd move on to dinosaurs, towers... you name it. Great product!
gkstratos@yahoo.com

Miss Spoken said...

Subscribed
gkstratos@yahoo.com

Unknown said...

My niece would love these and I'm sure she'd try to make a super tall building as she loves to stack things and see how high it will go before it falls down!

Alyce said...

My son has been trying to draw pictures of our new kitty, so I would imagine he would try to build a kitty first.

Kimberly said...

That is really cool!

I'd love to help my kids make an elephant. That would be fun! Or maybe a Dinosaur or a Transformer type Robot person.

Thanks for a fun giveaway!

HunnyV "at" Optonline "dot" net

Anonymous said...

My older son would probably build a car or a gun with it, if he can figure out how. I have no idea what I'd make.

cathyhall said...

A car - don't ask me how, but my son and I make a car out of anything - how fun.

Mary A said...

I think my son and I would probably try for some type of animal (although truthfully my husband saw these and wanted to use them as poker chips. Sigh.) Thanks for the giveaway.

Anonymous said...

We would build a house, we are into house building. This is a great sweeps.

davidjnorris at ntlworld dot com

Anonymous said...

My connectagons wouls become a mini fairground. - slides, ferris wheels, bumber cars.

rhubbert at socal dot rr dot com

BlondeMomBlog (Jamie) said...

What a cool toy! I know my daughters would probably build a "fairy house."

Jenny said...

I'd like to build a fish. My husband would love these!

the_other_alice_(at)yahoo.com

Jamie - The Itty Bitty Teacher said...

I would either build a house or some sort of animal. These are so cool.

Renee said...

Those are cool! I love to build and my structures always become very complicated. I think I would build a complex of circular buildings. Maybe a space system office park.
chefskate at aol dot com

Anonymous said...

We'd make a tall tower then knock it down and giggle!

Stacy said...

A dinosaur.

Misty said...

I think I would try and attempt to build a train for my son. They seem really cool! =)

MeganL said...

I would try to build a dinosaur with my son!
Thank you!
hubbard_megan@yahoo.com

Genevieve P said...

I'd build a castle full of curves and spirals.

Panjo Kids said...

These are awesome! I would build some funky trees.

Centsible Mommy said...

My sons and I have would crazy with these. My oldest son is rerally in to towers and castles. we would probably build it to see how tall it would get before it fell.

Thanks
Jamie

Katie said...

Wow, those look amazing, I suspect my husband would enjoy them even more than my daughter! He'd probably make a complicated geometrical figure to impress his cronies at work. My daughter might try to make a dog. :) Thanks for the chance to win!!

katie at dekabyte dot com

Aprilshowers said...

I would probably like to build some pretty flowers but my daughter would probably make dinosaurs or insects.

Kellie said...

I would give this to my nephew for Christmas. He is 11 and disabled but he loves to build things like this. He would probably build a building, rocket ship, or something more creative than I can come up with!! Thanks so much for the chance to win!

ladeebug224 at hotmail dot com

vboackle said...

maybe a tree.

Anonymous said...

These are so cool! I have a grandson who loves to build stuff. I would give this set to him and watch him go nuts. But I know I wouldn't be able to keep my hands off them. I would just let my imagination wander; and see what came up.
Sheila
chiliburger@icehouse.net

Anonymous said...

I am willing to bet we'd be building a robot with these guys -- that's what our little boy is into these days! Thanks!
Megret
musesofmegret (at) gmail (dot) com

Sherry R said...

What I would try to build and what I would actually build would probably be very different from each other! An octopus would be fun to try!

jennem said...

My daughter would make a castle, immediately!
jennem22 at yahoo dot com

noreen said...

probably a house and park for Hoppo the hippo and some princess dolls (that is what my girls make with blocks)

Alyce said...

I blogged about it here:
http://flutemom.blogspot.com/2008/09/weekly-contest-roundup.html

Crunchy Green Mom - Suzanne said...

I would try to build a space age vehicle, or give them to my 13 year old son and see what he would create!

LilithSilvermane@gmail.com

windycindy said...

Our youngest son is a "Lego" maniac!
He has been able to put them together without instruction since he was 3! I have never seen these connecting discs before. I am thinking that he would build a village of some type. Please enter me in this drawing. Love it! Many thanks, Cindi
jchoppes[at]hotmail[dot]com

windycindy said...

I subscribe to your newsletter. Cindi
jchoppes[at]hotmail[dot]com

miller lawn service said...

These look great! I love the colors and how compact they look to store. My sons would no doubt build airplanes!

Annie said...

These I think are much more imaginative than leggos!!

Of course we'd have to try for a flower, then maybe bugs? Funky houses for the bugs?

madangle said...

i'm sure we would build something that goes really fast

Anonymous said...

cdrury@gmail.com
dinasaur - my grandson loves to build!!

Anonymous said...

flowers and bugs

RodsAngel said...

my daughter and I would probably just build something random. It would be used for her OT sessions.

justicecw said...

WOW...the possibilities are endless. The first thing that my son and I would try would likely be a robot of some sort. thanks for the chance, justicecw@hotmail.com

Madeline said...

I think I would make it into a gift for my friend's little girl. Her birthday is coming up soon.

EdwardsRUs said...

My son is 6 years old and he says he wants to get them to build a space ship! He says he thinks he would really like them.. he's a serious lego addict so I think these would be a big hit around here!

wigget said...

i'm sure the boys will want to try to build a train

Jinxy and Me said...

I would make a race car.

SeahorseLady said...

Christmas is right around the corner and this would make a perfect present.
I think that everyone would have fun building something with these. A ferris wheel, a building, a space ship and all sorts of cool things.

SeahorseLady said...

I'm also a subscriber.

petteytiffany@yahoo.com said...

i would have family time and see who comes up with the best odd thing those are cool
petteytiffany@yahoo.com

Super Fun Mama said...

Trees or amusement park ride.

Unknown said...

I would have the kids help me to build the tallest buiding we could with them.

Aisling said...

I believe we would create some modern art just by starting with a few pieces and adding on and on to see what marvelous thing we'd come up with.

klp1965 said...

id build a shopping mall :)

Anonymous said...

We like building castles and forts here!
doot65{at}comcast[dot]net
Elizabeth

Anonymous said...

I subscribe too.

newmom8404 said...

We'd try a dinosaur.

pitaharmon said...

I think I would have just as much fun as the kids would...we would probably try to build some kind of castle...this is the coolest building toy I have seen since legos.

AmyLynn said...

Wow. These Connectagons look so cool. I would have to build a "Modern Jungle Plant" or "Coral". Thanks for the contest!!

yellowlabs said...

I would build a tree

Anonymous said...

My son would make airplanes. Thanks
erma.hurtt@sbcglobal.net

Tipper said...

A castle or a ferris wheel.

fancyfeet48 said...

I would build an absrtact work of art

Annie said...

My niece loves building toys and I'd keep this in the house for her to use when she visits (which is supposed to include a one month stay next summer). She would likely build trains or cars or houses. My teen might sneak in and build some abstract art that I won't really get!

Anonymous said...

I'd give this to my little cousins and let them make something

luckydolls123[at]verizon[dot]net

bison61 said...

I'm sure the boys would build some sort of animal, maybe a dinosaur

tiramisu392 (at) yahoo.com

Candie L said...

My oldest son is th most creative person I have ever known. He would come up with something for it. I could see he and his brother playing with it for hours on end, just seeing all of the different creations they could come up with

Teresa690 said...

Well if I won, and I could pry my kids from them, I would love to try to make a fish! Thanks!

Anonymous said...

Brock the builder in the family would have a great time using his imagination creating something futuristic.

Anonymous said...

I would build a cowboy wagon. My name is Jennifer and my email address is highlandercpa@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

We would probably build a train, LOL - although binoculars and telescopes would be a close second.
davidsmommi@yahoo.com

haomom said...

we'd build something tall!

Anonymous said...

First thing I thought when I saw your example photo: "wow, you could do a seriously realistic underwater reef scene with those colors and those 'biological' angles"... Excellent "toy" to reinforce the results of forethought and planning!!

Find me through gmail with flaredz0ne (that's a ZERO), please!

Anonymous said...

I'll bet that one of the guys (either my husband or one of my sons) would figure out just which of the Platonic Solids can be created using the available angles -- personally, I suspect whatever it is will look disturbingly biological, and probably carnivorous!!

Something to look forward to!

d3addr0p via gmail reaches me (the 'odd' ones there are both numeric).

Anonymous said...

My grand children would love building with these. We would make animals and monsters. maggie0352@aol.com

Brooke said...

Knowing my girly girls, we'd start out building gigantic flowers.

alegnahas3 said...

I'm not very good at this type of things like my son. I'd probably build a tower and my son would build a castle!

Steph said...

I think we wuld try and build a huge dinosaur.

carissaad said...

Those are cool. Maybe I would build a dog, but I would probably have better luck with a tree. :)

Thanks!

carissaad at aol dot com

/\Heather/\ said...

I would build a bee-you-tee-ful flowing wave from the ocean. Or a dog.

bboyle said...

These are really cool. I like the bright colors so I would probably try
to make a tropical fish.

37 Questions said...

I would build a double helix.

Brandy said...

Wow, my son would love these! He'd probably build some kind of monster or animal. Thanks for the chance to win!

Brandy said...

I'm a subscriber. Thanks!

cman said...

I'd make our house :)

Anonymous said...

I believe our creation would have to be called Ocean Coral Wonderland. Let the creative juices flow and imaginations go wild!!! Thanks for the opportunity to participate in this fun giveaway!

Samantha P said...

i'd make a giant person! sweet!

masonsgranny59 said...

my grandson would probably attempt a race car ;)

kananee said...

We'd build a castle!

lokeelanee (at)netzero(dot)com

kananee said...

Am a subscriber!

lokeelanee (at)netzero(dot)com

Donna said...

My son would probably try to build a bionicle or a power ranger.

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