When I was a child, Tinkertoys were popular. They were great for constructive play, but after much use, the wood would splinter and break plus paint would chip off. My children recently helped me review Superstructs™ by WABA Fun and they remind me a bit of Tinkertoys from my childhood.
Superstructs™ were launched by David McCloskey. His patented foam panels add a new dimension to building elements for play. David was a computer game producer by trade and you can see his skill with the included 3-D instructions. They are awesome! I was sent the Superstructs™ SuperBuilds™ Limited Edition Set, number 1401.
Superstructs™ have passed all toy safety standards set for in the U.S. and Europe. The pieces can even be washed in the top rack of your dishwasher. Most Superstructs™ sets are labeled for children 3+ due to being a potential choking hazard. This set includes an assortment of 122 pieces and is actually labeled for 4+.
This limited edition set is great for imaginative play and includes a step-by-step construction guide to assist in building four models. The blue semi-triangular shaped pieces are made of EVA closed cell foam, which is impervious to fluids. The remaining pieces are constructed of BPA free plastic. The kit came in a handy to store cardboard box with handles that can be used for storage. Projects will need to be disassembled in order to fit back into it.
Look at these wonderful images to reference in building the four model ideas! The inventor’s craft comes through in these designs. 
My seven-year-old dug into the Superstructs™ right away. The drilled holes were initially quite tight so my oldest needed help to connect the pieces. Most of the pieces loosened up after continued play, but still held together well. My three-year-old was a bit overwhelmed by the idea of building at first, but loved playing with his big sister’s creation.
The windmill project (pictured below) was included in the manual. The kids loved the spinning blades. The foam pieces went on the ends of the blades. They provided structural aesthetics and function with providing protection from the firm plastic rod ends when the blades were in motion. Sometimes when my children are inquisitive, they will stick their heads too close to investigate and get a quick “bop” before they realize that they need to adjust their distance, especially when cool things are set into motion so it is good to have some padding for little mishaps.
My five-year-old wanted to often use her own imagination and created this apparatus that would functionally roll across the floor. She was quite proud of her invention and enjoyed seeing it move. 
My children have had hours of fun with Superstructs™ since the kit arrived. They have enjoyed dreaming up many new devices and vehicles. There have been dragonflies, pig snouts, dumbbells, you name it, created with this kit. This product has also helped them develop problem solving skills because they have to put the pieces together and think before, during, and after about the design and overall function of the project. This product is great for boys and girls alike. I only have two warnings about this product –
- My three-year-old thought he could stand up and push the car-like creation I had made him one day. He was so excited to move it around and his 38 lb. body put stress cracks on the ends of the long rods so make sure your child is always playing on the floor with the toy and warn them not to run around with their weight on the toy.
- One of the most versatile pieces is these yellow circular pieces, like the one pictured below. There are small green connectors included with this set and they can be a bear to remove if you child has them well seated in the yellow pieces. I had to put another yellow piece on the opposite ends of the green connectors and repeatedly try to put together and pull apart – hoping they would come out. They were tricky little buggers to remove and still are after use!
To learn more about Superstructs™, please visit WABA Fun’s website. This limited edition set will not be available until after September 20th and will retail for $54.99.
To celebrate the rod and hub style construction toy that is 100 years old this year, WABA Fun will partner with SMU Innovation Gym to create a 120-foot-tall design, a Guinness World Record. The World’s Tallest Toy will be constructed on Saturday, September 20, 2014 at the National Building Museum’s annual BIG Build even in Washington D.C. This will feature more than 8,000 Superstructs™ components.
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WABA Fun, the company behind Superstructs®, has offices in Loveland, Colorado and Halmstad, Sweden. Its products have won over 20 toy industry awards are sold in over 50 countries worldwide.
Disclaimer: I am a member of The Social Media Panel, LLC. who was given the opportunity to review this product. However, the brand or company has not influenced me in any way to provide any type of review other than my true and honest opinions. I am disclosing all information provided in this review according to the information provided in Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
I would like to extend my gratitude to Waba Fun for sponsoring this post.
