After months of admiring and waiting, I finally splurged and bought the boys a set of clear colors Magna-Tiles. They will likely spend a lot of time on the light table, but I foresee hours of building and constructing with the Magna-Tiles off of the light table too.
One of the reasons why I wanted to purchase a set of magnetic tiles is because they make building frustration free. Especially compared to something like LEGO.
I love having open-ended for my boys. After all, there are endless possibilities for how to play with these Magna-Tiles.
One activity my boys came up with was to build a tin can and Magna Tiles rocket ship. It ended up being a fantastic boredom buster for them and kept them busy for hours.
What You'll Need for this Tin Can & Magna Tiles Rocket Ship STEM Activity
For this DIY magna tiles activity, you will need:
- Magna-Tiles or similar magnetic building set of your choice - There are lots of different brands out there. Heck, there's even a space shuttle Galaxy Rocket Ship set available now. A set that wasn't available at the time we did this activity. But a set that comes with printed rocket ship magnetic tiles and will make your rockets look legit.
- Tin cans - Ours were clean, empty ones headed for the recycle bin. However, you could use one right from your pantry, label and all, instead. That might make for a cool branded rocket ship.
Simply set out all of the materials for your child and see what they create. Who knows, they might decide to include some little figures or other favorite toys as part of this rocket building activity, as my son did. The idea here is to inspire some creative free play.
A Simple Boredom Buster for Kids: Build Rockets with Tin Cans & Magna-Tiles
The rockets that we made using the Magna-Tiles are certainly indicative of the hours of enjoyment that these magnetic tiles will bring. The boys literally spent three, almost four, hours building and playing with these homemade tin can rockets the first afternoon. Then another couple of hours the next day.
It all started when J discovered that the Magna-Tiles would stick to a tin can that we had leftover from another activity. Then he slowly built a rocket.
Well, K certainly doesn't want to be left out of any fun activities. So he obviously had to build a magnetic tiles rocket of his own. With some assistance from me. He looks pretty pleased, don't you think?
J then decided that the rockets needed some passengers. So he ran downstairs, grabbed our bin filled with mini figurines, and happily brought it upstairs. He carefully opened one of the rocket's "doors" and loaded in a big random assortment of creatures or "lots of peoples," as he explained. Talk about imaginative fun!
Except for the astronaut. Out of all of the little action figures, he apparently didn't make the cut. So he got left behind. Poor, poor astronaut...No new experiences for you...
Then naturally we had to had to make the rockets blast off into outer space. Complete with a full countdown, of course, because, after all, numbers are life around here (hello, hypernumeracy!). Either way this activity lead to lots of imaginative play.
Given the number of hours my boys spent building and rebuilding these rockets, I think it's safe to say it was worth finally splurging on a set of magnetic tiles. After all, this tin can and Magna Tiles rocket ship STEM activity was definitely a hit!
Other Fun Ways to Play with Magnetic Tiles
Soccer Light Table Play with Magna-Tiles
Simple Symmetry Activity for Kids Using Magnetic Tiles
3D Designs Printable Idea Cards for Magnetic Building Sets
