You know what Magna-Tiles are. And, if you don’t already have any for your kid, you really should. In some ways, Magna-Tiles (and similar brands) are like LEGOs for toddlers and preschoolers. It’s the kind of toy that encourages building, thinking, and the notion that it’s very okay if you have to rebuild something, too. (Also, Magna-Tiles hurt less when you step on them.) But, the new “Beatles Collection” for Magna-Tiles is truly great. If you glance at the box, you might think this is just a thing where you build a version of the Yellow Submarine, but that’s actually just one of the things you can build. The other suggested objects range from the Yellow Submarine to the Magical Mystery Tour Bus, to Ringo’s drum, to a record player to an Abbey Road-style stage, and, a small mirrored “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds,” kaleidoscope. (Note, the mirrored pieces aren’t 100 percent apparent at first, make sure to peel off the thin blue protective film.) Anyway, if you’ve got a kid who likes the Beatles, you’ll find them humming “Yellow Submarine” to themselves while silently building. Or, if you’ve got a 4-year-old like mine, she’ll be saying, “I am the Walrus! No, you’re the Walrus!” while driving that bus around as fast as she can.
