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Best building toy yet….
This will surprise you, but Citiblocs are just a bunch of pine blocks, all cut in 1 X 4.5 X 1/4 inch rectangles. But they are perfect for creative play for little hands, and dads. When I opened the box, I was surprised not to find extra pieces like triangles and rounded edges.
Citiblocs has none of that. They are just simple blocks.
But my son (5) loved them. He built a house right away and explained all the crazy features it had. Unlike Legos, he wasn’t locked into a rectangular or almost literal representation of something, so he felt more free to let things hang out and let his imagination take over. While my classic design at steps that lined up perfectly and involved some fine engineering to support an overhanging porch, his was more figurative.
I was a bit dismayed when he dissembled my colonnaded entryway to our house, but I overcame my frustration to let him just play the way he wants to play. The only solution though for next time is to buy another set so he can build his dream house and I can build mine.
Set of 100 for 27.50 at Amazon. Larger and smaller kits available as well.
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Dads’ safety tips for building a treehouse
Like every guy, you’ve probably always said you’d get your kids the treehouse you never had as a kid. There’s no time like the present to create a treehouse while the kids are still kids.
But, like a lot of stuff that has changed since our childhoods, you should be more aware of safety concerns than when you were little. The Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus Ohio reports that 2700 kids go to the ER each year from “treehouse-related” injuries.
Here are some good safety guidelines before you hammer in that first nail:
1. Plan for an area where you can put down a good bed of mulch to cushion an inevitable fall. The mulch should be at least nine inches deep. Skip material like sand, wood chips or gravel that will not offer enough of a break from a fall.
2. Find a spot where you build not more than 10 feet off the ground. That’s a high height for a little kid, but approaching a danger zone for falls.
3. If you’re building right on branches, look for ones at least eight inches in diameter. Check for rot to make sure they are sturdy and will last a while. Look for fungus or crumbly bark which could be warning signs.
4. If you go above four feet, install walls, rather than guardrails, that go up 38 inches.
Experts suggest not allowing any attaching ropes or swings, but I can’t imagine having a treehouse without a climbing rope. Ropes and chains can be a strangulation hazard though so you might consider how you will monitor kids’ usage. You might consider tying down a climbing rope so it’s not loose on either end, or attach it to a heavy tire swing that can’t be lifted in a position that would create this type of hazard.
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