Please, let it last more than one day These 5-and 6-year-olds want toys that last Magna-Tiles® (west suburban LaGrange-based Valtech, $49.50 for the 32-piece set) attracted two to three players “at all times,” Larson said. "They loved those Magna-Tiles®." The colorful magnets come in a variety of shapes (three types of triangles and large and small squares) that can be used to build three-dimensional geometric shapes. The folks at Valtech offer a money-back guarantee if your children don’t like the toy. Based on our testers, that seems unlikely. “You just create stuff,” said Nathan Minglin. “It’s easy to follow the directions.” Excerpt from The Chicago Parent Toys with staying power.. Magna-Tiles® proves popular with 7- and 8-year-olds Magna-Tiles® is a box of various shaped and sized magnets that allow you to build whatever you want. It was a consistent favorite in every classroom that received one as part of this year’s toy test. Rauch liked Hedbanz because it has some educational value. "It gave them a different way of looking at things." But Rauch preferred the Magna-Tiles® and so did the kids. “They loved playing with the Magna-Tiles®," Rauch said. Excerpt from The Chicago Parent Editorial Buy a better holiday This month we bring you our Annual Totally Unscientific Toy Test, in which kids tell us what works and what doesn’t. The biggest news: A toy that has very little marketing muscle behind it, Magna-Tiles® made by LaGrange-based Valtech, was a consistent hit across age groups. Excerpt from The Chicago Parent