My boys love playing video games and watching cartoons. The problem is that it’s tough to get them to do anything else. When they’re not in school, their world revolves around screens. So I am always on the look out to find fun, engaging ways to get them to unplug. Some months ago I found building straws! This super simple toy has got them so engaged I had to share.
These aren’t your average straws though they look like it. They are a building toy that comes with a set of connectors. The straws come in all sorts of bright colours, and the connectors are small, spiky spheres that let you connect the straws at different angles. It’s a simple concept, but the possibilities are endless. The pack comes with a little sheet with some of the interesting 3D shapes you can build are printed on it. I’m not going to lie the colours do bring a lot of excitement. The day I bought them for my boys they looked at them with so much mystery in their eyes. For a while they had completely forgotten about what a screen is.
When I introduced them to my boys, my youngest started by building simple squares and triangles, while his older brother went straight to more complex structures. Soon, they were making houses for their action figures, garages for their toy cars and even the Burj Khalifah! It’s been incredible to watch their creativity and problem-solving skills flourish. They have to think about angles, stability, and how to connect the pieces to bring their ideas to life. My husband and I help them all the time and honestly I have a blast myself. Shameless, I know lol.
But the best part is that he building straws have become their go-to activity. Instead of arguing over whose turn it is on the tablet, they’re now collaborating on their next big build. They’re working together, communicating, and learning to share. I am so glad I found it. Like every toy though we take the straws away from them for a while and bring it back so they don’t get bored.
It’s amazing how a simple, low-tech toy can have such a positive impact. This is definitely a healthy alternative to screen time. If you’re looking for a way to pry your kids away from their screens, I highly recommend giving these a try. You might be surprised at what they build. If you will like to buy some of these construction straws toy I have put links to where you can get them below. For a set of 100 they go for 150 cedis in Ghana and 11 dollars for worldwide orders. Let me know what your kids build!
Ghana shipping – https://www.goodbuyghana.com/?product=kids-building-straws-toy-colourful-construction-toys
Worldwide shipping – https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_c3KCrGzN