Make Building Blocks Come Alive with Guidecraft Block Mates Farm Animals {Review}

Like pretty much all kids, my daughters love to build with wooden blocks. There is just something so classic about them and the way that a simple pile can inspire creations of all kinds... and then turn into a new and unique construction each and every time.

So since blocks are such a traditional toy, what is there really to do to add an innovative and exciting twist to them? After all, they're blocks.

Well, yes. Except when Guidecraft steps in and transforms them into the cutest and funniest blocks around with their Block Mates Farm Animals.

Blocks not included

By taking an open-ended, high quality set of blocks (Guidecraft has a really nice 5-pc Hardwood Block Set) and adding these Block Mates, suddenly the process of constructing with blocks can take on a completely different form of creativity... and the results are just plain fun!

We took one look at the Block Mates and the Block Set...

...and Big Sister E and Little Sister B were calling, "Animals! Let's make animals!" to hurry me along in getting the boxes open. Pulling out the five blocks and the various animal pieces, all that was left to do was put together our barnyard friends.

With four parts to each animal (head, tail, front legs, and hind legs), it wasn't difficult to figure out to take each one and slide it onto the four corners of the blocks. Due to the patented "Slip-Grip" system, each animal holds snugly and securely, so there's no worry that they'll fall off while playing on the imaginary farm.

Our basic five animals have had all kinds of adventures, from traditional roles on the farm to some... more unusual, circus-like escapades that show off their stacking talents.
Of course we also had to try out the Block Mates on our Guidecraft Rainbow Blocks to see if making the animals more colorful would be just as entertaining.

The answer? Absolutely!

The addition of the colors also made things even more humorous for the girls when they would create a mixed up, hybrid animal concoction...

We have had a great time with this set of Block Mates and the Wooden Block Set and I think the versatility and creativeness of this toy is especially unique! Really, when else can you turn a standard block into a cow or a pig? Or a cowsheepigoat, even?

The 5-pc Hardwood Unit Block Set retails from Guidecraft for $15 (or $12.60 on Amazon) and the Block Mates Farm Animals are priced at $27.00 on Guidecraft's site (or as low as $20 on Amazon) and would make a great gift for kids of all ages (although they are recommended for 3+ and younger children would have a harder time getting the Block Mates on and off).

Even better, if farm animals aren't your child's favorite, Guidecraft also has Dinosaur, Safari Animals, Construction Vehicles, and Community Vehicles that are just as fun... and cute!

Do you have a young builder in your life that would have a great time with the Farm Animals Block Mates and the 5-pc Wooden Block Set (total retail value $42)? As this is a Guidecraft Moms review, that means there is a giveaway going on somewhere for these great items right now! Where? This month it is from Granola Mom 4 God... but only until March 21th - head over and enter to win!

(I was provided with a 5-Pc Hardwood Unit Block Set and Block Mates Farm Animals to help facilitate this review as part of my participation as a Guidecraft Mom. I was not compensated or enticed or to do this review in any way and this post is solely my honest opinion of this website, the products and how much we love them.)