MAIN Toy Reviews Q-B A-MAZE

Q-B A-MAZE

Q-B A-MAZE: manufactured in Canada by Q-BA-MAZE, Inc., Recommended age 5 +, retail price range from $18.95 to $50.95.

Prepare to be A-Mazed, Q-Ba-Mazed that is.

This new marble race/building system was invented by a former New York City architect, Andrew Comfort. The building enthusiast was inspired by fond memories of playing with a handmade marble race toy carved by his grandfather.

Andrew has gone a step beyond the usual here with the Q-BA-MAZE design. The translucent, durable, polycarbonate cubes come in sets of 20 and 50 pieces. You have a choice of warm colors (clear, red, and orange) and cool colors (clear, green, and blue). The unique cubes have three distinct designs, bottom exit, single side exit, and the double side exit.

Another cool feature is in the bottom of the double exit cube; the bottom is slightly recessed so when the marble drops into this cube it will rock back and forth for a second, then exit. Which side it exits from has determining factors. So if you really wanted to you could try experimenting to see if your child or you could predict the exit side, adding a little science fair flair; height, speed, stability, lean, the possibilities are endless. If you prefer not to use the marbles that's okay too; you can just create amazing structures,

By attaching the side exit cubes to other cubes via the exit lip on the side you are able to create spirals and cantilevers with ease. Find detailed, step by step, building diagrams online on the Q-Ba-Maze website. Introduce the marbles at whatever time you feel appropriate for your children. The steel balls are small and do fit nicely into little noses. I would certainly heed manufacturer's age recommendation.

As always, playing with your child is recommended, especially when introducing a new toy or concept, or whenever small parts are involved. One thing that you might want to make note of is that the count on the box includes the marbles, actually steel balls, so the 50 count box actually has 36 cubes and 14 steel balls.

Q-Ba-Maze is fun for children and adults, even seasoned building enthusiasts will enjoy it; we had a ball, no pun intended, all of us, not just the kids. We enjoyed the open ended play, which stimulated the mind both — creatively and critically. This toy provided an opportunity for enhanced cognitive development as well as promoting small motor skills:

• Hand-eye coordination
• Language development
• Problem solving
• Cooperative play
• Sequencing
• Fosters "whole brain" thinking

About the Author: Mary Rose is a Mommy, a writer and an early childhood educator who believes in learning through play and the value of good toys.