Relax with STEM Article by Tina Manzer, Editorial Director of EdPlay Magazine: Stress-reducing fidget toys, STEM, and Fractiles
Will the Real STEM Toys Please Stand Up Article by Mark Carson, President and Co-Founder of Fat Brain Toys. Fractiles is at the top of the list of Carson's favorite toys "contributing to STEM-related pursuits."
Wonderful fun with symmetry! Arrange 192
magnetized plastic tiles (in yellow, red,
and blue) on a 12-inch square steel activity
board and discover just how many patterns
and combinations are possible. (You guessed
it: a lot!) The clever part is that all
three shapes are types of diamonds, and
their angles represent six different fractions
of 360 degrees. Dozens of clever designs
and pictograms are featured on the cardboard
carrying case, including "Ribbon
Candy," "Scrambled Mandala,"
and "Funky Chicken." But creating
designs is only half the fun; instructions
are given for several puzzles and games
too, plus an explanation of different
kinds of symmetry. Ideal for travel, though
the tiles are probably too small for children
under 6. - Richard Farr
Bigger Kid Toys
Posted 1/28/2013 by Jill Carville
Rating:
My 8 year old has been asking for "bigger kid" toys. I tried Fractiles-7 because he likes art and design. The toy keeps his interest and he likes to come up with his own patterns. It's a good way to have parent-kid time as well, because there's room for two patterns on the magnetic board.
Good Clean Fun
Posted 12/26/2010
Rating:
My daughter just found this (Fractiles Travel version) amongst her unopened Christmas toys and got very excited. She made dozens of designs, and then my husband wanted to play. As soon as he put it down, my son came in to see what everyone was doing and he had a ball (he is 4, my daughter is 9). I wouldn't buy this for a child that might lose small pieces. I will get the larger one in the future and make this really a travel toy. It's good clean fun.
Great creative toy
Posted 9/9/2010 by Sue Roy Rating: Great creative toy, beautiful colors and shapes... bought it for one granddaughter and now will purchase again for the other one.
Grandson's favorite toy
Posted 8/10/2010 by Bruce Howe Rating: We gave Fractiles 7 to our grandson for his 7th birthday. He started playing with it with his two friends as soon as he opened it. It was unreal watching the 3 of them creating together. This has become Sean's favorite toy. He is spending hours playing, creating and learning with it.
Fractiles - a very good thing
Posted 8/2/2010 by Karen, Arlington, VA Rating: I gave Fractiles to a child who has pretty much everything. She started playing with it as soon as she opened it. She absolutely loves it!
A lot of fun for kids and adults
Posted 1/1/2010 by Elizabeth Rating: We gave this to my 8-year-old daughter as a Christmas gift, and we have all enjoyed making designs with the magnetic tiles! The Fractiles-7 set comes with a 12x12 sturdy metal board, magnetic tiles in 3 different shapes and colors, and a folder to hold both which is printed with many different designs for the tiles. My daughter enjoyed both copying some of the designs printed and making up her own creations. The tiles are brightly colored on a black background and your designs stand out beautifully. My husband and I find ourselves making up designs as we walk by the table, and my 5-year-old even has fun with it. I wouldn't recommend this product for a child much younger than 5, though--the magnetic tiles are fairly thin and would probably be difficult for a younger child to manipulate.
A great activity for kids Posted 5/18/2009 by Lora Silagy
Rating:
This game is a great representation of why I love having kids in this era. It can't get any better than learning while you're having fun. Fractiles is a great way for kids to learn geometry and patterns. The visual component is powerful and hey, it's fun at the same time. I love that we can all sit down together to play with this toy but that it is equally entertaining for them to do on their own. Plus, I'm hooked on it as much as they are. I would highly recommend Fractiles. You'll be amazed by how hard it is to put it down.
Fun for everyone Posted 1/06/2009 by Stacey McElhaney
Rating:
I bought this for my 5 year old for Christmas. He loves it, I love it, and my husband loves it. I even developed what I call 'Fractile toe' from sitting in an odd position for so long when I play with it. I took it to my office and my co-workers played with it. My son is amazed at what beautiful sophisticated designs he can make. We started off just copying some of the designs on the package but quickly gained the confidence to make our own.
Versatile Toy Posted 10/27/2008 by Carol
Rating:
My daughter received this for her 6th birthday and loves it! Our son who is 4 also loves it. It seems to really help with spatial relation and patterns. As a bonus to Mom and Dad, it's QUIET. No batteries required here! And best of all MADE IN THE USA!
Teamwork challenge Posted 8/24/2008 by Phyllis Dolan
Rating:
Fractiles-7 are everything they say they are. It is so convenient that they are magnetic, stay in place, don't get lost easily, etc. You can make beautiful designs with them and be very creative. Right now we are using them at work for a "teamwork" challenge.
Fractiles are absolutely excellent!! Posted 7/8/2008 by Rebecca Phelps
Rating:
Absolutely excellent!! My 7 yr old LOVES this!! Even with a learning disability, she spends hours making different designs! Great for problem solving and spatial activity!
A hit with co-workers Posted 6/3/2008 by Brad Pipins
Rating: I bought this for myself - my new office has magnet-friendly walls. I have always been interested by geometric patterns and the Fractiles-7 set really captured my attention. When I first opened the set I ended up playing quietly with it for at least two hours. At work the set has been a hit with co-workers rearranging the tiles into interesting patterns often. It's like poetry magnets for graphic designers! "Poetry is just copy. Shapes, colors, patterns - that's where it's at!" Overall, Fractiles-7 functions well as precision cut brain food for creative types. I'd imagine your kid will dig it too!
Love this product! Posted 4/30/2008 by Eileen J Robben
Rating:
My son is 6 and my daughter is 7 and they haven't stopped playing with Fractiles. We've had it a week now & they both love to make patterns and trying to copy the ones on the box. I might buy another so they can both make new designs. Love this product.
Great Item!
Posted 4/8/2008
Rating:
Great item. My 5 year old grandson just loved it. He could not quit playing with it. Our 7 year old grandson came over following day. He also enjoyed it, making several of his own designs. We are very satisfied with the quality of the product and all the variations you can make with it.
Great Designing Tool!
Posted 1/25/2008 by Shirley Keene-Gefvert
Rating:
This is a great designing tool! My son is 4 and he is getting used to it as some of the smaller magnets are hard for him to handle. He loves that he can make different and colorful patterns.
Really a Hit!
Posted 1/23/2008 by David Paden
Rating:
I bought one for my 8 year-old granddaughter. She spent hours playing with it both alone and with her cousin and myself. It is great for both matching the pictures included and making up your own patterns. We both enjoyed it so much that I bought another one to use with my gifted students. It has really been a hit. Do be careful when you take the pieces apart when you first get it. Young children need help.
Granddaughter Delighted!
Posted 1/12/2008 by V. K. Leonard
Rating:
My 10 year old granddaughter was delighted when she saw it. She has enjoyed making the different patterns ever since.
Love Making Fabulous Designs
Posted 1/7/2008 by Bhavya Dhulia
Rating:
My 5 years old son loves making the fabulous designs from Fractiles. It's so interesting that even I love playing with him this.
Fractiles-7
Posted 1/5/2008 by Debbie Smalley
Rating:
The Fractiles were a gift for my 7 year old grandson. He really likes them. I like the fact that they allow him to be creative and use his imagination. They are of very good quality. In addition, it is very important to me to know that this toy was made right here in the United States.
Engaging
Posted 1/3/2008 by Beverly Craig
Rating:
A great product with great idea pictures on the cover. My kids create all kinds of really interesting patterns & pictures and use the idea sheets as jumping off points. They have me take a picture each time they create something new. We love the magnetic function. We have something similar with stickers from Lakeshore but this is much better.
Fun and Educational
Posted 1/3/2008 by Roy
Rating:
Fun as well as educational. Lots of good examples to copy from and then you can make up your own designs.
Incredibly stimulating, mentally challenging for all ages
Posted 1/3/2008 by Susan Parker
Rating:
This game is incredibly stimulating and mentally challenging for all ages. We purchased it for our 8 year old, but adults and children alike have been mesmerized by it. Excellent in developing spatial skills and concentration!
Enjoyed by WHOLE family
Posted 1/2/2008 by L Holmes
Rating:
Fun gift, enjoyed by whole family. All the kids and even my husband have enjoyed making cool patterns with the Fractiles. We like the magnetic thing... pieces don't fall around on the car floor.
Fractiles - 7
Posted 1/1/2008 by L. Irwin
Rating:
The magnetic board is excellent and strong. The tiles don't slide around.
Big Hit
Posted 12/31/2007 by Carol Gibson
Rating:
I bought my 7 year old granddaughter five toys for Christmas, but it was this one, the Fractiles-7 that was the big hit. She could not put down. She took it with her everywhere. I highly recommend it!
Instantly Engaging
Posted 12/30/2007
Rating:
My 9 year old nephew was instantly engaged, creating both the patterns shown on the packaging, and his own. He was especially excited with how, when placed together properly, the shapes create a 3-D optical illusion. He is an incredibly bright kid with a strong understanding of building principles and is a visual/spatial thinker, so Fractiles are right up his alley!
Fractiles Rock!
Posted 12/29/2007 by H. Gjengdahl
Rating:
The Fractiles allow my kids to build on their experience with the small set of tangrams that we have. Fractiles are open-ended and challenging. They immediately caught the interest of their 40-something uncles as well, who also enjoyed playing with Fractiles. I recommend Fractiles to parents who are looking for an educational game that doesn't act or look like one.
Love This Product!!
Posted 12/29/2007 by Tim H
Rating:
What a great toy! My kiddos (4 and 6) loved this toy immediately. I was a bit surprised by the size of the tiles (they were smaller than I'd expected), but they don't seem to have caused any problems with my kids. They took the toy and spent hours with it. My only complaint is that the toy could use a better storage system for the tiles. A small Ziploc bag is provided, but that's it. I'd prefer to see something more durable that attaches to the metal board it comes with.
Excellent Learning/Play Tool
Posted 12/27/2007 by Beckie Hilton
Rating:
This is an excellent "toy" for my granddaughter who is 5. It helps her to identify the geometric shapes, and with eye/hand coordination as she aligns the shapes to create designs. She gets a good mental workout as she figures out how to duplicate the designs. She immediately figured out that she could create her own designs rather than following the patterns in the set. I think this is an excellent learning/play tool.
Chosen Over All Other Toys!
Posted 12/27/2007 by C. Clark
Rating:
My 8 year old grandson chose to play with Fractiles-7 over all the other toys he received. It really stimulated his composition and spatial acuity. I thought it might help with some problems he was having in school. The great part was that his l7 year old brother became interested and wanted to help with the different designs. It promoted togetherness without a lot of competition. They were just surprised at the beautiful designs that they thought up.
Challenging and Interesting For Both Children and Adults
Posted 12/27/2007 by Ekaterina Vorobieva
Rating:
My daughter (5.5 years old) and I both like puzzles and brain-twisters of any kind. We love this toy. It allows both to copy existing designs and creating your own. After my daughter creates one of her own, we take a picture. She is excited. It also encourages "family time" as my daughter needs help with some of the designs. I recommend this toy to someone who likes puzzles and creativity. Keep in mind that some of the magnetic pieces are small and are not recommended for small kids. I find the packaging convenient too. There is a small plastic bag for the mosaic pieces and magnetic board fits well into the envelope- no mess. I guess you can also use the pieces on a fridge.
Review of Fractiles-7
Posted 12/26/2007 by Edith Hetherington
Rating:
We have had a partial set of Fractiles on our refrigerator for nearly a year and visitors have made some marvelous creations, but everyone has complained that there were not enough pieces to make something really good. I bought the largest set available. I plan to keep all my visitors busy making things on the fridge.
Exceptional Toy!
Posted 12/26/2007 by Kristian Speck
Rating:
Exceptional toy! I bought this for my 9 yr old son. He plays with it, his 6 yr old sister plays with it, his cousins play with it, and I must confess, my husband and I occasionally pick it up too! Educational, fun, and engaging. This is one of those toys that they come back to again and again.
A Creative Adventure Puzzle for All Ages
Posted 12/23/2007 by Lynette Sali
Rating:
A puzzle to delight children as well as adults. Our 5 year old grandson loves them and we find them fun and creative, too. We used the back of a cookie sheet so the magnetic pieces would stay in place. There are many possible designs and you never get tired of looking for new ways to use them. We liked out first Fridge Fractiles set so well that we ordered two of the larger sets that come with a metal board (so that more people can play). I highly recommend this interactive toy. It challenges you each time you play. You can make the pictured puzzles or design your own. This one will be around a long time at our house. Our grandchildren like Fractiles so much they ask for us to bring it when we go for a visit.
Popular With Grandchildren and Students
Posted 11/26/2007 by Mary I Wauson
Rating:
Popular with my grandchildren and with my students. I ended up buying another set so I didn't have to carry it back and forth.
Excellent educational toy even for adults
Posted 11/16/2007 by Florence Rosenberg
Rating:
Excellent educational toy even for adults. Really is great for traveling in a car or airplane. It was a gift for a 7 year old, however got the attention of many of the adults at the party.
Great for my students!
Posted 11/2/2007 by Susan Martin
Rating:
As an art teacher, this is great for my students in third and fourth grades. They make a design, I take a photo of it and they recreate it with paint!
Review for Fractiles-7
Posted 10/24/2007
Rating:
Fractiles are an excellent toy for individual and group use.
Timeless toy!
Posted 10/23/2007 by Arlene Tani
Rating:
Great for encouraging creativity. A timeless toy.
Relaxing and creative
Posted 10/12/2007 by Lee Sloan
Rating:
It is a relaxing and creative way to pass the time. I'm a 45 year old woman and not the least embarrassed to say this was purchased for my own personal use.
Fractile Fun
Posted 7/1/2007
Rating:
We ordered the Travel Fractiles and it kept our daughter busy for hours in the backseat. However, she wanted to make bigger designs . . .so we upgraded and she loves it!
Excellent
Posted 4/10/2007 by Fabian Cruz
Rating:
This item is good, relaxing fun. Its simplistic design can render very beautiful images.
A lot family participation
Posted 4/8/2007 by A. Barracca
Rating:
My son saw Fractiles at a pediatric doctor's office and he had a lot of fun there. The one at the office had larger magnetic pieces than the one purchased which made it easier to manipulate. However, I do not see that as a major disadvantage. I see a lot family participation with this toy.
Great product
Posted 2/21/2007 by Maria Leibovsky
Rating:
This is a great product. My son is 7 years old, and he is fascinated by it. Instead of copying the pictures he made his own. It is very bright, with only primary colors used. Good educational tool, good quality.
Great Toy
Posted 2/19/2007 by Moira Chas
Rating:
This toy presents interesting challenges for every person in my household. My daughter (age four) likes to make figures, thinks about magnets and works on hand coordination. My son (eleven) makes designs. And I, as a mathematician, enjoy all the aspects of this toy. We bought ours a few months ago, and it is still in perfect condition. We just bought another one as a present.
Great Game!
Posted 2/15/2007 by Bugsy
Rating:
I am an occupational therapist working with kids who have many different needs and abilities. This toy is staple for encouraging more precision and control in fine motor skills, as well as visual perceptual and visual motor skills. So many of my kids love this toy and love seeing that they can make these incredible designs that look so complicated, but really take one simple step at time and a little bit of planning to complete! My only complaint is that the magnetic pieces, while sturdy enough to last a long time for a single child I'm sure, tend to wear out a bit for my uses. Still, as toys like this go, it has lasted a good amount of time before starting to wear. I highly recommend this one!
Product review Fractiles-7
Posted 2/11/2007
Rating:
Our son, age 8, has always loved pattern blocks and plays with them at school. I was thrilled to find this set which is magnetic, thus making it mobile and less easily disturbed by younger siblings! The quality and size of the board and pieces are great.
Product review of Fractiles-7
Posted 1/24/2007 by Jackie Rose
Rating:
My six year son was so proud of his Fractiles that he took it to school. Now his teacher wants a set too!
Fractiles Are Loved By All!
Posted 1/9/2007 by Susan K.
Rating:
Our house is on our second set of Fractiles. We simply love them! My 10 year old, loves to create his own designs. His sister who is 5 enjoys making the pattern on the cover. I also enjoy a quiet moment building one of the designs. We would love it if we could get more of the magnetic tiles so more designs could be invented. Fractiles are such an imaginative toy for the whole family!
Fantastic
Fun Posted 10/03/2005 by kristen fleck
Rating:
My 6 Year old daughter loves Fractiles!
We took it on a trip recently and it was
a life saver. Great investment!
Fractiles
7 Travel Ed Posted 09/26/2005 by Fran Morris-Higgins
Rating:
I really love this puzzle. I had a car accident
13 years ago and went through many years
of cognitive retraining. I started using
Tan-grams, etc during this time frame. I
am always looking fof new puzzle-like items
to keep improving my brain function. This
is wonderful! It is enjoyable and challenging
at the same. I use almost every day.
Great
Product Posted 09/12/2005 by Jeannine Wargacki
Rating:
"Fractiles is a great product. Even
my barely three old loves it. I purchased
it for an upcoming flight to keep her busy.
If it doesn't keep her busy for the whole
flight it'll certainly keep me busy. Thanks
again for the great product."
Fun
Educational Toy Posted 09/08/2005 by Jennifer Jensen
Rating:
"My seven year old loves this toy.
I just gave it to her last night and she
hasn't stopped playing with it. She uses
Fractiles at school so this is a good way
to reinforce what she is learning. I like
that it is magnetic so she can carry her
'creations' from room to room to show me
and her father. It'll be great on trips."
Completely
Delighted Posted 08/18/2005 by R. Skirm
Rating:
"This is a wonderful toy and a learning
tool. It's the perfect size and has enough
pieces to create complex designs. I was
completely delighted when I first opened
it up. It is suitable for kids interested
in geometry, color, pattern, construction."
Likes Fractiles
Best! Posted 05/16/2005 by Kandi Chapman
Rating:
"I've used tiles in a few different
forms - foam and wooden pieces - but I like
the Fractiles magnetic tiles best! One of
my complaints was that the children could
not make difficult shapes and patterns without
messing up their design while pushing the
tiles up against each other. This would
make the child extremely frustrated, but
the magnetic tiles stay put! Good work!"
Brain Stimulating
for Children Posted 04/28/2005 by Robert D Lewis
Rating:
"Fractiles-7 is a wonderful toy for
either the mathematically or artistically
inclined adult. The process of creating
patterns is both meditative and engrossing.
Since the tile set can be enlarged by
the simple expedient of ordering more
sets, the possibilities truly are endless--and
the results are beautiful. It makes a
fantastic, brain stimulating gift for
children, too."
A
hit with WHOLE family! Posted 03/17/2005
Rating:
"I bought Fractiles as a birthday gift
for a boy turning 8. His mother says he
loves playing with it, so does his 5 year
old brother and so does she! I'm pleased
with Fractiles-7 as my gift choice!"
A Set For Each
Kid Posted 02/25/2005 by Brenda Geary
Rating:
"I have a 3 year old and a 7 year old
who simply LOVE Fractiles! We have had so
much fun as a family making designs on the
board. We bought 2 sets - 1 for each kid
and I am glad we did - they would certainly
be fighting over who would get to use it!"
Pretty Fun Posted 02/25/2005 by Paula McKinney
Rating:
"These are pretty fun. There are
lots of ideas on the back of the envelope.
Each of the colors is cut with different
angles. The only bad thing is that even
though it seems that it has a lot of pieces
in the package, they get used up pretty
fast. I would recommend getting a bigger
package of these if you have more than
one person who is going to be playing
with these."
Genius
in its Simplicity! Posted 02/25/2005 by Francesca
Rating:
"This toy is genius in its simplicity.
The enclosed booklet is great for generating
ideas and it does travel well, thanks to
the magnets and plastic bag with seal that
comes with."
Love Travel Fractiles! Posted 12/02/2004 by Marianne Houghton
Rating:
"I really love this item. My 8 year
old son received this as a gift two years
ago and all three of my children play with
it (ages 5,7,8). It is a great size to fit
in the children's backpack and also perfect
for car trips. I often walk into the bedrooms
and find one of them on the floor creating
some design. Also the size and weight is
great for the gifts that require shipping."
Fun, Not Overwhelming! Posted 12/01/2004 by Veronica Larvie
Rating:
"I intend to give this to my kids (ages
3 and 6) to use in the car. I've looked
it over and like it a lot. The magnets are
strong, which is critical, and the overall
package is big enough to be fun, but not
overwhelming for small hands in a tight
(car) environment."
