Useful but small set
I bought this set as a small gift for son at Christmas. He hasn't really been interested in using it all that much. It is a small set, not many things to really build with it. I should have bought the larger set that was available on the same day. But for a starter set, this is fine. The plastic pieces and hoses that come with the set, I find useless. Wish there were more wood pieces instead.

Fun but breaks easily & not all pieces fit as they should
We bought two sets so they would have lots of options (we have two 3 yr old kids). My kids like playing with them but even after buying two sets, there are still many more pieces needed to actually build something. The worst part is that not all the pieces fit together & the round wooden pieces break easily.

A Classic for a new generation of children
I bought these for my daughter because I remembered them as a child and wanted her to have more toys which were fueled by her imagination rather than a battery pack.

Thus far, she has built a quite large tower that she can stand inside, a car (of sorts) a bridge for her dolls, and the newest obsession is making campfires and using some of the wheels with a stick for "marshmallows"

This is one of those toys that will be played with for years on end and builds not only toys but memories.

Tinkertoy
Great toy for any child. Helps build the imagination. Great addition to the tinkertoys we all ready have.

Inspires creativity- a lost art these days
I'm surprised by some of the poor reviews. We've had this set of Tinker Toys for 2 years now and it's always something my kids go back to. No issues with broken pieces and I can tell you my children are rough!

The thing I, as a parent, like best about this toy is that it allows the children to use their own minds to make whatever they want. My kids have made everything from "dog bones" to "microphones" to "eyeglasses", even the occasional "plate of food" and more. No instructions needed! If you are concerned that you cannot make the patterns on the box then you are micro-managing your children's play time and stifling their creativity.

"Classic" toys without batteries and noise are a rarity today but I seek them out. My 2 year and 4 year old love these Tinker Toys and think that all children should have a set.