Ideas for play and discovery
Games, toys and science
Ideas for play beyond the screen: brain teasers, board games, science activities and geek gadgets.
Our guides connect ideas with activities and practical criteria for choosing products. Browse the latest articles or choose a category.
Science activities
LEGO Technic Artemis: a launch at the turn of a crank
Explore the staged separation of LEGO Artemis 42221 and discover what its mechanism explains about a rocket launch.
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Science activities
Earth and Moon on your desk
Turn LEGO Technic 42179 into an investigation of orbits, lunar phases and the limits of a mechanical model.
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Science activities
Spintronics: circuits you can touch
Explore how Spintronics turns electrical circuits into chains, springs and mechanical puzzles—and where the analogy stops.
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Geek curiosities
Bittle X V2: programming a robot dog
Explore poses, sequences and calibration with Bittle X V2, while separating programmed movement from autonomy.
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Science activities
Snap Circuits BRIC: building with lights and circuits
Combine structures and circuits with Snap Circuits BRIC Structures, and learn to separate electrical and building problems.
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Geek curiosities
Multicolor 3D printing: making your own game pieces
Explore game tokens and prototypes with the Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2: CANVAS, color changes, waste and planning a print.
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Board games
Moon Colony Bloodbath: surviving your own lunar colony
Build a colony that must survive its own growth: resources, events and dark humor in Moon Colony Bloodbath.
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Board games
Rebirth: rebuilding a world one tile at a time
Explore tile placement in Rebirth: shared space, disappearing opportunities and decisions about territory.
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Board games
Take Time: coordinating without saying everything
Make a plan, then test it in silence: a look at information, sums and cooperation in Take Time.
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Board games
Cozy Stickerville: building a village with stickers
Choices that stay on the map: explore Cozy Stickerville’s cooperative campaign without spoiling its discoveries.
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Geek curiosities
Macropads: what is a keyboard with so few keys for?
Design a small shortcut panel. Compare mechanical keys, knobs and display buttons through Keychron Q0 Max and Stream Deck Neo.
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Geek curiosities
LEGO SMART Play: how does a brick know what you are doing?
A brick responds to movement with light and sound. Explore LEGO SMART Play and the difference between All-in-One and Compatible sets.
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Geek curiosities
Kinetic desk toys: it looks like rising, but it is only spinning
A spiral seems to travel without going anywhere. Explore motion illusions and what to look for in a kinetic desk sculpture.
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Geek curiosities
Moving sand art: a different landscape with every turn
Sand, liquid and bubbles build mountains inside a frame. Discover what to watch in moving sand art and what to compare before choosing one.
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Science activities
Turing Tumble: can a marble follow a program?
Build logic with parts and marbles. Explore Turing Tumble: predictions, mechanical memory and the satisfaction of finding a flaw in your design.
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Brain teasers
Rush Hour: when moving backward is the only way out
A red car, an exit and a gridlock of obstacles. Explore Rush Hour through planning: predict moves, trace dependencies and escape the jam.
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Brain teasers
Rubik’s Phantom: can you solve a cube that hides its colors?
The warmth of your hands reveals Rubik’s Phantom’s colors. Explore what changes when you solve it and turn it into an observation challenge.
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Science activities
One touch sets it all in motion: the chain reaction challenge
How far can a single touch go? Watch dominoes and GraviTrax tracks in manufacturer videos, and discover what keeps a chain reaction going.
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