3 Best Plank Building Toys for Kids and Adults

Blocks aren't just for kids anymore. In fact, some blocks aren't even called "blocks" anymore - they're called "planks," and an entire world of very entertaining and fun building play has opened up thanks to these relatively new plank building toy sets.

The idea is simple but compelling. Push "blocks" to the next level by instead making high quality wooden "planks" that are precisely cut and sanded, feel great to the touch, and where each piece weighs almost exactly same. Thanks to the quality workmanship of these plank sets, playing with such simple but high quality planks feels very special, as if you're working with an architectural modeling materials - which explains why these toys are so popular with architects and engineers!

I recommend at least considering toys made by the following 3 brands if you're in the market for building sets which are well made and which stimulate creative and imaginative play.

Kapla Planks are the original plank toys, made in France, out of pine wood. Kapla Sets tend to be the priciest. The packaging for Kapla planks is truly beautiful, as they come in simple wooden boxes which can be used to store the planks.

Keva Planks are a more moderately priced rival to Kapla planks, made of maple wood. My survey of the marketplace at the time of writing shows that Keva planks tend to be less expensive than Kapla planks. Keva planks are the same size as Kapla planks, and could thus be used as a lower cost complement to a  collection of Kapla planks, or as an alternative.

Citiblocs are similar to Keva and Kapla plank systems, but go off on an interesting, somewhat different direction. The biggest difference is that their sets consist of  planks (or "blocs") of different sizes. These differences might make for some welcome variation in structures and play. The other big difference is that many Citibloc sets come in different color themes which really are quite beautiful. Like the Keva and Kapla sets, Citiblocs are well made wooden toys. They also seem to be the least expensive option.

I have played with all three and they're all great. You can really feel the quality with which these building sets are made, as they have a great tactile quality to them and feel wonderful to the touch. Overall, these sets are a welcome alternative to the world of cheaply made (and often over priced) plastic toy sets which dominate today's toy market.