Dado Planks

Dado Planks is a construction toy. It’s a new addition to the Dado family: Dado Cubes, for example,  Dado Squares for another.

There are two kinds of Dado Planks: notched and unnotched. The notched planks each have six notches, three on a side. You get 55 of these. You can take two notched planks and fit them together so that one is connected vertically, or horizontally. I’m telling you that because that makes the whole system geometrically more interesting, geometrically more capable of being used to create geometrically more amazing architectural and geometric wonders.

There are 51 of the other kind of planks – the notchless. But they are far more functional than you might think. Not only are they useful for bridge-, roof-, wall-, and decoration-making; but they can also be used build between the notches, and to help lock perpendicularly-joined notched planks  together.

Dado Planks is a discovery as much as it is a construction toy. The set lends itself to so many different architectural explorations that adults find it as worthy of their advanced play skills as children do. And, should you be in the right mood, you can make up games, you can build things together, you can join structures, you can try to make things with your eyes closed, you can sit in pairs, side-by-side, arms around each other’s backs, and see what you can build together using only your free hands.

True, there is some slight variance in the width of the notches. Those planks possessing this variance have a tendency not to lock together as securely as others, most often if both are upright. And, also true, this is somewhat of a disappointment, somewhat of an imperfection in execution. Unless, of course, you find yourself caught up in the spirit of the whole toy: the exploration, the creativity, the desire to investigate every affordance of the planks and notches. And then, even this less-than-perfect fit leads to the building of structures whose components can slide. Or, should you demand the non-sliding fit, you can turn one of the planks horizontally, and see where that takes you.

There is so much to play with: color, balance, design. So many different constructs you can make: towers, bridges, robots, monsters. And when you’re finished playing, if you absolutely have to put it away, it all stores quickly in a commodious drawstring bag.

Sturdy, colorful, flexible, Dado Planks can support hours of play, and then, well, geometrically more hours. A toy to catch the reason and imagination of kids, adults, family and friends. It is recommended for people 3 and older, and is another Major Fun award-winning creation from FatBrain Toys

 

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