Need suggestions for building blocks...

Hi. Our boys have the larger set of MegaBlocks but they don't seem to keep their attention quite as long as I think they should. They have a couple of hand-me-down sets of regular Lego's...Bob the Builder sets, but I think they like them because of the wheels.
Anyway, I'm looking at getting them something different to build w/ for Christmas. I have strongly considered the ABC 123 blocks..just the plain old square ones. I've also seen some that are different shapes, cylinder, triangle, round, etc.
Suggestions are welcome!! What would you buy? What are your kids favorite to build with??

TIA
Alicia

 

You have to check out my link in the gift ideas Sticky!! I feel really strongly about these things!! They are awesome!!

Check it out! There are a lot of other ideas at the top of the 1-4 forum!

 

Last Christmas I got them a box of the Lego Duplo blocks and I have to say that has been one of their favorite toys this past year. They also have some wooden blocks but don't really play with them too often.

 

Diane at your recommendation i bought those wedgits - i found a pre-school set (age 2+ instead of the normal one which is 3+) - it will be one of their hannukah gifts this week so i will let you know if it's a hit!

i just got out a hand me down block set that is a town - buildings and homes and cars and trees and signs - all wooden blocks but painted and shaped and good for stacking and building town scenes. they seem to like it (esp playing wih the cars) but i think it's a bit old for them right now.

 

Walmart had a set of the plastic duplos on special...120 for 10.00... you can't beat that price!!!

 

WOW! Dianne - thank you! I just bought the widgits. So excited for Christmas morning!!

 

My girls love the big cardboard boxes that look like bricks. and we have knotwood blocks (abc ones and fun shapes) that they love building with (as well as dumping for the storage container).
I was trying to find a link to the fake wood blocks and i found bristle blocks only they call them krinkle blocks. Sydney can sit for hours with the knotwood or the bristle blocks.

 

We had the same problem. So, we bought cardboard blocks. We have the Melissa and Doug brand but I know there are cheaper ones out there. My kids love these.

 

I'm thinking about these from Step2. They're soft and aren't supposed to slide off each other when the kids are trying to build something.