What is it
Plus-Plus is a building toy made up of pieces that look like two plus signs: ++
They are sort of like Legos, but also sort of like Play-doh
Who is it for
Anyone old enough to manipulate small objects and also old enough to know not to put little things in their mouth should be old enough to use it, so maybe 4 at the lower end. And anyone who still plays with Legos would enjoy Plus-Plus as well, so maybe 9 at the upper end. It would also be a decent office desk toy / stress reliever.
The company also makes a larger version (called, simply, “Big”) that is more than twice the size of regular Plus-Plus and is easier for little hands to work with and are too big to choke on. These would be fun for kids as young as 1 year.
What Kids Like
The bricks/blocks connect easily and it’s very simple to make a figure or vehicle or whatever. Unlike Lego, which more and more rely on special pieces, Plus-Plus has only one shape and size of brick and this uniformity actually makes it easier to design things because you always have every shape of brick you need.
Also, Lego requires rectilinear construction because of the way bricks fit together. But Plus-Plus can fit at angles, resulting in more organic, rounder creations.
Perhaps the most appealing aspect, for some, is that the creations end up looking like Minecraft creations.
What Parents Like
I like having multiple options for building toys.
I like that Plus-Plus are cheap. Because there are no special pieces, Plus-Plus bricks end up costing something like 5¢. The kids like taking toys in the car and on trips and when visiting people, and there is always the risk with Legos that a certain special minifig helmet or something will get lost. With Plus-plus, we can lose a few pieces and no one will notice.
What the Critics Think
The toy gets 4.6 stars at Amazon and 4.9 at FatBrain Toys
The toy has won many awards, including:
- Popular Mechanics USA “Best of Toy Fair 2019”
- Mystery Makers highlighted as one of “2019 Most Trendy Products” at New York Toy Fair
- Learning Express “Best Construction Toy 2018”
Concerns/Flaws
I keep comparing Plus-Plus to Legos because the similarities are obvious. Another similarity is that these things get scattered all over the floor and stepping on them is painful. They are a bit of a choking hazard as well for little ones.
Who Made it/History
The company was started in 2009 in Copenhagen, Denmark and now has an office in Greenville, SC
Where Can I Get it
Plus-Plus used to be something of a boutique toy, only available at specialty educational stores, but they are now everywhere: Amazon, Target, Kohl’s etc.
You can see the toy in action and images of the various sets on their website https://www.plus-plus.com/