Using building toys are some of the most educational activities for young children that there are. It’s never too early to get kids started whether it’s stackable cups and wooden blocks.

As your little one improves his or her eye hand coordination (I know, sometimes it seems that day will never come) he or she may be ready for something a little more challenging.

While Legos remain a long way off for a two-year-old, larger blocks that are easier to attach together are a great way to start. I like these K’nex Sesame Street blocks because they feature characters with which even non-TV-watching toddlers are familiar and include activity cards for parent/child play…an essential element for new parents who need a little refresher!

The Bert and Ernie K’nex Set comes with a storage tub and a total of 46 pieces - plenty to provide extended play value. Not a stand alone set, K’nex offers additional Sesame Street building toys featuring Oscar, Grover and Cookie monster to help your child along with the important developmental skill of collecting.

Though each set comes with its own storage tub, I recommend mixing up the pieces to encourage even more creative play. Keep the tubs to store the multitude of small rocks, stones, jewels and trinkets that rapidly pile up in any home inhabited by children!