GIPS Building Blocks: Encouraging Creativity Through Construction Play

Making your own building blocks? You can with Ankenstein. You can produce cleverly designed plaster building blocks yourself. We took a look at this at the Spielwarenmesse 2019!

trade fair appearance Ankenstein Spielwarenmesse 2019 Nurembergmesse

building blocks to cast yourself Ankenstein Spielwarenmesse Nuremberg

Making, building and painting plaster building blocks

Petra Michelle Nérette: We are at the Ankenstein company and Francis is standing next to me. He explains what their highlight at the fair is. Francis Heckman: With Ankenstein, we believe we have developed a very valuable educational toy for children. It's about developing fine motor skills and encouraging creativity. The game concept is as follows. There is a silicone mold in the game package. You fill it with plaster powder and water. After half an hour, the finished building blocks emerge, which are smooth and supple to the touch. These can be built directly. As a player, you also have the option of painting them with normal ink or other colors. You can add food coloring during the manufacturing process, which results in colorful bricks. When tried out in nurseries and elementary school, many teachers have confirmed that it is actually a way of playing that has a positive effect on motor skills and creativity. Spatial thinking is encouraged because the stones have a special wave shape. This means that you have to place the bricks the right way round to put them together.

casting mold building stones anchor stone

Petra Michelle Nérette: What age is the game suitable for? Francis Heckman: It makes sense from the age of 5.

building blocks for kids do it yourself Ankenstein

MesseTV interview Ankenstein Spielwarenmesse 2019

Petra Michelle Nérette: Can it only be assembled with instructions or can I also build different things with the box? Francis Heckman: You can build with the instructions, but you can also build as you like.