Blockaroo Magnetic Foam Builders - Tug Boat

The Blockaroo Tug Boat set is ideal for children aged 3–6. From age 3, children start building deliberately and begin creating imagined scenes and stories around their tug boat — launching it across the bath, giving it a crew, building a whole harbour. The open-ended format keeps it interesting through age 6 and beyond.

Yes. The blocks are made from soft, non-toxic foam with no sharp edges — safe even for children who still mouth toys. The internal magnets are fully encased in foam and are not accessible. Blockaroo blocks exceed international toy safety standards. The soft material is also gentle if blocks are knocked or thrown, which toddlers are known to do.

Absolutely — and the tug boat theme makes bath time even better. The foam blocks float in water and cling magnetically to the metal liner inside most standard bathtubs. Children can build on the side of the tub and float pieces across the water. The blocks are fully waterproof and mold-free, so leaving them in the bath causes no damage and there's no risk of mold building up over time.

No. The magnetic system is specifically designed for independent play. The blocks connect on the first try without needing to find a correct orientation, so children can build on their own without adult help. Many parents find that the Blockaroo keeps kids occupied independently for much longer than expected.

Pop them in the top rack of the dishwasher. The blocks come out clean and completely undamaged by the wash cycle — just make sure they go on the top rack to avoid high heat. For a quick rinse, they can also just be washed under the tap. The mold-free construction means even regular bath play won't cause hygiene problems.

Yes — every Blockaroo set is 100% compatible with every other. The 10-piece Tug Boat set can be combined with the Airplane set, Robot set, Critter set, Castle set, or any of the larger 50-piece or 100-piece sets to create bigger and more complex builds. It's a great reason to expand the collection one set at a time as birthdays and holidays come around.

Mostly, a lot of building and rebuilding — and that's genuinely valuable. Block play is one of the most research-supported activities in early childhood development: children develop spatial awareness, shape and colour recognition, fine motor control, and early mathematical thinking through the simple act of figuring out how pieces fit together. The independence and confidence that come from building something on their own are harder to measure but just as real.