My Lovevery Block Set Review: Are They Worth It?

I bought the much hyped Lovevery Block Set to answer the question: is it worth it? Find out what I thought in this post!

Disclosure: I was compensated to write this post. Lovevery invited me to write a post mentioning Lovevery product(s) of my choice in exchange for monetary compensation. I purchased the Lovevery Block Set and other Lovevery products mentioned in this article myself, and did not receive a discount on the block set or other products listed. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this post are my own.

This Ain’t Your Grandma’s Block Set

A great set of blocks is one of those classic childhood toys that most kids play with at some point or another. If I had to guess, I’d bet many of today’s parents have childhood memories of long afternoons spent building different creations with a good block set.

For me, wooden blocks come with a side of nostalgia from my own childhood. But let’s get one thing straight: the Lovevery block set is not your childhood block set.

In fact, it might just be the most comprehensive block set ever designed…like 10+ toys in one, good for kids 18 months to kindergarten…and beyond.

Cover image with the text "Lovevery Blocks Review" and different images of the Lovevery wooden blocks set used in different ways (to make a face, as a shape sorter, as a threading toy, etc) — *Lovevery Block Set Review*

Key Takeaways of this Lovevery Block Set Review (the TLDR)

The Lovevery Blocks have a lot of pros. They are non-toxic, sustainable, and very high quality, and are far more comprehensive than normal blocks, serving as a shape sorter, pull toy, threading toy, and building block toy, all-in-one, plus more. They come in their own storage box, and are awesome overall.
The biggest con is the price, and whether you see value for the price given you’re getting many toys in one, they tend to hold their value for re-sale, and they should last a long time.
I think these blocks are a good buy for families who prioritize fewer, better quality toys, have young children (not yet in kindergarten) who will get years of use from it, and who value the Play Guide and research that has gone into the toy’s development.
I think these blocks might not be worth it for families with older children (Kindergarten and above) and those who are on a tight budget at the moment.

Check it Out! You can buy the Block Set via Lovevery’s website

Table of Contents

Why Playing with Blocks is Good for Kids

We know kids love playing with block sets. They present a fun challenge, and are an accessible way to spark our imaginations, even into adulthood.

But beyond being fun, playing with blocks is good for kids, too.

A child playing with the lovevery block set on the floor

A good block set is one of those “learning through play” toys that can help support a child’s growth and development and support the development and reinforcement of early concepts that are predictive of academic success and emotional self-regulation later in life.

And they can offer specific benefits related to building spatial awareness, fine motor skills (and gross motor skills too, depending on how you play with them), and language and problem solving skills.

They’re a kind of open-ended toy that can be used for active play, imaginative play, STEM focused play, and more.

Lovevery wooden blocks built using blocks and wooden planks. A child's legs and feet are visible.

And they can become a cornerstone toy in your home for years to come, making it worth it to invest in a high quality and comprehensive block set that’s going to work for the variety of ages and stages your kids go through.

What is Lovevery (And How Do You Pronounce it)?

Lovevery a youthful brand (kind of like your family).

Founded in 2015 by Jessica and Rod – parents from two different families – Lovevery was inspired by the idea that exposing kids to different concepts and situations at the right time can help them build richer, more connected neural networks within the first 3 years of life.

There are a couple of things that make Lovevery unique, in my mind.

First is their team of key advisors. The company uses the expertise of researchers, academics, and early childhood practitioners to develop their products and play guides.

Secondly, is the Lovevery stage based activity guide, which comes with the block set, as well as with every Play Kit and also the Play Gym (you can read my unsponsored review of the Play Gym here).

These guides are pure gold for parents, helping us create rich play experiences for our kids – in the right way at the right time – to support their development. Without having to do all the research ourselves.

And BTW: it’s pronounced Love-Every!

What is the Lovevery Block Set? And What’s Included?

Lovevery is probably best known for its Play Kits, so if this is your first time coming across the block set, get ready.

It’s very thoughtfully designed, with every piece having a function (or multiple functions) which allows it to be much more comprehensive than your average block set.

Close up of some of the different pieces in the Lovevery wooden block set — *Close up of the Block Set by Lovevery*

What’s Included

The Lovevery block set consists of 70 wood pieces, comprised of 18 different shapes and tools, all in 18 different colors

These include:

15 solid wood blocks
6 thread blocks
1 threader string
4 right triangles
2 arches
4 wheels
2 dowels
5 shape sorter blocks
1 shape sorter lid
5 solid wood cylinders
4 wooden peg people
18 solid wood building planks
A ramp
A stage based activity guide
A wood storage box (that can convert into a car!)

Lovevery blocks wooden storage box transformed into a pull car using the toggle on a string — *The wooden box from the Block Set, transformed into a pull toy!*

All the pieces are made from sustainably harvested and sustainably sourced wood that is FSC certified.

And they’re a beautiful rainbow of colors.

A face made out of a rainbow of wooden blocks by Lovevery — *Hello, wooden rainbow blocks!*

Lovevery Block Set Unboxing

The Lovevery block set arrives to your door in a wooden storage box contained within a cardboard box, with the Play Guide tucked in on top.

The wooden storage box has a shape sorter lid. Usually shape sorters are separate toys entirely, which is the first hint that this is more comprehensive than a typical block set!

Lovevery wooden blocks set in a cardboard box as shipped — *The cardboard box the Block Set is shipped in*

Unboxing the Lovevery blocks set by opening the cardboard box to reveal the wooden storage box and play guide — *Opening the cardboard box to see the wooden box, block set, and Play Guide*

Within the box, there are two layers. The top layer is separated by the ramp used like a shelf, with the bottom layer of blocks under the ramp.

Top layer of Lovevery wooden blocks in the wooden storage box when unboxing — *Top Layer*

Ramp layer of Lovevery wooden blocks in the original storage box — *Ramp* *Piece*

Bottom layer of Lovevery wooden blocks in the wooden storage box when unboxing — *Bottom Layer*

Lovevery blocks are shipped with a cotton storage bag for the blocks – but our cotton storage bag disappeared long ago, so it’s not pictured in this post.

Lovevery Block Set Age Range

Lovevery lists the age range for their block set as 10 months to 48 months (4 years old) and up.

In my experience, the “and up” is the key here, because my 4-year-old still finds different things to do with these blocks, and I can’t really see her outgrowing them in the next couple of years.

She uses them on their own for building and making up games, but also brings in other toys – like Playmobil people, Hot Wheels cars, and toys from our Play Kits – to supplement to create little social stories.

My Lovevery Block Set Review Based on Personal Experience

So what’s good about the Lovevery Block Set, and what don’t I love? See below for my general Lovevery block set review, going over the pros and cons, plus my thoughts more broadly.

Pros and Cons of the Lovevery Wooden Blocks

Pros

Cons

Great toy for child-directed free play, and adult participation play

It’s a great “quiet play” toy without screens, sounds, flashing lights, and other obnoxious things taking over your house.

The set is more than just blocks – it’s multiple toys in one, including shape sorter, dominos, threading toy, a pull toy (car), and more.

It’s sturdy, well made and in high demand, leading to high resale values when you’re done with it.

It’s a better choice for the environment than some other toys, given it is made of sustainably sourced wood with non toxic dyes to color the blocks. Shipping is carbon neutral.

You’ll probably get a lot of use out of it, over multiple children.

They are gorgeous, and come with their own sleek storage box, so no need for an ugly plastic bin.

The price. There’s no getting around the fact that they are expensive compared to other wooden blocks.

Getting them back in the box takes some practice and patience.

Because of the cost, I hesitate to use them in more creative ways (like painting them and using them to make block prints).

When full, the storage box and set is heavy. My 4 year old needs help getting it down if it’s on a higher shelf, as it’s too heavy.

The toggle string can be turned into a weapon when flung around – it’s worth setting boundaries about that up front!

My Thoughts on the Lovevery Block Set

It Offers Free Play And Adult Directed Play…That’s Screen Free And Noise Free

Wooden blocks are a great example of toy that can be used in both free play and adult-participation play:

“Play is an important activity in young children’s lives. It is how children explore their world and build knowledge. Although free play, which is play that is totally child directed, contributes to children’s learning, self-regulation and motivation, adults’ participation in children’s play is critical in their development, especially their language development.” (source)

What I like about the Lovevery blocks in particular (and Lovevery toys more generally) is how the Play Guides help adults get involved in a research-based way to help support child development.

So this is a great toy for child-led play, and for playing with grown ups.

It’s Several Toys In One

Whereas most wooden block sets are just that – block sets – the Lovevery set is several toys in one.

The flat wooden planks can be used for building, but also to set up dominos.
The toggle and threading beads can be used as a threading toy.
The shape sorter lid can be used as a shape sorter.
The dowels can be banged together or against the wooden box as a drum.

Pieces from the Lovevery wood block set set up to show it can be used as a shape sorter, as dominos, as a threading toy, and as a building toy, among other ways to play — *The Lovevery Block Set is versatile: It’s a shape sorter! It’s a threading toy! It’s dominos! It’s a wooden block set!*

And the wooden storage box can be set up as a car!

Pull car created from Lovevery wooden block set storage box — *Pull car made from the wooden box, wheels, and toggle*

That’s 5 different toys in one, not including the main playing function: wooden blocks.

While the cost of these blocks is a commonly mentioned con (which I get!), when you add up the cost of a separate threading toy, shape sorter, and wooden blocks set, the cost of the Lovevery set feels more in line with what I’d expect.

You Can Use Them In So Many Different Ways

There are the “intended” ways of playing with the Lovevery blocks, which are great! I.e. with the shape sorter, your child can put the 5 assorted solid wood shapes in the shape sorter lid.

But they also allow for a lot of imagination!

One of our favorite games to play currently is a wheel rolling race. The Lovevery wooden blocks come with 4 wooden wheels that can be attached to the dowels using the built in magnets. We have quite a bit of fun just trying to roll the wheels on our living room floor, trying to either hit a target or have the wheel that rolls the furthest before falling down.

The wooden dowels are also great for banging together to make different rhythms, either when listening to music or making your own. My child is randomly obsessed with “We Will Rock You” by Queen, and she frequently uses the wooden dowels to recreate the “boom-boom-clap” rhythm of that song.

Your family will likely come up with your own made up games for this set of blocks, too. And it’s really a case of, your imagination is the limit!

Sustainable And Non Toxic

This is a big one for me, as we do try our best to minimize our environmental impact where we can. I like that this toy is made from sustainably sourced wood and uses non toxic dyes, paint and finishes.

They Are Well Made And Should Last A Long Time Last

Lovevery describes their wooden blocks as “heirloom quality,” which is part of their sustainability pledge: making toys that will last generations.

Our blocks definitely have some scratches here and there, but are holding up remarkably well, and I can see how they can be passed from child to child over the years and still hold up.

They Hold Their Value

In my experience, this is true of all things Lovevery, at least in my market. There is always some lightly used Lovevery for sale on used marketplaces, and it seems people are able to re-coup a fairly good chunk of the purchase price when re-selling. Where I live, I’ve observed used Lovevery products seem to sell fast.

The Box Is Actually Great

I’ve owned all of the Lovevery first year Play Kits, these blocks, and the Play Gym, and one thing I’ve noticed about Lovevery is their products are consistently more impressive in person than they seem online.

Every time I buy one of their products, I find myself pleasantly surprised by something (or many things) when I actually get to touch them, feel them, and play with them as opposed to just look at them on a screen.

With the block set, the box is one of those “pleasantly surprised” moments – being able to turn it into a car, turn it into a house, use it with a ramp…it’s a subtle thing, but makes a huge difference in all the different ways you can play with these blocks!

Pieces from the Lovevery wooden block set assembled as a house

Pieces from the Lovevery wooden block set assembled as a house with a ramp going down the side

It’s Fun to Combine with Toys from the Play Kits

We have all 6 of the Lovevery “first year” play kits, which means we have a ton of extra toys that work really well in combination with the Lovevery block set.

Lovevery block set used to set up a house, with pieces from other Lovevery play kits used to expand the possibilities of play — *Setting up a scene made from the Lovevery Block Set and toys from the Play Kits*

Lovevery Block Set vs. Generic Solid Wood Building Blocks

There’s no shortage of generic wooden building blocks available in stores and online, so what’s the difference between Lovevery blocks and generic, and is it worth the extra cost for the Lovevery version?

With all of the products I’ve tried from Lovevery so far, the devil is in the details. In my opinion, the company nails it when it comes to delivering some of the most versatile, interesting and quality toys for babies and kids out there.

However, whether it’s worth buying the Lovevery Building Blocks – with all their clever and unique features – vs some generic wood blocks, really depends on your family. I’ve tried to summarize my thoughts on this below.

Lovevery Blocks Are Probably Worth It If…

Lovevery Blocks Probably Aren’t Worth It If…

You prefer to buy fewer toys that are of higher quality, and those that will last for multiple children to use.

Environmental sustainability and non-toxic materials are important to you, and worth paying for.

Your child skews towards the younger to middle range of the suggested age range, so you’ll get years of use out of them (or you have younger children ready to use them, too).

You don’t already have a lot of building toys, and want to buy the best of the best and most comprehensive.

You like the Lovevery Play Guides, and don’t have time to do the research yourself.

Budget is less of a concern, and you don’t mind paying for quality.

You don’t already have a shape sorter toy and a threading toy, and are happy to get the multiple-toys-in-one offered by Lovevery Blocks.

You don’t see your kids using these with paint, playdough, and other messy things that might damage or diminish their long lastingness.

Budget is your number one priority, and it’s tight at the moment.

You already have a lot of building toys, or you already have building blocks, threading toys, and shape sorters.

You foresee your kids using these in messy ways – like painting them and using for block printing.

Your child is already school aged, and you don’t have younger kids coming up behind them. While your kid will probably still enjoy them, you’ll likely get less use than if you buy when your kids are younger.

FAQS About the Lovevery Block Set

How to Put Away Lovevery Block Set?

Putting away the Lovevery Block set in the wooden storage box is a bit tricky, but once you get the hang of it, you should be able to do it quickly.

The bottom layer should contain: all the wooden planks, stacked on top of each other in two layers with 9 planks each; 12 of the building blocks; both arches, placed so they make an open circle in between them; with two of the wheels stacked in the open circle.

Place the ramp on top of the bottom layer, and then fill the top layer with the remaining blocks as pictured in the images below.

If you get stuck, consult the Play Guide! Bottom layer of Lovevery wooden blocks in the wooden storage box when unboxing. how to pack Lovevery block set Lovevery Blocks top layer - how to pack Lovevery block set

Where to Buy the Lovevery Block Set?

You can buy the Lovevery Block Set online at Lovevery’s website, Amazon or Target.

What is FAQ?

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