The Magna-Tiles Advent Calendar turns the December countdown into a daily building project. Behind each numbered door is a new holiday-themed microMAGS piece, and by Christmas your child has built a complete 34-piece collection: decorated magnetic tiles, mix-and-match figures, and a train they can drive along a track printed inside the box.

What's inside the 34 pieces

• 10 decorated square microMAGS tiles and 3 decorated isosceles triangles with holiday designs
• Exclusive figures, including Santa and a Conductor, with swappable heads, bodies and headpieces
• A microChassis, the wheeled base kids use to build their own locomotive
• A built-in train track on the inside of the calendar packaging, so there is a play surface from day one

How it works

Open one door a day, add the new piece to the collection, and rebuild. Early days give kids a few tiles to experiment with; later days add the figures and the microChassis, so the play grows from simple shapes into a holiday train scene. Because there are no instructions to follow, children decide what to build each day.

What kids learn while they play

• Spatial reasoning and early geometry: fitting squares and triangles together into 3D shapes
• Engineering basics: building a train on the microChassis that stays together as it rolls
• Fine motor skills: connecting small magnetic pieces and swapping figure parts
• Storytelling and imaginative play: mixing figure parts into new characters for the train
• Patience: one new piece a day builds anticipation instead of a single unboxing

Good to know before you buy

• Age: 3 and up. The pieces are small and contain magnets, so younger siblings need to be kept away from them.
• Size: microMAGS are Magna-Tiles' smaller tile line. Magna-Tiles says every piece works with its other sets, including Classic tiles and microMAGS.
• Materials: food-grade MABS plastic, free from BPA, phthalates and latex, with riveted magnets and Magna-Tiles' lattice design to resist cracking.
• Box size: about 17 x 12 x 2 inches, 1.9 lb. No batteries needed.
• When to order: the countdown starts December 1, so order by mid-November to leave time for shipping.
• After December: the pieces become a small standalone microMAGS set and a starter for kids who later want more Magna-Tiles.

How it compares

• Vs. a LEGO advent calendar: LEGO hands out a small separate build each day; here every piece joins one set that keeps working as a toy after Christmas.
• Vs. a classic Magna-Tiles set: classic sets give more and larger tiles for the money; this one trades piece count for the daily countdown, figures and train.

Who it's for

Families with preschool and early elementary kids who want an advent calendar that lasts longer than candy, kids who already love Magna-Tiles, and grandparents looking for a screen-free STEM gift for the holidays.