Buy these blocks! They're well made, a pleasure to handle, and my under-3yo son plays with our set frequently.

Awesome blocks. My two toddlers love these, although we got our set from Costco for $15 right before the holidays. Still a great price, though, as I've seen them go for a lot more.

$39.99 here tonight
$69.99 at product website, good reviews
http://www.melissaanddoug.com/standard-unit-building-blocks

and at ToysRUs
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2267318

$50.72 Amazon 393 reviews 5 star
http://www.amazon.com/Melissa-Doug-60-Piece-Standard-Blocks/dp/B00008W72D

$53.98 Baby Age
http://www.babyage.com/toys/melissa-and-doug-toys/melissa-and-doug-60-piece-wooden-block-set-27552.htm

Have to go back to work, g'night.

My almost 3 year old got them for Christmas and loves them. This is an amazing price!! They come in a great wooden box that is perfect for storing them, and haven't had any problems holding up to the bashing and banging they go through at our house.

We bought these last time they were up on Woot in October for a Christmas present. They sell for MUCH higher at toys r us (I believe it was like $70 there). The quality is beyond question. They are sturdy as can be. The case they come in is very nice indeed BUT the blocks have to be put back in an organized manner for them all to fit - like a puzzle but with many possible scenarios. The box is just big enough for the block to fit in when organized. So, to make it easier for our three year old to clean up we just purchased a cheap tote from Target to dump them all into instead of the awesome wood box they came in. Plus the tote has a lid where the box that comes with it does not. Maybe we'll find another use for the storage box.

Overall, extremely happy with this product and the price Woot has it listed for! Just be prepared to find another storage container for smaller children and quicker cleanup.

The Costco block set is made by another manufacturer. I also saw it marked down in the stores to $15, but the quality isn't quite up to snuff compared to the Melissa & Doug set we have. (I bought the Costco architectural block set -- also not M&D -- for $40 shipped as a gift.)

I got this M&D set for my kiddo when he was around 1, when I found it for $40 at T.J. Maxx. He's close to 4 now and it's still a favorite. He uses the blocks to make robots, monsters and racetracks to race his Hotwheels on.

$40 is probably the best price you'll find on this set, and this is a toy with staying power.

ladyloerya wrote:The case they come in is very nice indeed BUT the blocks have to be put back in an organized manner for them all to fit - like a puzzle but with many possible scenarios.

But because of that, this is the only toy I enjoy cleaning up after!

Not only does block play help with fine motor skills, studies also show the spacial awareness kids get from creating complex constructions helps with later math and science skills. We have these blocks and they just FEEL good in your hands, the weight and the smoothness of the wood, which I think is one of the reasons they're played with so much. If you don't have a set of good wood blocks for your kids, I'd highly recommend these. To, you know, help them get into college.

We've had a set of these since my 8 year-old was barely toddling. They are still in use. You may find them for less if you keep your eyes open, but this is a great price and worth every penny.

My 3-yr-old LOVES these. He combines them with his Thomas train tracks and Duplo Legos to build mega-structures.

Unit blocks are one of the best toys you can buy a child- I would put it in the top ten with in the best toy purchases you can make (along with crayons, plush toys, balls, etc). Buying a nice, hardwood set from an educational supply store can run you into the hundreds to thousands of dollars. The Melissa and Doug set is more than adequate, the same scale, and solid wood- so even at full price it is a bargain. It might not hold up quite as well to daily rough play for decades like the hardwood blocks, but it is more than fine for a home.

These work well from about 9 months all the way through elementary school. Early on you just give the child a couple blocks to stack, sort, and manipulate. As the child gets older adding more blocks adds to the play value (I like the architectural blocks by M&D, and if you want to splurge a few of the large hollow blocks or arch blocks are a great supplement, and make awesome ramps).

Anyway, it's a great product.

They are a good deal here, but with Woot's $5 shipping, they are a GREAT deal. My sister-in-law sent my son a set of these for Christmas and even sending early and using USPS they were something like $30 just to ship.

Alot more money on Amazon today. Nephew's birthday coming up at the end of the month. Looks like a great deal!

They say 'you get what you pay for' and in this case you get more. This set is so nice, blocks are well sanded and have rounded corners. The box is more than big enough to store the blocks and you don't need an engineering degree to put the blocks into the box. Gave this to the kids for Christmas thanks to the last woot offering and they have been thrilled.

These blocks are heavy and sturdy as they are solid wood. The downside is that there are a couple blocks in the set that are big enough to hurt a toe if dropped. If your kid likes to throw these around you might want to remove those big ones.

All in all this is a great buy!