A good set of blocks is a staple in any child’s playroom, but there are blocks and then there are the blocks from Learning Materials Workshop.

Learning Materials Workshop is a small American toy company with the most amazing range of blocks I have ever seen. The blocks are both two and three dimensional, providing a play experience akin to jigsaw puzzles or tangrams as well as traditional blocks. The pictures above and below are of their new Coloraturo range. They are made from sustainable hardwood, and are a joy to look at, expanding on the small range of primary colours usually found in children’s blocks for fifty-four blocks in thirty-six Pantone colours.

With so many different colours and shapes in the set, the number of ways the blocks can be built and arranged must be almost endless. I imagine putting it all back together in the box may be a bit like the challenge of refolding a large map, for those of us not so spatially aware!

Part block, part construction toy, part children’s artwork, the real star of the Learning Materials Workshop range is the beautiful colours on their pieces. If you’ve ever felt the sensory overload of a roomful of toys in primary colours, you’ll find this range hits all the right notes.

Available from early September 2011, the Coloraturo blocks are US$75 and can be ordered directly from Learning Materials Workshop. Check out their product page for an idea of their huge range. Then peruse our previous posts for more sets of great blocks.