A rocket your child has just built often falls apart the moment they lift it off the table. That’s why Colormag Clix pieces have slots as well as magnets. They slide into each other, so the build stays in one piece even in their hands. We talked to Janka, the developer behind it, about how Clix came about and what she built first.

How did the idea for Colormag Clix come about?

“Colormag Clix was meant to look different at first glance. Our goal was to design it so it pushes the limits of play with a magnetic building set.”

How is Clix different from other building sets, and what’s special about the new pieces?

The main difference is the pieces themselves. “Clix pieces have slots as well as magnets. So you can also connect them by sliding one into another, and that opens the way to completely different kinds of structures. You can also use the small pieces as connectors.”

Because the pieces connect both magnetically and mechanically, builds are sturdier and more stable. Colormag Clix is a new set you’ll only find at Lerni.

What’s in the box

The Colormag Clix Big & Mini set contains 114 magnetic pieces:

• Clix pieces with cut-outs that other parts slide into,
• mini magnetic pieces for details and connections,
• a large square as a solid base for the build,
• accessories to finish the scene: a bird, a sun and a flower.

What was the first thing you built when you got the new pieces?

Janka didn’t focus on how the build would look. She cared whether it would survive play. “I wanted to build something I could grab, lift and keep playing with. I was after a mechanism that lets you play with the set in motion, not only as a static build. You can physically move the build around and it doesn’t fall apart in your hands right away. That’s exactly what the new Clix system makes possible.”

The small pieces play a big part in this. “They have two jobs. They’re decoration that gives the creation its look, and at the same time they connect and reinforce the build, so it’s easier to move. Fantastic creatures, planes and rockets come together very quickly, and so do lovely houses and castles. Imagination gets even more room here.”

Why is Clix a step forward from earlier Colormag sets?

Together, magnets and slots give builds a strength that magnets alone can’t. Kids can go from building to playing with what they’ve built. The plane can really fly across the room, and the rocket can launch from the sofa.

You can build away from the table, too. The pieces stick to a magnetic board and to metal surfaces like the fridge, so it’s easy to switch from 3D builds to 2D pictures. It’s open-ended play with no instructions. Kids can stay focused for tens of minutes, often up to two hours, without an adult’s help.

Which new piece do you find most interesting?

“Definitely the Clix piece with the cut-out. That’s the one that pushes the limits of what you can build.”

Who is Clix for?

Janka calls it a set for the whole family, and the pieces are designed with that in mind. The set grows with your child:

• from age 3: learning shapes and colors and building fine motor skills,
• around age 5: first 2D and 3D builds and early logical thinking,
• from age 7: complex structures, planning, and building together with siblings or parents.

What would you say to someone who knows classic Colormag but hasn’t tried Clix yet?

“Colormag Clix is a versatile set for the whole family. It keeps younger and older kids busy and offers far more possibilities, so children’s imagination can really grow. If your kids enjoy magnetic building sets, Clix is the natural next step.”