Mini Unit Bricks are traditional blocks made of sustainable wood and scaled to tiny hands. They come in myriad shapes, look like real-world building materials (wood, brick, or rocks), and stand out from competitors thanks to hand-carved grooves that both delineate unit measures and “feel great” when you run your fingers along them. Simple enough. They’re sold in a number of different sets including a 72-piece Architect, a 100-piece Rocks, and 40-piece Builder that range from $55 to $300. Where Unit Bricks really stand out, however, is with its new Mini Unit Beams. Designed to promote STEM learning and more advanced logic and problem-solving skills, the 1/8th-scale plastic bricks look like steel beams (but without the tariffs), are compatible with Unit Bricks and Rocks, and allow older kids (6+) to build ridiculously awesome suspension bridges, working cranes, and even the Eiffel Tower. There are a handful of kits currently available: a basic 25-piece set that “mimics real life steel connectors” and is designed for younger kids; a detailed 178-piece ship-to-shore container crane with 15 different shaped pieces; a massive Brooklyn Bridge-inspired suspension bridge with more than 620 pieces and tensioned plastic cables that can also be used to build a smaller cable-stayed bridge. Mini Unit Beams are available online and start at $35. Buy Now $35
