A box of bright, bendable sticks has been spread across the family room carpet, and the youngest member of the household is sorting them by color. No one has been asked for help yet.
Each set builds one model from color-coded pieces that flex in the hand and click together at the ends, with a booklet drawn entirely in pictures to show the way. Choose the 64-piece Twist-A-Saurus for the child who can name every dinosaur, the 76-piece Noodle Flyer for the one who watches planes cross the sky, or the 106-piece Fusilli Wheel, a Ferris wheel that spins, with a climbing gorilla to build beside it. There’s no glue to spill and no battery to replace, and each set is recommended for ages 5 and up.
Once a model has had its turn on display, it comes apart for whatever design comes next. The T. rex and the plane connect with other Spaghetteez sets, too, so a collection can grow one box at a time. Somewhere between breakfast and supper, a young builder learns how much two small hands can make.
