What can you do with Stapelstein?
The unique design of the German brand Stapelstein stimulates the creativity and motor skills of everyone in a delightfully playful way. The elements easily get young and old moving and activate both body and mind. The stackable, durable bricks invite endless possibilities for building, balancing, and moving. Stapelstein falls under the category of open-ended toys. Nice words, but what can you do with Stapelstein?
You may have already seen them shining in our shop, or perhaps you already have a set at home... whether you're a Stapelstein fan or not (yet): here are 12 great play tips to get the most out of Stapelstein.
The unique design of the German Stapelstein Stimulates the creativity and motor skills of everyone in a delightfully playful way. The elements easily get young and old moving and activate both body and mind. The stackable, durable bricks invite endless possibilities for building, balancing, and moving. Stapelstein falls under the category of open-ended toys . Nice words, but what can you do with Stapelstein?
1: Balancing games and courses
Depending on how many stacking stones you have at home, you can do a wide variety of activities with them. Awaken your creative mind and get your body moving playfully with this fantastic balancing toy . Stapelstein Originals are easy to transform into colorful stepping stones to build fantastic balance paths. You can also turn the Stapelstein stones around, making it easier or harder to maintain your balance.
Fun fact: each Stacking Stone weighs 180 grams and can carry a load of up to 180 kg (!).
#2: Stacking games at your leisure
With the classic Stapelstein sets, the Stapelstein Inside , and the new Stapelstein Mini, you can stack to your heart's content.
Stack and sort the stones by color, from largest to smallest, or create your own artwork while defying gravity. The wave at the bottom of the elements also offers various possibilities. Will you create a stable tower or a wobbly one? Creative minds from 1 to 99 can fully indulge themselves here, because the variations are endless.
"The task of the environment is not to shape the child, but to enable it to develop freely."
#3: Use Stapelstein as a chair
Fun fact: Stapelstein was originally... a chair . Or rather, a stool... not a traditional stool, but one that encourages movement. Children are often urged to sit still, while movement is in their nature, keeps their creative spirits alive, and helps them get to know their bodies better through play.
Build your own custom chair with your own Stapelstein collection. For small children, one, two, or three bricks is often enough, and then you can gradually move up. It's also an ideal ergonomic seating solution for adults. So it's not just a toy, but a part of your interior. With a balance board on top, you quickly have an extra seat in your home. Unlike a passive sitting position, dynamic sitting satisfies the innate, developmental urge to move. This is ideal for active children and adults alike: why sit still when your natural instinct is to move?
#4: ...or as a toll
Parents often ask us, "What do you do with Stapelstein? " We often tell them the story of the branch a child finds in the forest. For adults, it's a simple stick; for a child, it's a magic wand, a hobby horse, a spear, a walking stick, a... Just to say, you might be looking for ways to use Stapelstein, but children know exactly what to do with it . They just place the rounded side on the ground, sit in it, and spin away! Your very own spinning top in the most beautiful bright and pastel shades.
#5: A step big or small
Not only fun but also functional. Children are small and can use a step stool now and then. Say goodbye to ugly plastic steps and use your stacking stones: one, two, or more stones as needed. Each stacking stone can hold up to 180 kg, while the stone itself weighs just 180 grams.
#6: Matryoshka 2.0.
In 2023, Stapelstein released the Inside set : a delightful addition that perfectly matches Stapelstein's original concept. Not just the concept, but also the actual shape, as the Stapelstein Inside consists of three pieces that fit inside an original Stapelstein.
The center has a small round hole that could hold a large marble, but it's empty for a purpose: it represents the place where children's creativity resides. It's where the seed of their creativity, their openness, lies at its center, and it's the most important part. It's the seed of all play , and it grows outward, opening like a flower.
Inside is a fun way to explore the well-known layering principle of the Matryoshka doll. Whether it's a set of three or six, young children in particular love unfolding and discovering, searching, and hiding. Inside, you can hide a marble, a block, or a small animal figure, for example. The inside can be expanded with two Originals for an extra layer on the outside.
Sorting by color is not only fun, but also educational: turn your Stacking Stone upside down and let it find tiny items from all over the house that match the color. Green goes with green, red goes with red, and so on.
#7: Storage bowl for all kinds of
Sorting and organizing are magically appealing, even for very young children. It's not only a lot of fun, but it also provides a sense of security because everything is connected.
Collect small everyday objects and toys, such as Lego bricks, wooden blocks, beads, marbles, crayons, feathers and much more, and assign them to the correct stacking blocks based on color or size.
#8: Sensory toys promote learning
Many children love sensory play with play rice, kinetic sand, or water beads. Know that all Stapelstein items are waterproof and perfect for open play . Thanks to the various sizes of the Stapelstein Inside, pouring play can be even more creative . The Inside elements are ideal as pouring trays and filling bowls.
With Stapelstein®, children can learn about colors, numbers, and quantities. How much fits in the largest element and how much in the smallest? Mathematical calculations can be visualized. Children learn with their whole body and retain information faster and better.
#9: You don't have to keep it dry!
Stapelstein's uses are endless —in the playroom and beyond. You don't have to keep it dry; in the water, the colorful elements bring movement to the game.
Use them as a floating island in the bath , pool, or sea, for example. Or make witch's soup in an upturned stone. Do you remember the recipe?
#10: Look, a hat!
It could be anything and for many children it is: a hat!
One of children's first instincts when they start playing with Stapelstein is to put one on their head - hide underneath, and the stone becomes a hat.
#11: Open-ended toys
This toy comes without instructions or rules . They call it open-ended toys.
There are no limits; you can see everything in it that it should be. Discover (together) the boundless fun of play with Stapelstein and watch your toddler's, preschooler's, or child's imagination come to life!
#12: Endlessly combinable
Stapelstein can be combined infinitely, so you can expand your collection step by step .
Every year, Stapelstein also launches a limited edition campaign, often featuring new colors and combinations that are only produced in limited quantities. It's always a great time to add to your collection.
We hope we've given you some inspiration with the many possibilities of Stapelstein . Check out our collection below; the fun comes free ;-)
Discover the Stapelstein collection from In den Olifant
Which set do you like best?
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