I admittedly have a bit of a weak spot for creative and colorful educational toys (especially those under $10), so this weekend when Laurel and I picked up sticky mosaics (my go-to gift for elementary school aged kids) for a birthday party, I couldn’t help but say yes when she asked if we could buy this Orb Factory Mosaica toy. Produced by the same folks who make the awesome sticky mosaics, this compact tin includes 64 two-tone magnetic squares and an insert with suggested patterns (build right inside the tin to keep the tiles in place). Awesome for travel and also for encouraging spatial skills and quiet time at home, Laurel spent hours with this toy this weekend (Jon and I also couldn’t resist building a few patterns...), which allowed me to get to some much needed cleaning and organization in advance of hosting Thanksgiving.