Stickle Bricks, besides hurting less when you accidentally step on them, are a similar device to Lego in that they can be connected to one another to build representations of pretty much anything.

Stickle Bricks come in a wide variety of colours and shapes. Each piece features numerous small plastic ’stickles’ (cylindrical protrusions) on each of its sides. These stickles can then be joined with one another to combine the pieces and create structures.

The designs of Stickle Bricks vary from simple shapes (squares, rectangles, etc.) to more complex and meaningful shapes (animals, letters, etc.).

You can usually find tubs and sets of Stickle Bricks for around £20-30 and they are suitable for toddlers.