Favorite Things: Gears! Gears! Gears!

We have plenty of toys, but in our rearranging and decluttering I've found that there are just a few that we really couldn't do without.  Right at the top of this list is our set of gears.

The pieces are big enough that the littlest kiddio in our house doesn't risk choking, simple enough that our three-year-old can manipulate them easily, and versatile enough that the six-year-old and her thirty-something parents can build some really cool stuff out of them.
 

Like our little walking robot?  His arms rotate as he scoots along, lights flash, and his eyeballs wave in the air thanks to the little battery-powered unit (it was so popular that we had to pick up an extra set so everyone could make their gears go).  These pieces are from the Gears! Gears! Gears! Lights and Action Building Set, but there are a variety of fun ones to choose from (the crazy monkey set is next on Scout's list!)


What's the favorite plaything in your house?