K'Nex facts for kids
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| Type | Construction set |
|---|---|
| Inventor(s) | Joel Glickman |
| Company | Basic Fun! |
| Country | United States |
| Availability | October 1992–present |
| Slogan | Imagine, Build, Play Building Worlds Kids Love The K'Nex Big Thing Where Creativity Clicks |
K'Nex is a popular building toy system. It was invented by Joel Glickman and first appeared in America in 1992. K'Nex Industries Inc. in Pennsylvania used to design and make these toys. Later, in 2018, a company called Basic Fun! bought K'Nex.
The toy system uses plastic rods, connectors, blocks, gears, and wheels. You can link these pieces together to create many different models. These can be machines, buildings, or other fun structures. K'Nex toys are usually for kids aged 5 to 12. There's also a bigger version called Kid K'Nex for younger children.
Contents
The Story of K'Nex
The first K'Nex building sets were sold in the U.S. in 1993. Early models that moved had a handcrank to make them work. Soon, K'Nex added gears and motors. This allowed models to move all by themselves!
K'Nex products were first sold at Toys "R" Us stores in October 1992. By 2011, K'Nex toys were available in over 25 countries around the world. In 2018, Basic Fun!, a toy company from Florida, bought all of K'Nex's assets.
What Are K'Nex Pieces Made Of?
The main K'Nex pieces you use to build models are rods, connectors, and bricks. These basic K'Nex parts are made from a type of plastic called polyoxymethylene.
Amazing K'Nex Creations
People have built some truly amazing things with K'Nex!
- At Concordia University, students have made huge K'Nex models. These include a Space Shuttle, the Sears Tower, the Eiffel Tower, and even mazes.
- The U.S. Space and Rocket Center once held a Guinness World Record. It was for the "World's Largest K'Nex Sculpture." They also have a giant K'Nex space shuttle and rocket.
- In 2014, a new Guinness World Record was set in the UK. A team built a 13.38-meter-long K'Nex copy of the Bloodhound Supersonic Car.
- K'Nex also has a special traveling exhibit. It's called "K'Nex: Build Thrill Rides." This exhibit visits schools and museums across the country.
K'Nex Computer Games
K'Nex also had a few computer games:
- K'NEX The Lost Mines: Adventure Begins came out in 1998. It was for computers running Windows 95.
- Virtual K'Nex was also released in 1998. This game was for older computers using Windows 3.x.
Images for kids
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A bridge made from K'Nex pieces.
See also
In Spanish: K'nex para niños
- K*bot World Championships
- Fischertechnik
- Meccano
