“It’s fun… It’s creative… It’s imaginative…”
In the 1960s, Ideal released KliKiT, a line of Build n’ Play sets designed to encourage creativity and help young builders develop construction skills through a unique interlocking system called “Press-Fit Assembly”.
Each set consisted of a varying number of brightly coloured panels in different shapes and sizes and connectors that securely held the panels together. Sets often included accessories such as wheels, windows, doors, and decorative elements, further enhancing the creative possibilities.
KliKiT’s modular format enabled children to build structures of their own design or reference the Building Guide included with each set to create specific models. Sets were offered in various themes; some centred around building structures while others focused on smaller vehicles.
Ideal added power units as the line grew in popularity so kids could create moving objects. Multiple KliKiT sets could also be combined to create more extensive and elaborate structures, a capability the company touted in its television commercials, in-store displays, and print advertisements.
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