Steampunk building blocks for the junior mad scientist

Finding that Higgs Boson particle is pretty cool, I guess. But maybe it's time to go back to the roots of invention and adventure that make America so great. Namely, dirigibles, freeze rays, lasers, and zombies. all of which come to life in this most wonderful set of handmade blocks. The Young Mad Scientist's First Alphabet Blocks by husband and wife team Xylocopa Design on Etsy are probably my very favorite wooden blocks ever. They had me at T is for Tentacle and kept me at I is for Invention, and this Invention is half axolotl and half tractor. I'm in full-on steampunk swoon mode. But it's not just a steampunk gimmick! Besides their illustrative beauty and cleverness, the blocks are exquisite quality, too. Each of the five cubes includes six original pen-and-ink drawings that have been laser-engraved onto American maple wood. There are no dyes or harmful finishes, and the blocks are smooth and ready to inaugurate our next generation of mad scientists into the fantastic world of Maniacal Robots and being chased to one's Underground Lair by angry Peasants with Pitchforks. Whether you're into steampunk, science, mad science, Victoriana, geeky beauty, pretty fonts, or just having the most interesting blocks on the block, you can't go wrong with this pick. Almost makes me want to get pregnant again just so I can register for them. Nope. Never mind. I'll just take the blocks myself. -Delilah Find the Young Mad Scientist's First Alphabet blocks at Xylocopa Design on Etsy.