K'Nex

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K'Nex
TypeConstruction set
Invented byJoel Glickman
CompanyBasic Fun!
CountryUnited States
AvailabilityOctober 1992; 33 years ago (1992-10)–present
SloganImagine, Build, Play
Building Worlds Kids Love
The K'Nex Big Thing
Where Creativity Clicks
Official website

K'Nex /kəˈnɛks/ is a construction toy system created by Joel Glickman of The Rodon Group.[1][2][3][4][5] It was first introduced in America in 1992.[1][2][3][4] K'Nex is designed and produced by K'Nex Industries Inc. of Hatfield, Pennsylvania. K'Nex was purchased by Florida-based company Basic Fun! in 2018.[4]

The toy's building system consists of interlocking plastic rods, connectors, blocks, gears, wheels, and other components, which can be assembled to form a wide variety of models, machines, and architectural structures. While K'Nex is designed for children ages 5–12, a bigger version, Kid K'Nex, is aimed towards children 5 and younger.

History

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K'Nex was created by Joel Glickman,[1][2][3][4][5] son of the Rodon Group co-founder Irving Glickman.[1][4] Joel came up with the idea of K'Nex when playing with drinking straws.[1][2][3][5] By 1992, Joel already spent time on perfecting the building system before founding the K'Nex Brand with his brother Bob.[1][2][3]

The first K'Nex Box was launched in the U.S. market in 1993. Original models with moving parts had a handcrank to make things move, but soon, gears and motors allowed models to move on their own.[5]

A bridge made from K'Nex

The company's products were sold at Toys "R" Us, starting in early October 1992.[2] Toys "R" Us' Charles Lazarus praised the K'Nex system at the 1993 Industry Toy Fair.[3] By 2011, K'Nex was distributed in over 25 countries, including the United States.[citation needed]

In 2018, all of K'Nex's assets were purchased by Basic Fun!, a Florida-based toy company.[6][7][8] The acquisition was valued at around $21 million.[9][10][11]

In 2024, Basic Fun filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The company will use bankruptcy proceedings to repay its creditors while remaining in operation.[12] Basic Fun emerged from bankruptcy on November 1, 2024.[13]

Pieces

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The basic K'Nex pieces used to make models include rods, connectors, and bricks. Basic K'Nex pieces are made out of polyoxymethylene plastic.[14]

Display models and exhibits

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Concordia University's Engineering and Computer Science Association (ECA)[15] has constructed models of a Space Shuttle, the Sears Tower, the Eiffel Tower, Habitat 67, and mazes from K'Nex.[16]

The U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama held a Guinness World Record for "World's Largest K'Nex Sculpture" for a model space shuttle and rocket displayed in their gift shop. The record was broken in 2014 by the BLOODHOUND SSC RBLI K'NEX Build Team in the UK with a 13.38-meter-long K'Nex replica of the Bloodhound SSC supersonic car.[17]

K'Nex has a traveling exhibit, K'Nex: Build Thrill Rides, that visits schools and museums across the US.

Licensed product lines

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Computer games

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K'NEX The Lost Mines: Adventure Begins, was released in 1998 by EAI Interactive for Windows 95.[29]

Virtual K'Nex was released in 1998 by Fox Interactive for Windows 3.x.[30]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f "The K'NEX Story: Marrying Fun and Function with Small Plastic Parts". The Rodon Group. Retrieved October 28, 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Maina, Jayson (October 4, 2025). "K'NEX: Toy That Changed Building Games Forever". Construction Kenya. Retrieved October 28, 2025. [...]with early stock going to independent retailers and Toys "R" Us. The system offered something new: not just static models, but moving creations powered by gears, pulleys, and later, small motors.[...]
  3. ^ a b c d e f Media, Montgomery (September 24, 2021). "Local toy company stays connected with the area". The Reporter (published January 7, 2003). Retrieved October 28, 2025. [...]attending a wedding, Joel Glickman was tinkering with straws, actually playing with them and bending them into geometric shapes. He got the bright idea of connecting the straws[...]
  4. ^ a b c d e "K'Nex Brands sold to Florida-based toy company". Plastics News. February 12, 2018. Retrieved May 17, 2023.
  5. ^ a b c d "History of K'Nex". Knex.com. Archived from the original on February 23, 2012. Retrieved June 3, 2012.
  6. ^ Whyte, Alexandra (February 11, 2018). "Basic Fun! buys K'NEX". Kidscreen. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  7. ^ "Basic Fun! Acquires K'NEX". Basic Fun!. February 12, 2018. Archived from the original on November 15, 2019. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  8. ^ "Basic Fun! buys K'Nex". Toyworldmag.co.uk. February 12, 2018. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
  9. ^ Savana, Freda (February 10, 2018). "Hatfield toymaker K'NEX sold". The Intell.com. Archived from the original on January 2, 2020. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
  10. ^ a b c d e "Basic Fun Keeps K'Nex Licenses". Licensing International. April 19, 2018. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
  11. ^ "Basic Fun Buys K'NEX". Consumergoods.com. February 18, 2018. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
  12. ^ "Toy Maker Behind Lincoln Logs, Tinker Toys Files for Bankruptcy". Bloomberg. June 28, 2024. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  13. ^ "Basic Fun Completes Its Restructuring with a Significantly Strengthened Financial Position and Continues on its Growth Trajectory". PR Newswire. November 1, 2024. Retrieved January 26, 2025.
  14. ^ "Ticona Polymer and Processing Expertise Helps Rodon Deliver Successes, Including K'Nex® Toys". celanese.com. Celanese Corporation. Retrieved March 19, 2016.
  15. ^ "Concordia Engineering and Computer Science Association". ECA. June 15, 2014. Retrieved June 15, 2014.
  16. ^ "Concordia's Women in Engineering chapter construct massive K'Nex shuttle". The Concordian. March 8, 2011. Retrieved June 3, 2012.
  17. ^ "Largest K'NEX sculpture".
  18. ^ a b c d e "K'NEX® Introduces Over 25 New Products at New York Toy Fair". Cison: PRWeb. January 29, 2014. Retrieved October 30, 2025.
  19. ^ "K'NEX® Brands Partners with Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products to Release First Line of Family Guy™ Building Sets". Cison: PRWeb. February 12, 2014. Retrieved October 30, 2025. [...] partnership with Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products announces today its first line of officially licensed building toys inspired by the popular animated comedy series, Family Guy![...]
  20. ^ "TINKERTOY® Introduces MY LITTLE PONY ® Building Sets". Cison - PRWeb. September 25, 2017. Retrieved October 30, 2025.
  21. ^ "41 Entertainment grants K'NEX Brands the license for Construction Toys for PAC-MAN™ Worldwide (ex-Japan)" (PDF). 41e.tv. February 4, 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 9, 2022. Retrieved October 30, 2025.
  22. ^ "K'NEX BRANDS Welcomes PAC-MAN and the Ghostly Adventures™ to its Family of Brands". Cison: PRWeb. July 22, 2013. Retrieved October 30, 2025.
  23. ^ Jasko, Joe (August 22, 2013). "PopCap and K'NEX team up for new line of Plants vs. Zombies toys". Gamezbo. Retrieved October 30, 2025. [...]PopCap and popular construction toy company K'NEX have announced a new partnership this morning to bring a new line of K'NEX toys based on the beloved Plants vs. Zombies franchise.[...]
  24. ^ Conditt, Jessica (June 18, 2014). "Plants vs. Zombies brings the turf war to K'NEX". Engadget. Retrieved October 30, 2025.
  25. ^ Becham Falcone, Lauren (November 24, 2008). "Sesame and K'NEX, a just right connection". Boston Herald. Retrieved October 30, 2025.
  26. ^ "K'NEX: Sesame Street License - SESAME WORKSHOP AND K'NEX BRANDS ANNOUNCE NEW LICENSING PARTNERSHIP". Raving Toy Manic. August 2007. Retrieved October 30, 2025.
  27. ^ Plummer, Willis (July 21, 2011). "Nintendo and K'NEX Debut Mario Kart Building Sets". Village Voice. Retrieved October 30, 2025.
  28. ^ Couto, Anthony (June 24, 2014). "K'NEX Unveils a New Line of Super Mario Building Sets". IGN. Retrieved October 30, 2025.
  29. ^ "K'NEX The Lost Mines: Adventure Begins". legendsworld.net. Retrieved March 16, 2019.
  30. ^ "Virtual K'Nex (PC, CD-ROM) Fox Interactive - 1998 USA, Canada Release". Eli's Software Encyclopedia. Retrieved October 28, 2025.
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