So it turns out that the company that makes the big see-through pegboard (Gigo, based in Taiwan) also makes something called
Jumbo Connect-A-Cube. They're just basic 40 mm linking cubes, a great math manipulative that's safe for toddlers and up.
Similar to Trio, but without any of the extra bits we don't need.
Alas, they don't seem to be sold by any North American dealers. I'm going to ask around to see if they can be special ordered.
What we need is someone to start an online store specializing in safe-for-all-ages toys and manipulatives like these. I think they'd be popular with lots of people, including parents of bright toddlers, families with multiple children (especially homeschoolers), mixed-age daycare facilities, and gift-givers who are looking for something that will last.
Of course, they wouldn't be so popular with the major toy companies... the ones whose advertising has conditioned most of the population to buy a whole new batch of thingamajigs, whatchamacallits, and extruded plastic dinguses (dingi?) for each age group. Come to think of it, I guess my proposal jeopardizes a large segment of the US economy. Oh well.
