Abstract: A first toy includes a housing having an elongate shape and a length. The housing includes two surfaces extending along the length that are substantially opposite one another. Two or more chambers are formed within the housing and situated at different positions along the length of the housing. Two or more permanent magnets are each situated within one of the two or more chambers. Each permanent magnet is free to assume a plurality of different orientations. Each permanent magnet is positioned sufficiently close to each one of the two surfaces to enable magnetic interaction with an adjacent permanent magnet contained in a second toy that is contacting the first toy at that one of the two surfaces of the first toy.