Plus-Plus Travel Sets: Tubes, Grab Bags, and Cases
By Plus-Plus USA | Plus-Plus Blocks - Empowering Open Ended | Published: 2026-10-14
Category: Buying Guides
Compare Plus-Plus travel sets by portability, piece count, and price. Tubes win for big builds, grab bags for small gifts, and cases for organized travel.
Quick answer
For a single kid who wants to build on a plane or in a restaurant, a Plus-Plus Tube is the most self-contained travel set: it holds the pieces, includes instructions, and reseals. For party favors, stocking stuffers, or trying Plus-Plus before committing, a Grab Bag is the lowest-cost way to travel with a small build. A dedicated travel case makes sense when you already own loose Plus-Plus pieces and want to keep them sorted on the go. If you are buying for a specific trip this week, pick the Tube - Color Cars - Candy for the most building options per dollar.
What actually changes between travel formats
The main differences between Plus-Plus travel sets are piece count, whether instructions are included, and how the container survives a backpack. Tubes are reusable and travel-friendly, and the 200-piece Candy Color Car tube includes an instructions flyer. Grab Bags are smaller character builds with no stated container, so they are best treated as a pocket-sized activity rather than a full travel kit. Travel cases are not listed in the current catalog data here, so if you need a case, check the product page for its exact contents rather than assuming it includes pieces or a building base.
Tubes: the default portable building toy
A Plus-Plus tube for travel works because the packaging is part of the product: it reseals, it fits in a seat-back pocket, and it keeps pieces from scattering under a car seat. The trade-off is that tubes are sold as single-color themes or specific builds, so a child who wants to build many different things may need more than one tube. The Tube - Unicorn is a 70-piece set with instructions for a unicorn, then reuses the same pieces for other 2D and 3D designs. That makes it a good first travel tube for a younger builder who likes following a plan before freestyling.
Grab Bags: smallest footprint, smallest build
Grab Bags are the cheapest way to test whether a child will actually play with Plus-Plus while traveling. They are character-based, so the build is guided rather than open-ended, and the piece count is not stated in the catalog data for these two items. The trade-off is clear: you get a specific character and a low price, but you do not get a reusable travel container or a large pile of loose pieces. If your child needs a quiet activity for a short wait, a Grab Bag is enough. If you need 30 minutes of building on a long flight, a tube is the better call.
Travel cases: for pieces you already own
A Plus-Plus travel case is the right format when the problem is organization, not piece count. Cases are designed to hold and sort pieces you already have, so they solve the 'loose pieces in a ziplock bag' problem that makes Plus-Plus hard to bring on trips. The trade-off is that a case alone does not give you a new build or a new color, so it is a poor first purchase for a child who does not yet own Plus-Plus. Buy a tube or grab bag first, then add a case once the collection outgrows the original packaging.
How to pack Plus-Plus for a trip
Pack one tube per child, not one shared tube, because sharing pieces on a tray table rarely ends well. Keep the instructions flyer inside the tube so it does not get lost, and photograph the finished build on your phone so it can be rebuilt after it is taken apart. For a car trip, a grab bag in a cup holder works better than a tube because it takes up less space. For a flight, a tube is easier to reseal when the seat belt sign comes on. If you are bringing multiple tubes, a travel case keeps them from rolling around in a carry-on.
Trade-offs at a glance
- Tube - Color Cars - Candy: 200 pieces and a reusable tube for USD 11.69 (catalog comparison price USD 17.99), suggested for ages 7+. The trade-off is a higher upfront cost and a single color theme. Best value if the child will build more than once on the trip.
- Tube - Unicorn: 70 pieces with instructions for USD 7.19 (catalog comparison price USD 9.99). The trade-off is fewer pieces, so complex builds are limited. Best first travel tube for a younger builder who likes following instructions.
- Critters - Girt and Creepy Critters - Wib: Grab Bags at USD 3.69 and USD 3.29 (catalog comparison prices USD 4.99). The trade-off is no stated reusable container and a fixed character build. Best as a small gift, party favor, or short-wait activity.
Product facts
- Tube - Unicorn: 70-piece Unicorn Tube with included instructions to build a unicorn, then reuse the same colorful pieces for enchanted creatures, fairytale scenes, and 2D and 3D designs. A guided first build plus open-ended reuse makes this a strong starter tube for younger kids who need a clear goal before inventing their own.
- Tube - Color Cars - Candy: 200-piece Candy Color Car tube includes a reusable, travel-friendly tube, an instructions flyer, and 200 color pieces; suggested for ages 7+. The highest piece count here gives the most building options per dollar, and the resealable tube is the most practical format for a flight or long drive.
- Critters - Girt: Girt is a long-legged green Critter in the Grab Bags category, built with colorful Plus-Plus pieces and positioned as the adventure leader of the Critter Crew. A low-cost character build that works as a travel surprise or party favor when you do not want to carry a full tube.
- Creepy Critters - Wib: Wib is a Creepy Critter built with colorful glow-in-the-dark Plus-Plus pieces, designed for spooky adventures, mysterious hideouts, and Halloween-inspired stories. The glow-in-the-dark pieces add a night-time or hotel-room activity that standard tubes do not, though the piece count is not stated.
Which Plus-Plus travel set fits your trip?
Best for
- Families flying or driving with kids ages 7+ who want a resealable, self-contained build
- Parents buying a first Plus-Plus set for a trip and wanting instructions included
- Gift-givers who need a low-cost, packable item for a party favor or stocking stuffer
Not for
- Buyers who want a large, sorted collection with no loose pieces — start with a tube and add a travel case later
- Children under 3, since Plus-Plus pieces are small and the catalog does not list these sets for that age
- Anyone who needs a specific piece count for a grab bag build, because the catalog does not state it
