An interactive block (100; 300; 401, 402, 411, 412, 421, 422; 700; 850; 860) with a plurality of faces comprising: a sensor configured to determine an orientation of the interactive block (100; 300; 401, 402, 411, 412, 421, 422; 700; 850; 860); connectors (302; 601) in corners, configured to physically couple each of the plurality of faces of the interactive block (100; 300; 401, 402, 411, 412, 421, 422; 700; 850; 860) with any of the faces of a neighboring interactive block (100; 300; 401, 402, 411, 412, 421, 422; 700; 850; 860) in a plurality of inter-coupling configurations; a wireless communications interface; and a plurality of substantially identical block communications interfaces at each one of the plurality of faces, each of the plurality of substantially identical block communications interfaces including a group of exposed electronic contacts, characterized in that the group of exposed electronic contacts is disposed along a plane of one of the faces and arranged so as to align with and physically contact a group of exposed electronic contacts disposed along a plane of a face of the neighboring interactive block (100; 300; 401; 402; 411; 412; 421; 422; 700; 850; 860) in at least two of the plurality of inter-coupling configurations so as to provide for a communications circuit between a processor of the interactive block (100; 300; 401; 402; 411; 412; 421; 422; 700; 850; 860) and a processor of the neighboring interactive block (100; 300; 401; 402; 411; 412; 421; 422; 700; 850; 860) in the at least two of the plurality of inter-coupling configurations, wherein the group of exposed electronic contacts is in a linear arrangement parallel to an edge of each face in the plurality of faces and offset from a corner of each face in the plurality of faces. a sensor configured to determine an orientation of the interactive block (100; 300; 401, 402, 411, 412, 421, 422; 700; 850; 860); connectors (302; 601) in corners, configured to physically couple each of the plurality of faces of the interactive block (100; 300; 401, 402, 411, 412, 421, 422; 700; 850; 860) with any of the faces of a neighboring interactive block (100; 300; 401, 402, 411, 412, 421, 422; 700; 850; 860) in a plurality of inter-coupling configurations; a wireless communications interface; and a plurality of substantially identical block communications interfaces at each one of the plurality of faces, each of the plurality of substantially identical block communications interfaces including a group of exposed electronic contacts, characterized in that the group of exposed electronic contacts is disposed along a plane of one of the faces and arranged so as to align with and physically contact a group of exposed electronic contacts disposed along a plane of a face of the neighboring interactive block (100; 300; 401; 402; 411; 412; 421; 422; 700; 850; 860) in at least two of the plurality of inter-coupling configurations so as to provide for a communications circuit between a processor of the interactive block (100; 300; 401; 402; 411; 412; 421; 422; 700; 850; 860) and a processor of the neighboring interactive block (100; 300; 401; 402; 411; 412; 421; 422; 700; 850; 860) in the at least two of the plurality of inter-coupling configurations, wherein the group of exposed electronic contacts is in a linear arrangement parallel to an edge of each face in the plurality of faces and offset from a corner of each face in the plurality of faces.