Activities and Learning Reviews
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Buyer reviews for "Activities and Learning" sorted by average review score:
Magnetic Fishing Game
Made by Melissa & Doug
Age Group: 36 months - 5 years
Amazon base price: $9.99
A plywood puzzle with a difference: the idea is to get the pieces out after you put them in. The 11.75-inch by 8.50-inch aquatic scene (mainly in blues, oranges, and browns) includes such pieces as a sea horse, various fish, a crab, and a starfish. Though the pieces are wood, each has a metal "button" in the middle; attach a magnet to a line and practice "fishing" them out before reconstructing the puzzle. (For an especially interesting challenge, try "fishing" them back in.) --Richard Farr
Average review score: 
No reviews found for this product.
Good for a 2 year old and a 4 year oldI got this for my 2 year old niece for her birthday. Both she and her older 4 year old sister absolutely loved it. I should have purchased 2, one for each of them. This is a simple but great toy!
No reviews found for this product.
Fun and durableThis was the first puzzle I ever put down in front of my son (he was under 2 at the time) and almost 4 years later he still loves it. In fact all of his friends do. It's really lasted. It's also a fun way to teach the names of various sea creatures. The pole part of the fishing pole got lost, so now we just use the string with the magnet. This puzzle is worth the money.
No reviews found for this product.
Buy it, buy it buy it!OH what a terrific idea! This is by far the best puzzle I've ever seen! It comes with a fishing rod to take the fish out of the puzzle and return them to their proper positions. It teaches great manual dexterity and shapes. It's just so much fun and keeps our toddler busy for quite some time. What a great purchase!
Roll & Rhyme Melody Block
Made by LeapFrog
Amazon base price: $9.98
List price: $19.99 (that's 50% off!)
List price: $19.99 (that's 50% off!)
Average review score:
No reviews found for this product.
Good toy, but a little too sensitiveMy 8-month old girl enjoys playing with this cube, but when the edge (as opposed to the side) of the cube is facing the ceiling, you do tend to go back and forth between two different songs, depending on the exact position of the cube. It's more of an annoyance for me than for her though. Other than that it's a good-sized toy for little hands and both the music and the rhymes are nice.
No reviews found for this product.
A great toy for your little one!I had not seen this toy before but it was given to me at one of my baby showers. My 6 month old little girl absolutely loves it! It is the perfect size for her to handle, look at, and play with! She loves to hear the music when she turns it and grabs at everything on it.
My Sons Favorite ToyThis was one of the best presents my son received. He loves it. The rhymes and music are fun. I think the different colors and variety of music are what mesmerizes our baby. He always becomes excited when he sees the cube.
Pretend & Play Calculator Cash Register
Made by Learning Resources
Age Group: 36 months - 8 years
Amazon base price: $29.99
Well-designed with lots of terrific detail, Learning Resources' Calculator Cash Register completely satisfies a young child's hunger to play with bills, coins, cash drawers, and big numbers. The chiming cash register features a built-in solar calculator as its keypad, thus allowing kids to act as bankers, shopkeepers, and accountants all at once. A large cash drawer holds life-sized bills in four denominations (1, 5, 10, and 20), and four coin holders make room for embossed plastic pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters. There is even a credit card slot that dings when you correctly slide the faux VISA card through it. A suggested-activities booklet is included. Requires a 1.5V button cell battery (included) to make the chiming noise. No assembly required. Winner of awards from Dr. Toy, FamilyFun Magazine, and Oppenheim Toy Portfolio.
Average review score:
No reviews found for this product.
This is the funniest toy everWhen I got this toy i played with it for such along time and still do. You only spend $29.99 on it and it is money well spent. You make the right choice if you get this toy. The age group i would say is probably 5-whenever. Let me tell you parents what when my mom and dad got this for me i lovedit and it made me happy for so long.Three words for this toy.
MONEY WELL SPENT!!!!!!!!! FUN
so you should get this toy. KNOW dont think twice get it...NOW
dont forget get the scanner and bar codes* that go with it.
*SOLD SEPARTLEY
MONEY WELL SPENT!!!!!!!!! FUN
so you should get this toy. KNOW dont think twice get it...NOW
dont forget get the scanner and bar codes* that go with it.
*SOLD SEPARTLEY
No reviews found for this product.
A preschool favoriteI'm buying this toy for my son's 3rd birthday because he makes a beeline to it everytime we go to our parent-child preschool class. He usually sets up a toy phone nearby, too. I get to be the customer and bring a basket of toy food to him which he "scans" on the notepad area. It's nice when toys leave something to the imagination. He loves the play bills and coins and pretending to make change. I believe that this toy will grow with my child and still be fun for him in a few years.
I figure that if this toy has survived daily use by multiple 2-4 year olds, it will survive around our house. If it doesn't, then I will update this posting!!!
Super buy on an educational and entertaining productThis item was used in my Sunday School classroom ages (4-7) earlier this year. Okay, so you are probably wondering in what application did I use this for in a Sunday School room? A: Matthew and Zacchaeus, the tax collectors.
Due to its popularity, I decided it was in my best interest to purchase a duplicate so that ten children would not be crowding around one register. The register was never not in use during the entire class time (1 hour and 15 minutes) except when I pulled them away for story time. Suffice it to say that it was a major hit.
It has been my experience that the special traits that make it a favorite with the children are: 1. Calculator features (the children who are familiar with numbers were thrilled that they could use it for real life addition and subtraction transactions). 2. Credit card that swipes through a slit in the register and note pad (these two items made the setting more "real life" as they are familiar with these adult items). 3. Size (this particular register is the largest available-unless you are willing to spring for a real one). END
Tiny Love Trio
Made by Tiny Love
Age Group: 3 months - 1 years
Amazon base price: $12.99
Average review score:
No reviews found for this product.
I've been handing them down for yearsWhen these first came out, I bought them for one of my kids. They've been passed down several times since then (I even had to buy another set for my triplets). We love them, the babies play with them, teethe on them, make them click and clack and any other thing possible with them. They're great toys!
No reviews found for this product.
Excellent toyI bought this for my daughter for her first Christmas, she was 3 mo old. What a life saver. She loves "talking" to the little monkey and elephant. When it came to teething time, the first toy she reached for was the one with three rubbery butterflies. My daughter seems to love this toy. I would recommend to anyone.
No reviews found for this product.
My daughter loves this monkey...My 2 1/2 month old daughter absolutely loves the monkey! She started to enjoy looking it at about 3 weeks of age. She then moved on to smiling and batting at it. He is now the receiver of many smiles, giggles, and conversations throughout the day. She also likes the elephant, but she definitely prefers the monkey. I've found that this toy is very portable, it's easily attached to her bouncy seat, stroller, car seat, swing, etc...
Baby Einstein - Discover and Play Activity Blocks
Made by Kids II
Amazon base price: $12.99
Average review score:
My 1 1/2 yr old loves these!!!!!I bought these blocks for my friends newborn baby girl & before I could even wrap them to bring them to the hospital my son saw them and was crying for me to take them out for him to play with. Needless to say I ended up giving in & buying another set for my friends baby. Now my son plays with them all the time. My only complaint is that the duck that quacks when squeezed on the yellow block is a little hard for even my 1 1/2 yr old, he tries & then gives it to me to squeeze. Other than that they are nice & big, soft, colorful & have nice pictures of the Baby Einstein characters & colored pictures to coordinate with the color of the block.
Our new favorite toy!I purchased these blocks for my three-month-old daughter after seeing them in some information on new toys from Baby Einstein. What a great decision! The blocks are eye-catching and well constructed. Each block has a wonderful variety of textures and images. They grabbed her attention immediately. Probably my favorite thing about them at the moment is that they are soft and lightweight. We can stack them next to her when she's lying on her blanket on the floor and she can reach over and knock them over. She finds this endlessly entertaining and we don't have to worry if they hit her when they fall. She's not quite at the picking stuff up stage yet, but I have no doubt that she'll have even more fun with them then. Can't recommend these enough!
AWESOME TOY - GREAT LANGUAGE TOOL TOO!Since my son was a week old we've been using these blocks every day. His favorite is the "quack quack quack" sound - his eyes get so big! They are a great source of entertainment and teach baby at the same time.
They are also a great way for baby to learn to reach with both hands and bring a toy up to his mouth - they are just the perfect size and so soft.
My husband and I are teaching our son both English and Afrikaans. Talking about the colors, animals, fruits and textures in two languages is a great tool for bilingual babies!
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!
They are also a great way for baby to learn to reach with both hands and bring a toy up to his mouth - they are just the perfect size and so soft.
My husband and I are teaching our son both English and Afrikaans. Talking about the colors, animals, fruits and textures in two languages is a great tool for bilingual babies!
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!
Crazy Legs Bug
Made by VTech Industries
Age Group: 12 months - 2 years
Amazon base price: $19.99
Average review score:
Keeps us all entertained!My son (almost 9 months) got this as a gift for Christmas. Although it isn't recommended until your child is a year, our son loves the lights and music the bug makes. He pulls it around our living room by the string and pushes the shapes to play a variety of different songs. In a different mode, the bug tells you the color and shape of the button you push. This toy is a hit for my son and the rest of us!
Unbelievable..I never would have guessed!My mother and I went out to by some toys for her home for when my son visits. She chose this bug as one of the items. I am OVERWHELMED every time I go there by how completely fascinated he is by this toy. If I only knew it would make him sit still for so long I would have bought it myself long ago (now of course, I'm afraid if I did it would ruin the novelty)! :) Honestly though - my son is VERY active and I truly am amazed by how entertained he is by this toy. Every time I go to my parents home my mother and I joke about how it was the best money we ever spent on a toy....and it is. For the price, you really cannot go wrong. There is something about the music and the flashing lights and the voice which just captivates children. I highly recommend it, and I have not been very impressed with a lot of toys I have bought. THis is the only one which seems to have any staying power. It may just be my child, but I still would recommend it!
Really cool toy for baby, lasts and lastsWe couldn't believe how long the batteries it came with lasted--almost two years of serious play. Crazy Legs Noodle Bug enjoyed at least four phases of our son's interest, from immobile baby to toddler. He's four and it still works!
BR Max the Monkey
Made by Learning Curve
Age Group: 1 months - 2 years
Amazon base price: $11.99
Average review score:
No reviews found for this product.
grandson's very first toyHaving several young grandchildren I've purchased a lot of toys--Lamaze brand being one of my favorites. Max was a Christmas present for our grandson Levi--who wasn't due until April. Levi started noticing Max at about 3 weeks and now at 3 months Max has become his good friend. I don't think he's as entertaining as some of the other Lamaze toys but the point is Levi loves him. I think its the bright colors, soft plush body and he really does have a cute face.So Max lives on the car seat and keeps Levi entertained for long periods of time in the car. He coos and giggles and talks to Max for as much as 20 minutes at a time, which isn't bad for 3 months old. Worth the money as are all of the Lamaze toys.
No reviews found for this product.
Possible choking Hazard (our experience with Max)We bought Max for our daughter, several months ago, and at age 7 months, she enjoys Max. We check out her toys regularly to ensure that they are in good shape and nothing dangerous exists to our knowledge.
One morning we find her in her crib with Max in one hand and the banana in the other (she just turned 7 months) and the banana appears to be a size to cause a serious choking hazard. I am just so glad we caught things before they became deadly serious.
The banana is sewed on by thick thread, but somehow (we didn't put it in the washer or anything like that) the banana came loose from the toy and is the size (in our opinion) to cause a choking hazard - due to both its size and the curved shape.
YMMV - but Max and his banana need to go back to the drawing board to ensure that a more durable means of attachment of the banana is developed.
Parents bewareMy 4 month old son has been playing with Max the last 4 weeks and loves to make it squeek (so it gets 3 stars for high entertainment value); however, this morning the monkey's orange tassel was laying in the crib just out of baby's reach (choking hazard!). The tassel is attached to the monkey by a small thread and can easily come off with normal play. I didn't inspect this toy as I should have because it was a Lamaze brand, but I've learned and will be more diligent in the future regardless of the name brand.
Smarty's Workshop
Made by VTech Industries
Age Group: 36 months - 7 years
Amazon base price: $29.99
List price: $59.99 (that's 50% off!)
List price: $59.99 (that's 50% off!)
Smarty, a robot character who gestures and speaks, is designed to teach kids about numbers, shapes, and colors by engaging them in a number of home improvement projects. First the good points: Smarty, who is a kind of mechanical Bob the Builder, is nicely modeled, and his gestures really bring him to life, giving the feeling that he is actually talking to you. Likewise the included plastic tools are solid, chunky, and fun to hold and use. The bad news: the activities are repetitive and unsatisfying, the sound is unclear, and the learning content is questionable. The biggest problem is that the projects, which include building a pool and a picture frame, bear little relation to the activities that produce them, like hitting the red peg three times. When you complete a task, Smarty says "Good job!" and a highly pixilated image of whatever you just built appears. Not very satisfying--especially long term. Still, with music, talking, sawing, hammering, and all the rest, there is a lot for a child to do, even if it doesn't add up to a very meaningful experience. Bottom line: Smarty's Workshop looks great, and could still be fun despite some shortcomings. --David Stoesz
Average review score:
No reviews found for this product.
Take's a licking and keeps on ticking!Smarty is great fun for both my two year old and my three year old. He is a little advanced for the two year old who doesn't count yet, but he holds up well to the abuse inflicted on him. I have never had a problem with Smarty locking up or breaking. I am amazed at all the things Smarty does for such a reasonable price!
No reviews found for this product.
Worth the time and moneyMy son is receptive delayed. So when he was playing with this more and more enabling him to take and follow directions, I was thrilled! He feels so proud when he finishes a project. And he loves being able to "build" things on his own.
It's a very positive toy, also, because it tells the person operating it "bravo done" and "very good."
The only durability problem I see is that he figured out early on how to remove the pencil from the hard hat when it's part of the function of the toy.
No reviews found for this product.
Always BreakingI usually like v-tech toys although I had two Smarty's and I was not buying a third. I had to keep taking the batteries out to reset it, it was not worth the agravation. I was very dissapointed.
Playnest and Gym
Made by Galt America Inc
Age Group: 3 months - 1 years
Amazon base price: $69.99
They call it "a multisensory play environment and activity gym"; you may just think of it as a good way to get a rug-rat off the rug. The base of the play nest is an inflatable vinyl ring (39 inches external diameter) encased in a fabric cover that's festooned with animal scenes and a variety of textures, and flaps; four fabric-covered gym bars connect to the ring and meet at a point over your baby's head. You can attach various included soft toys (a sun that plays "You Are My Sunshine," a mirrored star) with links to the bars. For the youngest infant, this is a cozy place to watch the world; slightly older tots will enjoy the sense of security and a bit of assistance with sit-up play. Toddlers may give the play nest a second life by seeing whether they can throw the toys or themselves into it. --Richard Farr
Average review score:
No reviews found for this product.
Great Infant productI purchased this product after I read an article in BABY MAGAZINE, that rated this Playnest& Gym top prize out of all the gyms they tested (12 ) The gym kept the babies attention for over 50 mins.. Upon reading this article my Wife and I purchased the Galt Playnest & Gym - and we have never looked back...this is a great baby product and I would recommend this gym for all new born babies. Other products sold on this site from Galt our also very good....
Great toy - buy it if you can get it!I spent a long time looking around all the toy shops and online to see what there was for little babies. My son, Toby, at 4 months, did not like just lying on his back and watching things hanging above. The beauty of this toy is that you can safely put your baby in a semi-reclining position and not need to worry that he will fall out. He loved it from the moment he was put in it. All those bright colours and textures and noises facinated and excited him. He loved the upright position and soon he managed to sit up all by himself.
He is now 8 months old and we have removed the baby gym part. He lies happily in his ring reading his books - almost like grownups lounging in the sun on holiday. Or hangs over the side trying to catch his other toys which he had thrown out.
Your baby will love it - as have all the other reviewers. Great toy.
Hang in thereI bought this for my son about 3 months ago when he was about 4 months. I was looking for an activity gym that he could sit up in because he wasen't to keen on just laying down. I read all of the reviews and decided this was perfect. When we first received the product I too was a little shocked at the difference from online viewing to in person and was a little disappointed at the amount of money I had spent on it. When I put him in it, I think he might have been scared at the hanging toys or something but he didn't like it at all. I unclipped the toys and he liked to play with them. I recently tried to put him in it again at about 6 months, when he started to sit up more sturdy, without the toy bars. He loves it and will sit in it for a couple of hours, however if he falls over or gets to the laying position again he will fuss until I put him sitting again. It took time but I never regretted paying for this toy and would buy it again given the need!
Activity Center
Made by Tiny Love
Age Group: 3 months - 2 years
Amazon base price: $29.99
List price: $39.99 (that's 25% off!)
List price: $39.99 (that's 25% off!)
Average review score:
No reviews found for this product.
Good toy, but breaks easilyWe got this toy for our 11-month old son. He started out playing with it as an activity table. He's a strong little boy, and one of the switches broke the 1st time. The next month he picked it up, dropped it while flipping it over and one foot broke. A few weeks later he dropped it again, and another foot broke. Other than something always breaking, he enjoys playing with all the different activities.
No reviews found for this product.
My son will find this and DRAG it out if we put it away...My son (now 1 year old) adores this. We bought it because while we were in the store looking for somehting else, he saw it from his stroller and grabbed for it every time we walked near it. I can see why; it's very colorful and much more appealing to look at than the other activity tables we've seen.
If the music bugs you, turn it off for a break; the child will still find the toy appealing.
He uses both sides; when he's done with one side he'll flip it over himself now, though he has to heave. All that rough handling hasn't seemed to hurt the toy at all.
My only complaint: I wish they'd made the legs to work from both sides without flipping them over. When your child is so attached to both sides, it's a pain to shift them; we end up letting him use it with the legs facing up on one side.
Overall, a GREAT toy; I'd recommend it from six months to say two years; my son shows no signs of getting bored so far. Every stage he figures out a new thing he can do with it.
A Great ProductThis is a great activity center. My 8 month old loves this toy, and has for months. Once she figured out how to move everything, it kept her enthralled and still does. I like that it is 2 sided, so that it will grow with her, and help her continue to develop other skills without having to buy a new toy. It also came in handy when our 15 month old nephew came over, I held it up and my baby played with one side while he played with the other.