Activities and Learning Reviews

First of all, we love Harold and the Purple Crayon book. So we are pre-disposed to liking this game...

But I think most kids (and parents) will like this game for several reasons: It is a very simple game: one picks a card, then draws the picture shown on the card; one re-tells whatever that has been said by others in the right order, then one makes up a one-sentence story that includes the picture drawn. It is an ever-changing game: depending on which card is drawn and how one makes up the story, each game is different. If a parent (or a quick thinking kid) can inject an unexpected twist now and then, the story can get hilarious. The game encourages imaginative thinking and helps kids learn story-telling (sequence, logic, interest etc). Age does not seem to matter in this game: 4 year olds can play along with teenagers and grown-ups (though some 4 year olds may need a little help drawing).

Highly recommend it.

We got this for Christmas and have played it many times already. From an educational perspective, it develops the kids'imagination, drawing skills and memory. From a fun perspective, it is an awesome game for the whole family! It's one of the few games my husband and I truly enjoy playing with the kids. I don't know why they have an upper age of 6/7 - I would say more like 99!

We like this game. It gets the younger kids creating and feeling good about their creations. Cute!

I bought this toy based on the reviews and the quality of past lego toy purchases. Even though it was expensive, it was definitely worth every penny! The photos do not do this lego set justice! The dolls and accessories are larger than they appear and perfect for little hands. My 2 year old daughter loves this toy and plays with it everyday. I just wish there was a Lego doll house to accompany this set! I also purchased this set online and received with it the Garden Party Set free (which is the medium set without the dolls!). I love all the textiles that come with this toy..the comforter, pillow, mattress, rugs, and tablecloth... plus the clothes that the dolls change into are wonderful... as always, lego has a great attention to realistic detail. My daughter loves the velcro closures, as do I. She turns the oven dials on and off, can interchange the lids on the teapot and sauce pot... and the dolls can actually hold the large teacups as well as push the stroller and hold their 'baby dolls' hands. It is a wonderful toy, one that is very durable, and one that we look forward to playing with for years to come.

This is the best toy! I purchsed this for my 2 year old daughter for Christmas based on the reviews I'd read. It is wonderful. The dolls are very easy to use and dress and very durable. My daughter loves playing with it. It seemed like a lot to spend on a toy, but for the amount of time she spends with it, it was well worth it.

Great product, worth every penny. This is reallly a set designed for preschool playrooms. It is hard to find anything like this in the stores, this is not your normal Lego toy set. Very high quality, very good looking, nice size and fun to play with. Note that it ships in a plain brown box as this is not sold in stores.

This is the best shape sorter out there. The "shapes" are 3-D, so they can be inserted in many different directions, not just 2 directions like the usual toy of this kind. This means that even 1 year olds can really work out the problem on their own. The door and key are equally fascinating, as others have noted: open the door, close the door, take out shape, put in shape, etc for long periods of time. One of the best and most fun toys my son owns, AND its educational in an open-ended way, unlike all of these electronic "learning" toys.

I bought this toy for my son when he was 9 months old and at 1 year he still loves to play with it. He plays with it in a lot of ways -- he likes to clap the blocks and balls together, walk around holding them, roll the yellow balls around and chase them, put the blocks in and out of the little door. This is even before he got to the point where now he tries to sort the shapes. I think part of the reason he likes it so much is that the blocks (the square, the ball, and the pyramid) are brightly colored, and just the right size for his hands. The toy seems very thoughtfully designed and well made.

My daughter got this for her 1st birthday and almost 3 months later she still plays with it like it is new toy. She got the hang of it right away. The shapes are very easy for her to put in the box. It is also her secret safe where she puts other toys too. =)

Bill and Ben are two twin engines who work at the docks on the Island of Sodor. They play minor roles in the Thomas videos and are not exactly essential Thomas engines. However, who could resist adding them to the Thomas and Friends collection.

I got my Ben when I was 3 now 9 years later it still works with just a few minor scratches. This toy os a great buy and it would not be complete without bill ben's twin.

I was a Thomas finatic for eight years so I had almost ebery Thomas thing up to date. The Ben Engine that I got when I was three lasted all those years until I passed onto my little sister who loves it along with every other Thomas thing. With the exception of a few minor scratches it has stayed in almost mint condition. Of course if you buy Ben you must buy Bill too.

I got these blocks for my son at 20 mos.He plays with them 5 times a day at minimum. He stacks them up and sideways. He is now 2yrs old and counts them 1-10 as he stacks them. They have the numbers in spanish too and he can count to 10 in Spanish as well. They are a great way to interact with your child and teach him how to count. Of course he likes to point to Dora and Boots too. I have a 6 month old, and when I need to focus on her I say "go get your Dora blocks" and it occupies him long enough for me to feed the baby. These blocks are a must have! Since they stack inside he likes to clean them up too. They are very sturdy but made of cardboard that you can clean with a paper towel. I recommend these blocks for every toddler. They are on my gift giving list.

I got these blocks as a gift when my daughter was born, it was her first toy!
she loves to stack the blocks, and loves to knock them down, and tries to nest them with decent results. I found these blocks to be somewhat durable, I dont have this exact toy, but a similar one. however, I recently purchased a full set of wooden blocks because my daughter got frustrated when she tried to build, and the blocks "nested".
Im glad I have both toys though!

I have 3 girls ages 3 1/2 and my twins are 2 1/2. They all love these blocks. I almost didn't order them because I wondered if my girls were too old for them, but they love building the tower then knocking it down or naming the characters on each block and counting them.

They are made of cardboard and in everyday use someone fell on one of them and that block is broken. I taped it back together, but I wish they were a little more sturdy. If nobody fell on it they would be fine.

I look for toys that are going to last a long time and survive several children playing with them. I look for toys that will grow with a child. I look for toys that are easy to play with that do not need a lot of parent direction. I want a toy that will not just have a button to push to make it do something. I want a toy that will encourage creativity and exploration of the world around us. If the toy is quiet to play with even better.

This game fits these requirements.

It is a fun game. My four year old really enjoys this game. It is a game that my two year old can understand. Yet it is still fun as a family game. The game board sets up differently each time so the kids can't memorize where something is for each game. It is not a slow game so you can play a quick round or two in a short time and stop before the kids get bored.

Well worth the money.
Enjoy.

Enjoy.

This game is truly fun! It is sort of a "I-Spy" type of game with a competitive twist. Three cards are turned and everyone must find the corresponding images on the board, fast. The game board is made up of several inter-locking pieces, which can be re-shuffled to make it hard for anyone to memorize the game board. The game can last 30 seconds, or go one forever if everyone likes it. The younger kids may take longer than the older ones to find the images, but even the young ones can have a great time. My children are 5 and 7 and both enjoy the game tremendously.

My 2 year old and 4 year old have played this non-stop since it arrived. In order to include my 2 year old, I changed the rules - dealt out all the tiles (weighted so my 4 year old had more to make it fair) and told them the first to find all their objects wins the game. More fun than the original rules, in my opinion. They have an endless attention span for this, and can play without my constant help, which is a lifesaver since I have a baby too. Highly recommended!

I highly recommend this game! Very fun while still being extremely educational. The best way to learn is while your having a good time doing it. My son (4 years) has this game and we have given the Jr. version as a gift. The Jr. version is appropriate for pre-readers.

My son started playing this when he was 3. At 4, he can name all the states, abbreviations, capitals and most of the state birds. He can tell you where the major points of interest are without looking at the map. It helps to teach the concept of distance, such as "which state is closest to Maine". It also teaches the concept of compass direction, such as "which state is north of Texas". The game can be played with or without a board for portability. All in all a great educational game for children as well as adults.

You don't need the board to play this game, just take the flash cards with you to travel, etc. Make up your own rules, as you'll have fun 'refreshing' your memory of states, capitals and landmarks. I'd even recommend it for kids ;)

This cloth book is expensive, but worth it. I received one as a gift for my new baby and I really love it. It goes through the bedtime routine and there's a little bear figure that tucks into the pockets on the books pages. My baby is only 3 months old, so I haven't used the book yet, but I plan to make it part of our bedtime routine when he's old enough. I've already bought this for 2 of my friends.

My twins each receive this book for christmas. They do go page by page at naptime and bedtime. The manufacturer does include a card on how to contact them for replacements on missing items, such as the pajamas, milk, soap. A book they are sure to play with for a long time.

I just purchased this book for my 17 month old. It is the first soft activity book that we have owned. It is a great way to do something together to settle down before bed. The hands-on activities hold her interest very well. I would warn to only use it with adult supervision, as we have already misplaced the milk. It is well made, very creative and similar to most bedtime routines. My little one just loves it! I will buy it for other toddlers in the future.

Douglas is a good engine and this one is a great buy for your money. The magnets work very well and they don't come apart in a second like some other toys do. Douglas would not be complete without his twin Donald. These toys are very durable and kids can play with them for hours.

Kids think this toy is very cool. It's very enjoyable and it's durable.

It's pricy for the size but good enjoyment is something that no amount of money culd buy.

Douglas is another in the fine line of Thomas the Tank Engine trains, and he upholds the tradition of fun, educational learning for children. Douglas has sleek black paint, a smiling face, and a large coal car that my son enjoys very much. Douglas has been an excellent addition to my son's Thomas collection. He is built strong for hours of use. Purchase Douglas or any of the fine Thomas trains. They are worth the money and your children will love them.

THE HOBERMAN'S SPHERE HAS SURVIVED THE ROUGH-HOUSING OF KIDS & OTHER ADULTS. IT IS QUITE A CONVERSATION PIECE. I DO NOT CONSIDER IT TO BE AN INEXPENSIVE TOY FOR CHILDREN BUT THE CONSTRUCTION WORK OF THIS SPHERE WELL DESIRES A REWARD. THIS SPHERE BELONGS TO OUR YOUNGEST(AGE 4).

When I first saw this toy at a freinds birthday I basically fell in love with it.so then when my mom came to pick me up I was like mom you have to get me one of those so then she did so when I got it i just had to bring it to school and me and my freinds played with it during recess and even in between classes and my mom even likes to play with it and its also something you can never get bored of and its fun for all ages even for my grandma.

I thought I would write a review on this gizmo. I gave this to my friend for Xmas (we exchanged gifts early). He is 23 and could not stop playing with it. It was the perfect thing for him. He is so smart and inquisitive. He enjoys the complexity of and the engineering behind it. He has had a great time figuring out a variety of uses for it. He is starting a project to convert it into a disco ball using LEDs. It should make for an very interesting party.