So your toddler's mastered 3pc, 4pc, 5pc, and 6pc puzzles - what's next? Don't make that eager trip to Hobbes just yet! 24 pc puzzles and beyond may still be too much to handle for your little puzzle master. Thankfully, there is a puzzle between 6pc and 24pc - a 15 pc puzzle! I discovered this type of puzzle at the toy section of Landmark Department Store. It comes in three types - Justice League, Disney Princess, and Winnie The Pooh. The puzzle pieces are large and well suited for toddler's hands. There's also a picture at the righthand corner to serve as a guide. My daughter enjoyed the feeling that she's now able to work on "big" puzzles! We helped her build the puzzle for the first couple of weeks and now she's able to build it on her own.
Another alternative is to get a 24pc puzzle with large pieces and set up all the corner/edge pieces on the frame. That way, your toddler will only need to figure out the remaining 8-piece puzzle in the middle.
[gallery]
Showing posts with label Toys and Games. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Toys and Games. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Dora's Storybook and Figurine Playset
Great find at Fully Booked in Fort Bonifacio today - the Where Is Tico? storybook, giant playmat and 12 toy figurines set! The figurines include Dora, Boots, Benny, Isa, Tico, Swiper, Backpack, Abuela, Mami, Papi, Senor Tucan and Grumpy Old Troll! And all for P750 - beats buying the individual Megablock Dora toys at the toystore for P800-P1500. Not to mention that Megablock usually only has Dora and Boots figurines.
I've yet to open the pack because I'm planning to give it to my toddler as a reward for when she starts school this June. She really likes Dora's Theater, but has difficulty maneuvering the paper dolls and balancing them on the cardboard stage. I'm really hoping she'll like this playset!
Saturday, April 23, 2011
The Poor Man's Kitchen Playset
Does your toddler love to fiddle around with the high tech kitchen playset perpetually on display at Toy Kingdom, Rustan's, and Toys R Us? The electronic one that comes with its own fridge, stove, oven, appliances, and that cute little clock on top? The one that tugs at your heart and has you imagining raising a little chef - but tears at your wallet with its P10K++ price tag?
Here's the cheaper alternative:
(1) Basket of plastic fruits and vegetables - less than P200, available at Landmark and Toy Kingdom (with the basket, your kid can play shopping too!)
(2) Set of plastic cups, plates, and cookware - less than P200, available at Landmark and Toy Kingdom (get the one with the little stove and sink)
(3) Set of food you can "slice" - less than P500, available at Toy Kingdom (these are plastic pancakes, hamburgers, ice cream, cake, etc. held together by velcro so your child can practice slicing with the plastic knife)
(4) Toy Microwave - less than P2000, available at Toy Kingdom and Rustan's. After watching my child play with the uber expensive kitchen playset, I realized that it was the doors that can open/close that engrossed her and the lights that indicate the food is cooking. The toy microwave serves this same purpose. I got the one that simulates an actual microwave and comes with toy hamburger, chicken, popcorn, hotdog, ketchup, and mustard.
And voila! You have your cheaper alternative to a full kitchen playset! If you're iffy about having your child play with plastic toys, the alternative - though more expensive - are the wooden food and cookware toys available at Rustan's and Hobbes.
Here's the cheaper alternative:
(1) Basket of plastic fruits and vegetables - less than P200, available at Landmark and Toy Kingdom (with the basket, your kid can play shopping too!)
(2) Set of plastic cups, plates, and cookware - less than P200, available at Landmark and Toy Kingdom (get the one with the little stove and sink)
(3) Set of food you can "slice" - less than P500, available at Toy Kingdom (these are plastic pancakes, hamburgers, ice cream, cake, etc. held together by velcro so your child can practice slicing with the plastic knife)
(4) Toy Microwave - less than P2000, available at Toy Kingdom and Rustan's. After watching my child play with the uber expensive kitchen playset, I realized that it was the doors that can open/close that engrossed her and the lights that indicate the food is cooking. The toy microwave serves this same purpose. I got the one that simulates an actual microwave and comes with toy hamburger, chicken, popcorn, hotdog, ketchup, and mustard.
And voila! You have your cheaper alternative to a full kitchen playset! If you're iffy about having your child play with plastic toys, the alternative - though more expensive - are the wooden food and cookware toys available at Rustan's and Hobbes.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Toddler's First Puzzles!
My 2.5 year old daughter sees me working on puzzles all the time and wants to try it out for herself. So I figure, why not? Brain food and good practice for hand-eye coordination and control.
I bought her JOYTOY'S Spelling Fun set, which contains 16 3-piece puzzles. The puzzle pieces are large and easy to handle. Best of all, each piece corresponds to a letter that spells out the word depicted by the puzzle such as D-O-G, C-A-T, P-I-E, S-U-N, etc. What better way to introduce your little one to basic words and spelling?
My baby took to this puzzle set immediately and it was also quite a hit with the other toddlers in the playroom. I started by laying out one puzzle at a time and teaching her how to properly fit the pieces together. Once she mastered one puzzle, I began to mix the puzzle pieces for 3 different puzzles for her to distinguish and build, one puzzle at a time. The next day, I gave her a mix of 4 puzzles and so on until she can identify and build a mix of at least a dozen of the puzzles.
Eventually, I bought her a 4-in-1 puzzle that consists of a 3-piece, 4-piece, 5-piece, and 6-piece puzzle to increase her level one step at a time. She is now able to dump all of the puzzle pieces and rebuild it on her own.
JOYTOY Spelling Fun costs less than P200 for the whole box of 16 puzzles. I bought it at SM department store. There's also a 4-letter-word set available to start introducing tots to C-A-K-E and D-U-C-K.
4-in-1 puzzle sets are usually found alongside party favors and are a good deal at only P50!
[gallery]
I bought her JOYTOY'S Spelling Fun set, which contains 16 3-piece puzzles. The puzzle pieces are large and easy to handle. Best of all, each piece corresponds to a letter that spells out the word depicted by the puzzle such as D-O-G, C-A-T, P-I-E, S-U-N, etc. What better way to introduce your little one to basic words and spelling?
My baby took to this puzzle set immediately and it was also quite a hit with the other toddlers in the playroom. I started by laying out one puzzle at a time and teaching her how to properly fit the pieces together. Once she mastered one puzzle, I began to mix the puzzle pieces for 3 different puzzles for her to distinguish and build, one puzzle at a time. The next day, I gave her a mix of 4 puzzles and so on until she can identify and build a mix of at least a dozen of the puzzles.
Eventually, I bought her a 4-in-1 puzzle that consists of a 3-piece, 4-piece, 5-piece, and 6-piece puzzle to increase her level one step at a time. She is now able to dump all of the puzzle pieces and rebuild it on her own.
JOYTOY Spelling Fun costs less than P200 for the whole box of 16 puzzles. I bought it at SM department store. There's also a 4-letter-word set available to start introducing tots to C-A-K-E and D-U-C-K.
4-in-1 puzzle sets are usually found alongside party favors and are a good deal at only P50!
[gallery]
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)