Hape Pyramid of Play Review

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I got so sick of cardboard nesting blocks not being able to stand up to what my sons can dish out. I searched for wooden nesting blocks and these popped up. The boys LOVE themespecially my one year old. Simpler than a multi-shape sorter, he can easily put the shape in it's box, then pick the box up and **peek-a-boo** there is his block. He can play this game forever! My older son is 3.5 and he loves to see the numbers, letters and color words. These can withstand his stacking and crashing time and again. These also present an opportunity for the kids to play together.

One small feature that shows how Educo pays attention to detail is the little "lip" on the top (or bottom, depending) of each block. This allows sturdier stacking as they nest in or on top of eachother. This is nice for a 1 year old just learning to build. Once he stacks, it stays giving him an opportunity to celebrate as his tower grows higher!

These are the favorite of the nesting/sorting toys in our house!

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We chose these blocks over many others because they are real wood, and have a variety of educational benefits to them. We had a hard time finding a good set, because most of the other sets seem to be made of cardboard or balsa wood, but not these. After growing up with good solid toys, we've had a hard time finding similar quality now. But we are very happy with this purchase.

From the minute we pulled these out, our 11 month old was thrilled, and played with them longer than any new toy we've given her so far. The blocks are made of real wood, and stack nicely within or on top of each other. The tall lip allows for them to be very stable when stacked, and the shape blocks can only go through the shape that fits them, and they fit easily.

Everything is color coded, and there are subtle but well themed choices as far as the sides. For example, the food/animal sides all have things that start with the letter of their block (A -> Apple, B -> Butterfly, etc.). They have the number on one side, and on the shape slot they also have the shape and number corresponding. The colors are vibrant and everything is durable. It is a very well thought out toy, and a lot of coordination seems to have been put into each block.

As for durability, I'm more worried about my floor than these things falling apart. My daughter didn't really throw things before we bought these, but she seems to delight in flinging these blocks around, and she can really get them moving. Most of the time, she sends them horizontal, but occasionally straight up and down. They've hit pretty hard and I can't seem to find any damage to them (or my laminate floor... yet). But despite being durable, they are very light weight, so she can easily move them all over the place.

I can't say enough how pleased we are with these blocks, and I wish more toys these days were made with this level of quality.

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This is a perfect size, colorful, well made,and is very entertaining. The boxes have a raised edge so the cubes don't fall off while stacking.

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I purchased this for my 14 month old daughter. She loves it. However, the shapes do not pass the "toilet paper" roll test, in which you try to pass the toy (or in this case, the shape) through the center of a toilet paper roll. If it fits, it is not safe because the toy can become lodged in a child's throat. I'm not sure why this product says it is safe for 18+ months when the shapes are clearly unsafe. I'm really disappointed because this was my child's major toy for Christmas and she can't even properly play with it.

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Yes...we only have one set! The boys got this for Christmas at 21 months old and have played with it everyday since! The shape sorter is ineffective at this point and the pieces end up behind the couch or get launched at someones head...those are reserved for more "directed play". I don't know what is so amazing about them but they entertain the boys...and that's all that matters.

We like that they nest and have a lip for secure stacking...great quality and graphics. Just wish we had another set...

Cheap GeoPuzzle World - Educational Geography Jigsaw Puzzle (68 pcs)

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I bought this puzzle for my almost 4 y.o. son. He is very interested in geography, and loves puzzles. This puzzle is a little hard for him right now, so I always do it with him. It seems to be pretty durable, and quite a few pieces are shaped like countries (not all of them). I only gave it 3 stars because it's completely missing Antarctica and Arctic Ocean. This was surprising to me.

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A great product! I have all the Geopuzzles, and find them fun and educational not only for my grandchildren (and the children and grandchildren of my friends, for whom I buy the puzzles as gifts), but also for me and my friends. It's amazing how much we've forgotten--or never knew--about world geography, and the tangible, colorful, FUN refresher provided by working one of these puzzles is a blast. The new world puzzle is a treat because you can view everything at once, and many of the larger countries have their own pieces. Like the other continent Geopuzzles, this one increases our knowledge of where countries are located vis-a-vis their neighbors, and provides a basis for better understanding of the historical relationships among them.

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This and the other GeoPuzzle maps (of the continents) is a wonderful way to introduce maps and geography to grade-school children. I homeschool and my children are picking up the names and placement of the countries in the world. A great manipulative tool.

Honest reviews on GeoPuzzle World - Educational Geography Jigsaw Puzzle (68 pcs)

We just got the World puzzle and already have the other ones. These puzzles are a great teaching tool for all ages. Pieces are shaped like each country (and yes, some countries are way too small to be individual pieces so they're part of other countries...do we really need pea-sized puzzle pieces?), capitals are easy to read and oceans are clearly marked. I really like this company.

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This is the best world puzzle we have found so far. My kids love map puzzles and we were trying to find a good map of the world puzzle. My kids love it, I wish that the puzzle itself was a little larger. It was smaller than I was expecting (I didn't review the dimensions before I purchased just the number of pieces). But my kids love it. We also have the Europe puzzle by the same company.

Best Baby Einstein Caterpillar and Friends Play Gym Deals

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List Price: $59.99
Sale Price: $39.32
Today's Bonus: 34% Off

We like:

The movement-activated star that lights and sounds.

The variety of toys.

The print of the mat combining real images and illustrations.

You can attach toys to the mat, not just the arcs above the baby.

We don't like that much, but tolerate:

Polyester fabric is too... "slick" so baby can't gain traction during tummy time in order to crawl.

Rings for hanging toys are not enough. Some of the toys would be too high so we got some extra rings and used then to also hang other soft toys we had. You could get the Bright Starts Lots of Links.

Hope my review helps you.

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I like this little gym, but I do have a few complaints about it. I'll start with what I like.

Pros:

* Very bright and cheerful

* Toys are cute and interesting

* Has a small footprint

* Easy to assemble

* I like the music on the Star

Cons:

* It's smaller than I would have liked

* I was afraid the Star that blinks and plays music would give my daughter a stroke. The blinking light was so fast and crazy it scared her, so when we use it, we lay it face down on the floor, which negates half of its purpose

* The material is very slippery, so when my daughter started rolling, she would slip around and then get caught up on the arms

My biggest complaint is the Star and how fast it blinks. Had I known this before I spent the money on it, I would not have purchased this item.

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This playmat is great, and the reason is the light-up musical star. My seven-week old daughter smiles and even coos everytime I lay her down on the playmat and turn the star on during her activity time. It is so cute.

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Could be a lot better. I think your paying more for the Baby Einstein label etc than anything. Toys seem a tad cheap and the star that lights up doesn't stay on very well.

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I love how colorful the mat is and the toys that come with. My daughter seems to enjoy the toys, especially the dog, mirror and star. I agree with other reviewers that the mat is way to slick for tummy time but that doesn't bother me because we can easily do tummy time somewhere else. The star does blink VERY FAST and sometimes I am concerned if it overwhelms my baby but she is happy when she looks at it do that's all that matters!

Best Interactive Learning Reading Fiction & Nonfiction Grade 3 CD-Rom Deals

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This is a nice resource for test prep. I really like that each story has a fiction and a nonfiction version. Each short story has a game or some other comprehension activity to go with it. The kids are really enjoying a break from the worksheet passages we had been doing, and like being able to come up to the white board to manipulate the activities.

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Buy LeapFrog Explorer Learning Game: Mini Game Greatest Hits

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My daughter loves this games with gives her the option of playing the 4 different games. She really likes the dental game and I think it great because it give you the fundmentals of how to brush your teeth. The train game is like a kind of puzzle game you have to turn the track a certain way to make it to the bank with the jewels you pick up along the track. The soccer game has simple math problems for children to solve.

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My five year old daughter loves to play this game. I would recommend for Pre K and Kindergarten kids

Thanks

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Our grandkids have had LeapFrog Explorers for several years. They really love the mini games because it reminds them of the Mario Party Games their parents play. Both the 7 and 4 year old play the games and take turns "sharing" between the two Explorers.

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my my daughter enjoys this game itsfun for her this is a good game to learn numbers she plays it alot

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Great game for my 8 and 5 yr old in fact I should have bought 2 excellent learning game no complaints and fast shipping

Reviews of EFG - Chemistry: An Atom Building Card Game

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Really helped me test my knowledge in that class, and was a lot of fun to play! I even used the cards to study for the AP test.

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I got this game from another seller when my son started his high school chemistry class. He has used it several times as a review for tests. He said it felt like the game had been made for his class! He found the questions helped him focus on the fundamentals he needed to review for each unit. For his last test, he took the game to a friend's house and they both played with his friend's college-age sister. She told my son it was lucky he had this game as a way to review, and if this kind of game were available to her when she was in high school, she might not have gotten a D in Chemistry! Highly recommended. You'll be glad you bought this one.

Reviews of Fisher Price Smart Cycle Extreme Hot Wheels Software

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My son loves this game! You can make your car in the beginning by selecting body style, color and one more custom element (flames, engine, spoiler, etc) and you drive along the road like the other games for this system. The games within it are fun. You can pick engines and drop them into different cars. The object is to rev the engine to a certain number on the tachometer. In another game, you crash into the cars with the highest numbers on them and try to get the highest score. Another is a racing game... Its great for kids that like cars. Its a little educational, but he doesn't get it yet. He just likes playing the games. Its rated for 4+ so I am sure he'll figure it out soon.

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We have the Diego game and then I purchased this one for my 5 yr old. Much better! He has a lot more fun playing this. More games that engage his thinking, rather than just pedaling and trying to obtain objects.

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We purchased Bob the Builder and Hot Wheels for my 4 year old. He likes the Bob the Builder game, but he LOVES the Hot Wheels. He is a fan of cars, so this is a perfect match for him. He rides his bike while I work out in the morning, and it really keeps his attention.

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This game is for my 4 year old. He loves this game!! One game allows him to crash into other cars to earn points. That game is his favorite. We have an older smart cycle so I can't tell you anything about it rumbling like on the newer cycles. Being a 1st grade teacher, I like these smart cycle games because of all of the learning activities he gets to play. He actually finds them a lot of fun!

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This item is great for my sister and my 3 year old nephew, he plays it for hours and learns as he plays!!

Best BOOK: Animal World Deals

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This is a nice book. Both my two year old son and I like it a lot. It has the normal animals like DOG and LION, but also unexpected animals like DINGO. It shows the animals according to their habitat and you can hear the animals' names and their actual sounds, plus extra miscellaneous activities.

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I bought the Animal family photos for my granddaughter at the time she was one. The first attraction was the animal sounds, then she was relating the animals to the sounds they make to identifing the animal by name. My granddaughter is two now and she sure knows her animals. The little tidbits about the animals are good and easy for little ones to understand. Of course she has her favorite animals she loves to listen too. Like all of LeapFrog products, this too is great!

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Although I don't think the little touch books are very durable, this one has great appeal to my little guy. He is 15 months old, and started doing all the animal sounds. This is a great book because it has real photo's, not cartoons. He loves this one!

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My son is almost two and I purchased this book for him today. He absolutely loves it. I have other books for the Little Touch but so far this one has been the one that has really gotten his attention.

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My son (2 yrs. old) got his Little Touch LeapPad and would only play with it for a few minutes until we got this book. Now we can hardly tear him away from his LeapPad. He loved animals to begin with and was especially captivated by the real life photos.

Buy Microscope Prepared Slide Set - Blood & Guts (5 Slides)

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Have you any idea how happy this makes 8 & 9 yrs old boys feel when they can see these things thru their microscope and how awful their big sister feels when she peaks in to see blood and guts. I would say my Great-grandson would rate them very high.

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My 8 year-old daughter was so excited to receieve these slides. She wants to be some kind of a doctor and this is just what she wants to see. She likes to disect and collect samples then look at them under her microscope. It's SO much better to have these slides then trying to stop her from getting her own samples!

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This is set of slides perfect for my biology class. My students enjoyed looking at the various slides and I will order more slides from this series.

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We got our daughter a microscope for Christmas and she loves the slide set. Good quality set and comes with a box to put them in when done.

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My daughter loved looking at these prepared slides when she opened up her new microscope for Christmas. The slides were clear and easily recognizable. She was very excited to see blood and guts.

AutoRing Reinforcement Ring Refills, 2 Refills, 200 Rings per Reviews

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I haven't received these yet, but I've had them for years. Bought the original at a store near here but they no longer carry them. I ran out of refills and couldn't find them anywhere, until I saw this! It's easy to use and you don't have to touch the stickies!

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this not a toy...but a hole reinforcer for paper.....and it does a great job....too bad they are so hard to find....this item probably does not need to be used as much today as in the past, with hard paper copies being replaced by computer hard drives, but still is very useful to keep paper from ripping out of 2 and 3 ring binders

Buy AmScope 40X-2000X Advanced Home School Student Biological Compound

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List Price: $800.00
Sale Price: $149.98
Today's Bonus: 81% Off

This microscope it a joy to use. It is almost as good as some of the microscopes I used while a researcher. It is definitely better than anything my high school students had. The mechanical stage is sturdy and glides smoothly and makes looking at specimens so much more enjoyable. Using the microscope I have been able to identify a few plant pests (microscopic mites) that were killing my house plants. I could even clearly seen internal organelle of a cheek cell. It is great quality and has wonderful magnification lens.

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My precocious granddaughter wanted a microscope for Christmas, so I bought her one at a big box toy store. When I looked through the scope, I could see it was useless. I returned it immediately. I read all the reviews about the different scopes available, called AmScope(readily accessible), and made the decision to buy this model. I cannot begin to tell you how pleased my family is with the AmScope 40x-2000x. My son, an engineer, said the microscope was better than the one they use at his plant. The whole family is involved and enjoying the new world view!! In fact I am going to buy another one for me and my other granddaughter.

Well-made, easy to use, and reasonably priced.

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My Neice who recently garaduated from college were she used a microscope for many hours thought I did a good job picking this scope. We were able to identify the Truffles I found by their spores and the book Field Guide to North American Truffles.

Honest reviews on AmScope 40X-2000X Advanced Home School Student Biological Compound

This is a 'toy' for supervised use by my almost-five-year-old. He loves it. Cheaper models were made of plastic, were very light, or had poor viewing aspects. This has ALL of the magnifications that I used in high school (and college, actually), including an oil-immersion lens! This comes with a mechanical stage and slide clip, which is SO helpful when trying to find the best spot for viewing (instead of bumping the slide at high magnifications and completely losing the thing you're looking for). It also comes with 10x and 20x eyepieces, although it looks like you have to remove a small screw to exchange them (probably a good idea, though). Upper end of what a microscope should have, including a high-quality diaphragm instead of the cheaper ones with holes of various sizes to turn and change how much light gets through. VERY impressed with what I got (I paid $150). Only bummer was that it didn't come with some slides and coverslips, so we had to wait a little while to use it (not the microscope's faultthey aren't supposed to be included; *make sure to buy some though). We bought the Amscope 200 piece set in wooden boxesFABULOUS! (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004YWTKX8/ref=oh_details_o04_s02_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1)

Together, these kept my kid entertained forever! Big note thoughif that's something they like, you might really want to get some blanks so you can explore puddle water, your cheek cells, plant leaves, etc).

Great great microscope. Much better than what I'd hoped for. Please spend the extra money on one that's quality. Don't get one with a mirror for a light source, or that is made of plastic (you'll be very disappointed in the lens quality), or that uses only a battery (there's a reason this has a big fat cord, and it's because the light is nice and bright!). It's a whole lot easier to learn on a quality piece of equipment and then dumb it down if necessary, than to always have to try to figure out new things because you've been taught on something much simpler and of lower quality (well, that's my opinion, anyway...it IS a review!).

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Very impressed with the quality. I was expecting mid grade, but was suprised. I'm in basic biology classes in college and this microscope, though not the same grade, but it is pretty close.

Review of PhoneSmart Teaching Telephone

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My just turned 5-yr old LOVED this present. You can save up to 3 different phone numbers with personalized recordings of your voice. She had her home number memorized within an hour. Now we're working on mom and dad's cell phones. One drawback is you must press 'talk', then dial the number, then press 'talk' again. This is confusing compared to a real cordless where you just press 'talk' once. Also, I think she's fairly convinced that the other pre-programmed phone numbers (such as to the library) are REALLY what she is supposed to dial to reach the library. When you dial 911, it says 'this is the fire department' and you cannot reprogram it. We hoped to replace that with '911, what's your emergency' which is what our local 911 says.

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I really liked that this toy had a programmable feature so that I could teach my autistic son our home phone number. However, it does not allow for programming the area code, only the 7-digit number. But as a basics teaching tool, it works great. Seems to go through batteries quickly, which can be quite frustrating for my son. But it has withstood a lot of "torture" from my rough-and-tumble boys.

**Update**

This phone lasted about one year, then lost the "connection" with the base and the handset didn't make any sounds when you pushed the buttons. It lost the ability to record a message within about 2 months. Great concept just not great for my boys.

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I really analyzed the reviews for this phone and the other teaching phone from Learning Resources before I decided to buy this one. I liked this one b/c the places you can call are all normal businesses around any town (bike shop, bakery, grocery, pizza shop, etc). The other phone had some strange numbers to call like "Aunt Gladys who asks you to come over and see her new puppies". I didn't like the sound of this, for one they don't have an aunt gladys and secondly it sounds kind of like a ploy that I would want them to avoid in real life from a stranger. This phone doesn't have a cord and the other one did. You can program up to three numbers in this phone and leave messages (so that they can learn your number, their home number, daddy's cell, etc and if they dial it correctly the hear your voice recording). My cons are, the handheld phone device is a little wide for small hands. Also it could be designed better for the handset to sit in the phone, it is slightly tricky to set it in ( a little too shallow). Great for learning numbers and understanding how to dial and how a phone works. Fun for pretend play.

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This was great to teach my preschoolers about 911 during fire safety week. It is also helping them to learn their own phone numbers.

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I bought this for my 3 yr old daughter. There are two 9's on the phone, no 4. I put batteries in it and she played with it once. I have not been able to get it to work again. I am very disappointed in the toy and not because it quit but because the numbers were not correct. I may try to get another one and see how it does.

Review of Counting

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List Price: $11.99
Sale Price: $10.70
Today's Bonus: 11% Off

The product came quickly and in perfect condition!! It was exactly what I wanted and the game is great for children to use when learning how to count and when learning one-to-one correspondence. I was very happy with the service....Thank you!!

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