More fun than Candyland! Roll the big color dice and move your stacker peg to the matching color space. If we both roll the same color, we'll just piggy-back! It's fun to poke the pegs in the dense foam gameboard. Vividly illustrated with characters from nursery rhymes and children's stories. Play just takes 10 minutes, and there are no instructions to labor over—just simple and fun game playing—making this a "squeal of delight" game for preschoolers! For ages 2 to 5 years.
Sorting, counting, creating patterns, and developing fine motor skills are "get-me-ready-to-learn" activities—and they just think they are having fun with these brightly colored stacking pegs! Pegs nudge into rubber pegboard base and can be stacked securely on top of each other, higher and higher. Virtually indestructible plastic pegs are even safe for 2-year-olds. The pegboard set comes with base and 25 pegs. This is the "fought-over-toy" among toddlers! Age 2 years and older.
What could be more fun than our Stacking Pegs (above)? A stacking peg construction set! This is truly a child's first building set and everyone wants to play with it! Includes 100 pegs, a big 100-hole base mat, plus additional mats to build new levels on. For ages 3 and up. Four times as many pegs and action at an economical price!
Zoom! Little ones have fun with this stacking pegs and vehicles set. Each vehicle has holes so your little one can put the driver and passengers on board a train, car, airplane, truck and bus. Comes in a handy tote bag.
Connect the dots by lacing in alphabetical order with these colorful lacing shapes that build dexterity. Great A-B-C practice too! Six large charming animals are easy to hold and lace. Six long laces are tipped for easy "sewing". Excellent quality! For ages 5 to 7 years old.
Large, flexible foam letters are coated with a magnetic backside, making them fun to handle and even more fun to use on any magnetic surface: fridge, bathtub, cookie sheet, etc. Red, green, blue, and yellow 1 1/2" letters and numbers come in storage bucket. Set of 154.
Home wouldn't be home without letters stuck to the fridge, now would it? 52 brightly colored wooden magnetic upper + lowercase letters come in a handy divided wooden case. Teaches letter recognition, and can be used for tracing too. Great phonics practice, writing those messages up on the fridge!
An electronic phonics teaching toy that really is worth the money! It has lots of nice features such as volume control (a must!), high-quality digital Texas Instruments voice technology, light-up letters, and auto shut-off so you don't waste your batteries.
Why I favor this unit over others is that it really does teach, rather than just entertain. The first level of play is the singing of the ABC song, with each letter lighting up as it is sung. (This just happens to be the first step of my phonics program, Happy Phonics.) Play advances to being able to learn to name the letters and a quiz with rewarding sounds for choosing the correct letters to the sounds those letters make. Finally, little beginning reader/writers can try out any combination of 3 letters to make words (over 500 of them!).
This is really fun for a young one learning to sound out letters to form words. I appreciate that when attempts at 3-letter combos that don't make an intelligible word are made, the Phonics Firefly responds with "I don't know that word yet," rather than "wrong!" Also, any borderline words (such as bathroom words) are not recognized.
Uses 4 "AA" batteries, which are included. You will find this a fun way to drill phonics facts without flashcards and workbooks. Start it just as soon as your little one is able to recognize a letter and remember it.
Tangrams are an ancient Chinese puzzle consisting of seven geometrical pieces that fit together in different ways to form thousands of designs. These magnetic tangram pieces will stick to any magnetic surface (tin cookie sheet, fridge front, or our magnet board) and stay right where you put them! Even 3 year olds love this! See if you can make the figures shown in the illustration (left) or go online for more designs to make. Great fun and thinking power for all ages up through adult. One set, 7 pieces, tangram only, no instructions. Color of set varies.
24 sturdy card stock cards: 4 piece-by-piece outline beginner puzzles plus 20 outer outline-only challenging puzzles will give you lots of tangram fun!
Magnetic backed foam pattern blocks won't shift while children place them on this magnet board (or a cookie sheet). Lay a Patternables page on top, and the magnetic blocks will stick right on the puzzle page! A very fun way to enjoy pattern blocks!
Kit includes one set of magnetic tangrams plus 24 tangram puzzle cards (in varying difficulty), along with a magnet board. Great learning fun for ages 3 to adult.
My granddaughter Rebekah is mesmerized by Signing Time and signed beautifully, long before her first word! Wish I'd known about this easy way to communicate when Rebekah's daddy was tiny. Set your little one's day to music as you learn signs through song for everyday events: washing up, getting dressed, going places, getting ready for bed, and more. Babies can communicate with signs long before they can speak, and they are smarter and better adjusted because of it! In fact, research shows that babies who learn to sign have a larger vocabulary, fewer tantrums, stronger parent-infant bond, increased literacy, and better social skills. These fabulous DVDs have magnetic kid appeal, irresistibly catchy music, and delightful animation to captivate your baby, toddler, and preschooler (actually ALL my kids were glued to the tube)—teaching them beginning American Language signs while they watch and participate with their own hands. Set includes two DVD's and 2 song CD's for ages 3 months to 3 years.
This picture Bible is fun for little ones to carry around and act grown-up. Lovely realistic, pastel chalk drawings are the work of artist Frances Hook. Each little story is one page long and has a full-page illustration and a thought question. One of the stories reads: "God's people were very thirsty, but they didn't have anything to drink. God told Moses to hit the rock with his stick. When he did this, God made water come out of the rock. Then everyone could have a big drink. What happened when Moses hit the rock with his stick?" 125 stories, 6 x 7", hardbound. Very popular.
Here's a great motivational tool to help your children "be good" during scripture study. The prize? letting your child choose a sticker from this fun book to add to the scene. They look forward with great enthusiasm! Also, use for travel, church, or anytime when you need a way to focus their mind on the scripture stories. 16 colorful pages and over 75 reusable stickers. 9 x 12" size for ages 3 to 11 years.
Beep-beep—let's drive! Each puzzle piece fits with its other half to make a vehicle, or you can mix them up to form your own creations. Each piece has a colorful illustration underneath too! Quality thick wood puzzle has little pegs helping children to develop fine motor skills. 12" x 9". Ages 2 to 5 years.
Ernest and Emma Bear feel just like we do, and their faces show it too! Complete with revealing facial expressions, these cute wooden dress-up bears are really a puzzle with 18 interchangeable pieces. Clever wooden box with lid acts as a play surface. Children learn self-control and emotional honesty by talking about their feelings—here's a good place to start! Ages 2 years and up.
Wooden sea life puzzle pieces have magnetic pegs so the magnetic fishing pole can fish them right out of the water! Bright and cheerful illustrations, for preschoolers to 6 years, 9 x 12" size.
I've been searching for this toy for you for a long, long time! I finally found it—in Italy!
What's so great about this toy? It has been the favorite toy in my playroom for decades. First my kids loved it, from age 3 until they were able to play their own real instrument. And now my grandkids seek it out when they come over.
Why is it so fabulous? It looks real and it really works! Real working keys play real music! It's made from very shiny silver
plastic that looks just like a metal sax! The 8 notes of the octave
are represented with colored keys, so you can actually play a scale
and create songs. There are even colored-coded songs included so
young ones that cannot yet read music can still play songs. Try
playing Jingle Bells , Oh Susanna , or Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.
Introduce your child to real music with this wonderful easy-to-play
beginning instrument. Your kids will love it! 16.5" long. Ages 3
years and up. Highly recommended!
Very economical and high quality—that's what I have to say about these fabulous rhythm instrument kits! When our boys were little, their favorite part of music time was using the rhythm instruments to play along with the songs we sang. These child-proof instruments are sturdy enough for toddlers but with a sound quality pleasing enough for everyone to enjoy playing. This is an educational investment that will last for years and years of use! Quality-made instruments neatly store in wooden case. Compare at $35. Set includes tambourine, set of maracas, tone block with mallet, handle castanet, cymbals, and triangle.
Brightly colored xylophone creates mellow tones with the 2 included mallets. Notes printed on metal plates for easy play. Quality wooden frame, 10 1/2" long. Ages 3 and up.
7" drum has a real leather top to make very real Indian tom-tom sounds! Thumbhole makes it easy to hold and play. Strike the drum beater on the drum for deep resonating tones.
"I love the tom tom drum! I teach a lot of movement activities and the drum will come in handy for a signal to jump, run, etc!"
—A.M., Utah"
Dot and dab fun! Six bright washable colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple in a carrying case plus 3 packs of Dot Marker Activity Sheets: Ranch, Sea, and Apple—a total of 150 do-a-dot activity sheets!
Lots of fun pages to stamp with Do-a-Dot markers! Pack contains 50 sheets (multiple copies of each of the 6 designs).
Themes:
Sea: ship, anchor, ship's wheel, octopus, whale and treasure map/telescope.
Ranch: mountain/horse, bull head, horse head, cowboy hat, cowboy boots and horseshoe.
Apples: harvest, apple trees, Johnny Appleseed, counting apples, apple and a worm, picking apples (6 designs).
Kids love these fantastic paints! Just dot and dab and a controlled amount of color flows onto the paper—no brush needed! Paints won't even dry out if the cap is left off. Six bright washable colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple in a carrying case.
Preschoolers can use this book to dot their way through the ABC's, numbers, and shapes. A very fun way to reinforce letters for beginning phonics. Paperback, quality art paper, 28 pages.
Rainbows, hearts, butterflies, teddy bears— 8 rubber stamps are fun to use to decorate with. Set also includes a two-color inkpad and 5 colored pencils conveniently contained in a sturdy wooden box for organizing and storage. Washable, non-toxic kid-friendly ink. 8" x 8". For ages 4 and up.
The 6 bright colors of this value-priced inkpad will keep kids stamping in style! Featuring primary and secondary colors! Washable, non-toxic kid-friendly ink. Ages: 4+ years
Why read cereal boxes?. . . when you could be learning the planets, the periodic table, the systems of the human body or the states and their capitals? These colorful, wipe-off placemats are a favorite. Since it seems that my children spend most of their time eating, perhaps this is the right place for study! Standard placemat size: 12" x 18". Placemats feature full color front; the reverse side is the same picture outlined in black and white so your child can color or write in the information on the write-on, wipe-off surface.
Little ones love to string these wooden chunky barnyard animals together to create a farmyard of fun. Includes cotton string, stopper, wooden "needle", and 12 wooden figures that could be used for imaginative play too! Ages 3 years and up.
Want to teach your wee one to catch a ball? It doesn't get easier than this! 4.5" in diameter and full of 32 finger holes, make it simple to catch and a breeze to throw! Springy and flexible—all ages love to play with it! Kick it, hit it, run over it with a car, and it still bounces right back into a perfect sphere! Choose the classic Oball, fun Football, or the new Rattle-ball which is our popular Oball with a fun rattle inside—babies love it!
Little hands find it hard to catch a ball, that is unless it's a "skushi" ball! It's surface is pinch-able, making it easy to get a grasp! Bouncy, brightly-colored and easy-to-catch ball can be inflated softly to make it easy-to-grasp, and more firmly as your child's skills develop. Inflates to 9".
Natural wood gives these 30 bright and durable beads a nice feel and weight. Set stores neatly in a wooden case and includes lacing cords. An excellent activity for preparing for handwriting. Compare at $20.
Keep your little ones happily playing during bath time with this fun fill-and-spill toy! Play laundry in the tub by dipping the "dirty" clothes into warm water and watch the stains disappear. Magic ink spots disappears in warm bath water and reappears as they cool. Clothes stick magnetically to the side of the bathtub too, so you can "hang" them up to dry! Includes 12 pieces of laundry, plus a laundry basket. For ages 2 to 6 years.
This fabric calendar has 50 clear plastic pockets in which to slide colorful cards for the days of the week, date, month, and special days. A fabulous way to start the day and help orient children time-wise. Three grommets make it easy to hang. 29 1/2".
The perfect way to start your homeschool day! Flip to the correct month, date, day and select the weather. Vinyl coated pages flip on a spiral binding. Sturdy cardboard frame sits freestanding on desktop or shelf. 14" x 5".
This is one of my favorite activities to do with little ones to help their brains grow! Lay out 3 cards in random order and let your child put them in sequence order and tell the story. Fun and educational! For ages 3 to 6 years.
Coloring exercises for young children are often too complicated. This book begins with a simple skill - having a child scribble on a picture randomly. As children progress through the book, they slowly learn to color within designated lines. Using crayons is an important precursor to learning to write with a pencil. Ages 2 and up.
Kids love stickers, and this book gives them a chance to make something fun with them, rather than randomly sticking them on your furniture! Children develop fine motor control and spatial reasoning skills by pasting paper parts and objects on to designated spots in order to complete fun art projects.
Learning to safely use a pair of scissors is an important skill! This workbook is for children who have never used scissors before. Children will learn how to hold and control a pair of scissors, and will advance from simple one-stroke cuts all the way to cutting complicated curved and zig-zagged lines and shapes. Ages 2 and up.
I was thrilled to discover this book, because it is exactly what I had been hand-drawing in my homeschool for my preschoolers to help them practice manual dexterity through using scissors. Little ones will gradually learn how to control scissors through step-by-step projects that advance from easy shapes to more complex cutting patterns. Excellent prep for handwriting, plus wonderful fun for preschoolers! Ages 3-5. 80 pages, 8 1/2" x 11" on high quality paper.
Ooh, good stuff for young ones! Projects start with cutting out parts and pasting them on their places on each page to complete a picture. Excellent practice for manipulating scissors, plus the joy of creating things with their hands. A wonderful book! Ages 4-6. 80 pages, 8 1/2" x 11" on high quality paper.
They may all look the same, but one rocket ship is different! Building discernment and attention to fine details will later enhance reading. Paperback, 30 pages, black and white illustrations for little ones.
I love these delightful Christian workbooks for the variety of activities they provide for beginning writer/readers and their nice illustrations and crisp white paper (not the normal newsprint workbook paper). Brief parent instructions are included in the back of each book to help you lead your little one along in cutting, coloring, pasting, following directions, and working neatly. Set of 6 books.
Adventures with Books teaches colors and shapes through fun activities.
Bible Pictures has realistic line drawings of Bible stories—a special coloring book. Each page has a title describing the Bible story plus the scripture verse numbers.
Counting with Numbers helps little ones learn numbers 1-10.
In Do it Carefully, tracing lines progresses into writing the letters and learning the sounds of the alphabet letters.
Everywhere We Go includes colors, counting 1 to 10, letter writing, and learning alphabet sounds.
Finding the Answers teaches the use of thinking skills such as identifying sequence and making comparisons, along with teaching rhyming words.
Learn all about animals with these photo-illustrated stickers with informative captions! 50 stickers, fun facts, and puzzles. Paperback, 9 x 12" book, 12 pages, for ages 4 to 10 years.
Capture those first 12 months of life in this darling board book which has a peek-a-boo opening in each page for your baby's face to peek through and become the face on each page of the story. Just glue a photo in the circle inside the back cover to personalize each page of this fun record of baby's first year of life. Use a permanent marker to record major milestones, creating a very special picture book that your child will treasure.
