the Review Source
There was a day when I thought toys for infants and preschoolers were fun, but not all that important. But, I've watched as my grandson plays with toys - his mother makes sure he watches little if any tv. He is very curious, engaged and active - the toys seem to give him the opportunity to learn and try new things! I'd say quality toys for this age are very important tools for the overall education of children! Take a look at some of the excellent toys we reviewed this year!
Sassy Baby
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Busy
Bugs on Board Ages - 0 months + |
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Favorite Features -
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bright primary colors and black and white for contrast so newborns can see/focus
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three sounds - rattle, chime and bell
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repositionable straps allow you to move them wherever you like
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butterfly, ladybug and bee
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encourages distinguishing sounds, color recognition and listening
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interaction ideas and development insights have great ideas for parents
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I like these "bugs" - perfect, portable fun for little ones! Tremendously well done!
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Baby's First Books Ages - 0 months + |
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Favorite Features -
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high-contrast patterns
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photo holders, mirrors, teethable surfaces add to the fun
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easy to clean
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encourages color, shape and object recognition
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interaction ideas and development insights have great ideas for parents
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Excellent collection of first books for little ones! Extremely well done!
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Classical Keys Ages 3 months + |
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Favorite Features -
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three classical songs with lights, beads and colors
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encourages grabbing and hand/eye coordination
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interaction ideas and development insights have great ideas for parents
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paint free
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Fun rattle and first toy for little ones! Extremely well done!
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Poppin' Push Car Ages 6 months + |
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Favorite Features -
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combines color and movement for a fun, unique car
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encourages moving, large motor development and color recognition
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interaction ideas and development insights have great ideas for parents
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paint free
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I like this as a first car for little ones. Easy to grasp and push, this car will encourage children to crawl as they watch the beads "pop" inside! Tremendously well done!
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baby's first sounds Ages 6 months + |
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Favorite Features -
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set includes three books and one soft, colorful block
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encourages language development and color/object identification
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interaction ideas and development insights have great ideas for parents
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easy to clean surfaces
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Fun set to help child begin to learn sounds. Extremely well done!
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fill & spill barrel Ages 6 months + |
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Favorite Features -
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nine pieces and clear barrel with handle/lid
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encourages color and object recognition, motor skills and thinking
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interaction ideas and development insights have great ideas for parents
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bright primary colors combine with different textures
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Fun play set allows for easy, portable play! Extremely well done!
vtech
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Pull & Learn Car Carrier Ages 12 months + |
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Favorite Features -
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includes car carrier, three cars, three animals, radio and batteries
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auto off and volume control
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encourages color, number and animal recognition, language development, sensory stimulation with textures, colors and lights, motor skills and creative/imaginative play
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use of music to help kids learn and get them to move
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Colorful and fun this car carrier engages children in many ways for hours of fun and play while they learn! Durable and easy to clean this is a well designed toy for little ones! Extremely well done!
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Skippy the Smart Pup Ages 18 months + |
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Favorite Features -
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includes pup, rc controller and batteries
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auto off
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durable design
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encourages language development with vocabulary, body parts, sensory stimulation with lights, colors, sound and music, motor skills and cause and effect
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Colorful pup, buttons to push combined with music, lights and movement add up for a great first rc for little ones! This pup makes a great first "robot" and will get kids learning by moving from the very beginning! Fun design and simple implementation . . . tremendously well done
Mega Bloks
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Play 'n Go Table Ages 1+ |
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Favorite Features -
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bright primary colors
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includes 20 mega bloks pieces, four building plates, four fun scenes, stickers, vehicle and a figure all in a table with foldable legs that transforms into a carrying case/storage case
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encourages hand/eye coordination, fine motor skills, thinking, discovering, imagination and color recognition
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I love this set for it's portability and it's fun . . . preschoolers will love playing and playing with this set. I also love that it works with all other mega blocks sets! Perfect for a toddlers growing mobility, this toy will challenge them to move and learn new things! Tremendously well done!
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Play
'n Go Ages 1+ |
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Favorite Features -
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includes 10 mega bloks, truck with removable recycling bin that changes into a recycling station, figure, dog, stickers and movable "arm" for the recycling truck
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encourages encourages hand/eye coordination, fine motor skills, thinking, discovering, imagination and role playing
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works with all other mega bloks sets
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Another excellent toy for preschoolers and toddlers from Mega! Excellent toy for parents to play with their little one - our reviewers found if they build a tower their toddler loved taking the tower apart! Extremely well done!
Fisher Price
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imaginext Ages 3-8 |
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Favorite Features -
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sounds, lights, movement, colors and textures all add to the fun of this play-set
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encourages imagination and interactive play
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set includes fortress with chandelier, two figures with helmets, shields and weapons, two flags, two boulders, one bed and 3 AA batteries and has many places to play in
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Another new building/play set from imaginext with dragons and castles . . . or a castle that is a dragon! Secret stairs, canons and adventure at every turn - this is a set preschoolers will love!
Wild Planet
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Crayon Town Ages 3+ |
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Favorite Features -
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set includes two double sided coloring mats, four Crayola crayons, neighbor figure, car, fold and build house, tree and dog
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encourages creativity and imagination
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free online printable coloring mats available at www.crayon-town.com
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Unique playset children may color, build and design to be their own! Free on-line mats are a big bonus! Tremendously well done!
k'Nex
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Sesame
Street Ages 2-5 years |
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Favorite Features -
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15 pieces in set all kept together in a plastic tub
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encourages imagination, creativity, hand/eye coordination and fine motor skills
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includes stickers and activity sheet
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Fun first building set is perfect for the child who loves Cookie Monster! Extremely well done!
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Sesame
Street Ages 2-5 years |
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Favorite Features -
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47 piece set includes Elmo, fish, piano and more
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encourages physical development with hand/eye coordination, social/emotional development as child learns to play alone and with friends, imaginative play and language development as well as cognitive development and problem solving skills
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includes play and learn activity cards
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Children will love this set, especially if they are fans of Elmo! I love the play and learn cards as they encourage interaction with parents so playtime can also be a time for learning together! Tremendously well done!
Hasbro/Playskool
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Tonka Chuck & Friends Fold 'N Go Construction Quarry Ages 18m+ |
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Favorite Features -
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includes Chuck the Dump Truck, load and lift vehicle with rotating crane
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play set opens for play and folds for portable fun and storage
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holds up to three vehicles
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encourages hand/eye, motor skills, imagination and role playing
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Colorful set with lots of places to play - great first play set! Children will love the many ways to play with it and moms will love how well it folds and stores! Tremendously well done!
Discovery Toys
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Rainfall Rattle Ages 12m+ |
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Favorite Features -
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encourages exploration, motor skills, thinking skills, cause and effect learning, color recognition and listening
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easy to clean
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bright, primary colors
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perfect size for a child to play with
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I love this toy and how when you move it just a little bit you are treated to the sight and sound of a stream of colorful, melodic beads as they cascade gently from end-to-end and back again in this fascinating toy! Tremendously well done!
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Hammer Away Ages 19m+ |
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Favorite Features -
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encourages cause and effect learning, hand/eye coordination, motor skills, thinking skills and color recognition
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includes pounding bench, four balls, flag and hammer
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bright, primary colors
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easy to clean
Children will certainly get a bang out of learning with this “now you see it, now you don’t” action toy! I like how this toy involves children actively in playing and discovering! Colorful, fun toy - extremely well done! -
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Castle Marbleworks Ages 2+ |
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Favorite Features -
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encourages visual and thinking skills, exploration, motor skills and color recognition as well as hand/eye coordination
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includes five tower track pieces, two turret pieces, one castle base, three giant marbles and instructions
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bright, primary colors
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easy to clean
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marbles make a lovely chiming sound
This unique toy allows your child to have double the learning fun as it is a building system and marble run in one! After they build their castle children are able to continue to have fun dropping the weighted chime balls down the tracks and watch as they race, spin and drop back and forth! This is a truly tremendously well imagined and designed toy!
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Zoo-Mobiles Ages 3+ |
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Favorite Features -
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encourages exploration, motor skills, imaginative play, cause and effect learning, color and animal recognition
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includes three friction powered cars - dump truck, cement truck and tow truck
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bright, primary colors
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easy to clean
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moving parts add to the fun and imagination!
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Children will absolutely love playing with this set of 3 trucks! I like how the Elephant Dump Truck has a moving trunk and dump bin, Lion Cement Truck has a moving cement mixer, and Hippo Tow Truck has a moving tow hook. Extremely well done!
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Motor Works Truck Ages 4+ |
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Favorite Features -
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encourages motor skills, exploration, thinking skills, color recognition, imaginative play and take apart learning
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includes one truck and screwdriver as well as directions for assembly
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easy to clean
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bright colors
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I love how this truck challenges a child's growing fine motor skills while boosting their brainpower! Finished truck actually rolls on rotating wheels! This is a fun, "I can build it myself" toy for a boy and his dad to discover together! Extremely well done!
International Playthings LLC
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i play - Scrub-A-Dub Ages 2+ |
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Favorite Features -
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includes dog, towel and squirter
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children may play with this in and out of the water
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encourages imagination and role-playing
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This unique tub toy is one children are sure to enjoy! They can give their dog a bath and then help it "shake" itself dry by moving the head for additional fun! Extremely well done!
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i play - Deluxe Build-A-Road Ages 3+ |
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Favorite Features -
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includes two battery operated cars, 20 feet of track, two tunnels, auto turnaround, two ramps, two multi-directional connectors - more than 400 pieces
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encourages hand-eye coordination, motor skills, thinking skills, imagination, role-playing and fun!
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bright primary colors add to the fun
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I love this unique play-set for preschoolers! The track is flexible and easy to put together - as well as easy to take apart - and allows for an unending opportunity to create and build! Great to have at a grandparent's home for grandkids to play with when they visit! Tremendously well done!
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Mighty World - Ages 4+ |
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Favorite Features -
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includes SUV, figure, adventure supplies
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SUV has working searchlights
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encourages imagination and role-playing
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Little girls will enjoy this play-set that puts them in the "seat" of the adventurer! Moving doors and hatches on the SUV add to the fun! Extremely well done!
The Learning Journey International
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Jumbo the Jet Ages 18m+ |
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Favorite Features -
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two play modes - learn the shapes or quiz me
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includes jet, colored shaped blocks and radio controller
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rc operates up to 12 feet away
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blinking lights, sound effects, four songs all add to the fun
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auto shut off to conserve the batteries
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encourages tactile/motor skills, thinking/learning skills by having children match shapes and colors, life/social skills and color/shape recognition
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Jumbo is a toy sure to bring hours of fun and learning with it's bright primary colors, sounds, lights and movement! The RC makes this way more than just a shape sorter! Tremendously well done!
