One side is a building block base. Matthew used to be interested in knocking down blocks only. Because of this table, coupled with some hand over hand guidance and lots of praise, Matthew has become a master stacker. He can stack up to six blocks all by himself. The lego-like blocks, which come with the table, are made for toddlers who may not have the more precise hand-eye coordination required for Lego Duplo, Mega Bloks, or other similar toys. The blocks easily slide into place, which make them extremely easy to stack, AND they stay on until Matthew acts like Godzilla and knocks them down.
The other side of the table has a variety of interactive toys including a train on the circular track, which goes round and round when activated with the lever on the table, a rotary phone, shape sorter, a small flipbook, a clock, and a button to press for train sounds. Matthew hasn't quite figured out the lever for the train track yet. Or maybe he does know how the lever works and is just more interested in just moving the track manually. In any case, this table keeps him entertained for several minutes a day everyday. Today, he was very interested in the phone, putting it up to his ear all the time.The Verdict
Great for fine motor skills, some pretend play, cognitive skills, and provides lots of easy talking points to help develop language. It's sturdy and even has storage for the blocks and its other accessories underneath the table. Out of the numerous activity tables for babies and toddlers, it seems like Chicco is the only one (that I have found) who manufactures two-sided tables. This may or may not provide more value for your $$, depending on how you view it. In our case, we have friends who offered to lend this table to us (thank you!!) since their daughter had already outgrown it.
We also like the LeapFrog Learn 'N Groove Musical Table, which Matthew can play with at his cousins' house.
About 'Toy Review Tuesday': Every Tuesday, I write about our experience with a toy, while trying to incorporate thoughts on how it may help a child with Down syndrome. This review is not to be construed as an endorsement of the product nor do I intend to put pressure on parents to purchase the toys reviewed. Questions, sharing your own experience, or any other helpful insights are welcome in the comment section.
1 comments:
oh my goodness. If only you lived closer, we would gladly inherit all these great toys you review. Marissa is too little for this table just yet, but I love that it's 2 sided & has all those great features.
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