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The Wooden Toy Shop has recently sent us a Melissa & Doug Latches Board. My two year old son loves opening and closing doors. Every morning, we spend some time looking at the latch at the school gate when we drop my daughter!
Therefore this toy has been on my mind for quite a while but still I was not very sure about it. At £20, it is not a cheap toy if he wouldn't like to play with it.
We received the toy two weeks ago and how wrong was I! It went down a treat!
This
It is 45cmx35cm big and has 6 latches on it. All latches require different hand movements and skills. My son, Derin, is 28 months old. He easily managed a few of them but a few are quite challenging. However, he quickly figured those as well and he can now open and close all the latches. Still, he doesn't get bored of the toy and plays with it daily!
I have a special interest in Montessori style toys. This toy is one of them. It develops hand-eye coordination, concentration, enhances fine motor skills and promotes self-esteem. It also helps children to gain practical life skills.
I love observing Derin completely absorbed by what he is doing. There are times when he cannot open or close a latch and he gets frustrated. Then I show him how to do it again. And when manages it, you must see his proud face! A great toy to satisfy his mechanical curiosity! If you have an energetic toddler like mine who won't sit still, this toy will keep them busy while you enjoy a cup of tea!
This is a latches board toy but it is cleverly designed to enhance number, colour and shape recognition too. So we can count the animals behind the latched doors and windows, we can play peek-a-boo with them. We can sing "Old McDonald's" to the animals on the board.
It's
There are so many ways to play with this toy!
For older children, you can extend the game, as asking questions like "Point to the yellow house. Which animals live there? How many cats are there?" or "Which house has a square with number 6 on it?"
The manufacturer's recommended age is 3-7 years old but I actually think this is a great toy for 2 year olds. Our 5 year old daughter also loves playing with the latches board if Derin lets her play with it!!
All in all, this is a beautifully handcrafted toy that will be played with for a long time and then handed down to other children in the family. Although a bit pricey, it is of high quality and a cost effective way replacing the more expensive Montessori Latches Box. I give this toy 5 out of 5 and I will definitely recommend it to our friends!
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