Twister is the game that ties you up in knots. Spin the dial and move a hand or foot to the colored circle on the floor mat. Can you get there’ dont touch the mat with anything but a hand or foot. It is for 2 or 4 players. It includes a spinner, a mat and instructions. Instructions are available in English and Spanish.

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars More than just a game
I purchased this game as an educational toy for my toddlers; what better way to learn their colors. The mat is very large and “waterproof” so it’s great for them to eat snacks on. They use it as a dance mat too.

5 Stars Classic!
This is just like I remember it! Spinner spins the arrow and around it goes…Great for young and old. We play this game at just about every birthday party and the grown ups love to have a turn!

Has some great educational value. This game has helped my DD’s learn colors and lefts and rights. Though they are small and can’t reach all the spots across the board. They have a blast! For adults you need to think about how you move. Because it could effect your next move.

Durable: So far so good! Even with 3 young kids who use it for other purposes. Cape…dance mat…house

5 Stars Parents in a twist
Although my 3 year old grandson knows his shapes and colors, he was not tall or long enough to reach the spots. He adapted the game so that he was in charge of the spinner and his parents did the “twisting”. He was thouroughly entertained and felt powerful in getting his parents into a twist. As he grows he will be all the more eager to play the game according to the real rules.

5 Stars fun!
Was at a party last weekend and saw this on the bookshelf. Somebody suggested getting it out, so we did! Lots more fun than we though and absolutely great for adults, especially those who want to get to know each other a little better.

5 Stars a classic
Twister is great for people of all ages, as long as they don’t have any physical ailments.

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Twister is the game that ties you up in knots. Spin the dial and move a hand or foot to the colored circle on the floor mat. Can you get there’ dont touch the mat with anything but a hand or foot. It is for 2 or 4 players. It includes a spinner, a mat and instructions. Instructions are available in English and Spanish.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars a classic
Twister is great for people of all ages, as long as they don’t have any physical ailments.

4 Stars More than just a game
I purchased this game as an educational toy for my toddlers; what better way to learn their colors. The mat is very large and “waterproof” so it’s great for them to eat snacks on. They use it as a dance mat too.

5 Stars Classic!
This is just like I remember it! Spinner spins the arrow and around it goes…Great for young and old. We play this game at just about every birthday party and the grown ups love to have a turn!

Has some great educational value. This game has helped my DD’s learn colors and lefts and rights. Though they are small and can’t reach all the spots across the board. They have a blast! For adults you need to think about how you move. Because it could effect your next move.

Durable: So far so good! Even with 3 young kids who use it for other purposes. Cape…dance mat…house

5 Stars Parents in a twist
Although my 3 year old grandson knows his shapes and colors, he was not tall or long enough to reach the spots. He adapted the game so that he was in charge of the spinner and his parents did the “twisting”. He was thouroughly entertained and felt powerful in getting his parents into a twist. As he grows he will be all the more eager to play the game according to the real rules.

5 Stars fun!
Was at a party last weekend and saw this on the bookshelf. Somebody suggested getting it out, so we did! Lots more fun than we though and absolutely great for adults, especially those who want to get to know each other a little better.

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This is a challenge that is sure to please future firefighters. This bold and colorful floor puzzle contains 24 jumbo extra-thick cardboard pieces that snap easily into place to create a high quality, yet simple picture of a fire truck ready for the alarm. This large, imaginative puzzle with an easy-clean surface has a finished layout of approximately 4 feet long. –Deb Oroszlan

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars A must have for toddlers!
My 2yr old son received this puzzle as a gift and he loves to play with it almost daily. He needs help putting it together, but I love watching him discover ways to figure out where each piece goes. The wheels and hose pieces he has down pat already at 26mths. The puzzle is huge, which is another reason he loves it. We spend about 20 mins with this puzzle, talking about colors, parts of the truck, etc. He even loves the little dog. Great for any toddler into fire trucks. Pieces are well built, connect well, and hold up to toddler handling.

5 Stars Fun for little guys
Gave this and another Melissa and Doug puzzle to my friend’s little boy for an early gift form Santa this year. It was a huge hit!

5 Stars This is huge!
My 3 year old son loves all the Melissa & Doug floor puzzles. This one is huge and is of very high quality.

5 Stars Firetruck puzzle is great!
My 3 year old son loves this puzzle and we’ve put it together many times. The pieces are durable and the puzzle is challenging enough to be interesting but not so much that he can’t do it alone. He loves firetrucks and this has been a truly enduring purchase. Would buy again.

5 Stars Fun educational toy
We have a 3 yr old that loves making this puzzle. Pieces are large enough for him to handle with ease. Good family activity

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Based on the ancient game of tangrams, Shape by Shape is the quietly absorbing game of fitting 14 pieces inside a puzzle frame. Not as simple as it sounds, players are challenged to match the image on each of 60 cards using six red pieces to form the card’s subject and eight yellow pieces to form its background. If needed, hints on the back of each card will aid the player. In addition to the 60 puzzles provided there are 27,268 ways to arrange the pieces inside the puzzle frame. Children who can draw up a master list will be well on their way to brilliant careers in math or engineering. This compact, nicely designed game includes a plastic drawer below the puzzle frame to hold the cards. –Wendy Slotboom

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars So hard my brain is sore
You just have to love an engaging activity that involves a small handful of simple shapes. The only complaint I have is that these puzzles are hard – really hard.

5 Stars Wonderful!!
I bought this toy ThinkFun Shape By Shape for my 4.5 y/o. He loves it, and it keeps him away from the t.v. and busy when I am helping the older children with school work. I have never seen my son sit still for as long as he has in the last week, and each time he solves a puzzle he jumps up and down with excitement. Now he can’t wait to show everybody who comes over how smart he is because he can do these puzzles. I just can’t say enough about it, even my older children are playing with it.

5 Stars fun that makes you think
I got this game for my 10 year old daughter because of 2 reasons. First, sometimes she wants to play games when no one else does. This game is something she can do on her own, or everyone can take turns. The other reason is to help her learn to think things through this is a great educational toy – you have to think not only about what you are doing now but what your next move will be. I really recommend this not just for the fun but for the education value as well – this is both of those and just makes for hours of fun.

5 Stars Not just for kids!
This is a great little game! However, it is NOT just for kids. My forty-something husband has worked the puzzles more than our kids (6,11,13.) I love that is comes with the nylon storage bag. No worries about a torn box! FYI, I have seen similar games that are designed to play with others and in teams. This one is designed as single player.

5 Stars Great Product
I’m a middle school English teacher. When my students finish their work early, they are allowed to play with logic puzzles that I have acquired over the years. I just purchased this product, along with several others, and am extremely happy with it. It really makes you think.

I completed the rooster; it took a while but I did it. You feel such accomplishment when you get all the pieces to work. When the kids are successful, they will say (tongue in cheek), “I smart.” After completing it, I couldn’t help saying, “I smart.” Get one–you won’t regret it.

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Animals go ’round and ’round while little tots learn their names and sounds. Whizzing motions, sparkling lights and cheerful songs introduce kids to the alphabet, from “alligator” to “zebra.” Three engaging modes help them learn: Letter, Animal and Music. In Letter Mode, the wheel stops on a letter and sounds out its name. Animal Mode lets little one discover 26 animals, along with their names and noises. Music Mode plays the alphabet song while little ones spin and play. Requires 3 “AA” batteries, included. 6″ x 6.5″ x 7.25″.

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars Fun for all ages
We got this as a Christmas present for our daughter (when she was 4 months old). We set it up on her high chair to keep her entertained while we made her food. It took her a week or so to figure out that she has to spin the middle part and now she loves this being a part of her routine. She only plays with it for a couple of minutes while the food is being warmed/prepared so it doesn’t reach the annoying level – but I can see how it could. I do have to say that I’ve never heard an x-ray fish, but I don’t think it’s sound is bzzzz. Other than that, I think this is a great toy to teach even younger kids dexterity and older kids about the alphabet and different animals (regardless or how silly the sounds may be). My daughter actually gets a kick out of it when I try to imitate the crazy sounds!

5 Stars Love it!
This is a very sturdy and educational toy. My one yr old would repeatedly drop it but it’s still in great shape. I love the feel of the product overall…it feels firm not flimsy. This toy automatically turns itself off when not in use and you have two different volume controls. My 4 yr old also tries to take it and play with it . The music is fun and engaging….my 1 yr old dances to it:) too cute… All in all I love this…I bought for my 1 yr old for her birthday.

5 Stars My 8 month old daughter loved it at 6 months and still loves it at one year!
We also bought this for a friend’s first birthday and she loves it. It has at least three settings, one for just abc’s, another for the animals, and the third for both, including singing the abc song.

4 Stars Our daughter likes this a lot
Our 10 month old loves to spin it to keep sounds or music going

I appreciate that the volume isn’t too loud in the low setting (a real problem in too many toys)… the variety is good: the music, animal sounds and letter settings are all different. Note that the animal sounds are a bit exxagerated… they had to find an animal with “X”, so they say “X-Ray Fish” (not even sure that’s a real fish!) and of course the sound is made up.

A good buy, since “spinning” is a pretty interesting concept to have a baby figure out.

5 Stars Fantastic choice!
I bought this toy for my 15 month old son and he loves it! It’s easy to use and very durable considering a little boy is putting it to the test.He loves the music although it can be a little repetitive for the parents, but I can overlook that when I see how much fun he is having.

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Welcome to Carnival Marvel. Step right up to play six fun-filled learning games that teach 45 essential kindergarten reading and math skills. Play each learning game to earn tickets to buy monster parts. Then, build an entire monster and teach it a silly dance so it can take the stage. Requires Leapster Multimedia Learning System (sold separately).

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Easy to navigate
One of my goals in getting games for our son’s Leapster is that I wouldn’t have to constantly help him. This game is easy to navigate and doesn’t seem to frustrate him. It also has just enough of a challenge, so I don’t think it’s too easy either. I bought this at Wal-Mart for $18 (two weeks ago), so this price it a little steep.

5 Stars leap frog educational game: Kindergarten
Granddaughter loves this game, even her brother who is 3 seems to be able to play well with it.

5 Stars Held her attention!!
We just got the Leapster2 for our 4.5 year old and chose a couple of games – you want to be picky since they are expensive and you don’t want so many as to overwhelm them. This is one of her favorites and she delights in getting points to buy the robot parts. She comes running in the room to shout “I spelled a word” and that she got to complete a robot. She also enjoys the Pet Pals game. This is a great educational toy, but can you will need to limit their time (she would play all day if I let her). The Disney Princess Enchanted Tales game did not hold her attention nearly as long, and she is a princess fanatic.

5 Stars Leapster 2 is a hit!
My 5 year old daughter received the Leaptster 2, a Disney princess game and the kindergarten game for Christmas. The Kindergarten game is by far her favorite. She would play with it for hours if I let her. My 3 year old loves it too. There are many fights over the Leapster and the Kindergarten game.

4 Stars Tech Toybox Price Gouging
Tech Toybox is selling this for $64.99 on Amazon. What a ripoff. They are taking advantage. Amazon seems to let this price gouging happen but will soon figure out that they’re losing customers due to price gouging by their partners. Amazon should list suggested retail price on all items where possible if they care about their customers

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Sing away while the animals play! Through rhythm, rhyme and sing-along songs, little ones can rock out and sharpen learning skills like counting, numbers and animal sound recognition. Younger learners can play with the guitar on the floor, pressing the fret buttons and turning the knob in the center. Older tots can engage in true rock-star style, holding the guitar while it plays. Three fun learning modes can be used in both English and Spanish. In Number Mode, whimsical songs introduce counting. Animal Mode helps kids make the connection between animals and their sounds. And Music Play Mode encourages tuneful freeplay as kids jig along to a lively rendition of “Old MacDonald” while activating a chorus of wacky animal sounds. Requires 3 “AA” batteries, included. Measures 13.5″ x 6.5″.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Awesome little guitar, just a bit heavy for 12 months old
My son is obsessed with guitars. Ever since my husband started playing all he wants is guitars. He got a little wooden toy guitar for Xmas and didnt part with it for the nex 2 weeks, in which time he destroyed it – literally from banging every single surface with it. So, now in time for his first birthday I looked around for a more durable guitar for him. I was a little concerned that it doesnt look much like a guitar, but to my son it does. He LOVED it from the first moment he saw it. Its his favorite toy, no doubt, and it is pretty durable so far it hasnt broken at all, and he drops it a lot, because it is a little bit too heavy for a 12 month old. Thats really my only complaint, but I expect that within a few weeks, he would have worked it out, and he’ll only love it more.

It talks in English and Spanish, and you can switch it from counting, letters, and melodies. Its really nice.

3 Stars LeapFrong Learn & Groove Guitar
Not so crazy about this guitar. It’s a pretty good educational toy, but not much of a guitar if that’s what you were aiming for. The shape is about all that is guitar-like. They barely realize they are strumming a guitar for all the background stuff going on.

4 Stars Toy Guitar
Fun toy for a while, didn’t really keep the attention of my nephew for too long. But he did love playing it!

5 Stars Above expectations
When I went searching for an easy to use toy guitar that wouldn’t bore the special needs child I was getting it for I was lucky enough to stumble on this one. Not only does it play music it does numbers and animal sounds and spanish.

My favorite feature of this guitar is that it offers several ways to trigger the interaction. The child can either hit the green bar in the handle turn the red nob or push the blue lever. The child I bought it for has some fine motor skills issues and some learning delays he quickly mastered the nob and the green button and was entranced by the bright colors and variety of tunes it plays.

It’s very durable the things been dropped or flung dozens of times and doesn’t show the slightest bit of wear and tear. I’m very tickled with this purchase and will be repeating it again soon.

5 Stars Leapfrog Guitar
According to my son and daughter-in-law, this is my two year old grandaughter’s favorite toy.

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LeapFrog’s ClickStart My First Computer is the first preschool learning system featuring a desktop experience that looks and works like a grownup PC. The ClickStart platform turns any TV into a child’s first computer, simultaneously introducing core preschool skills and basic computer functionality. A friendly green puppy named Scout accompanies little ones on their learning journeys, appearing on the wireless keyboard with automatic shut-off as well as in onscreen games and activities.

Rich with content, ClickStart My First Computer offers exciting games as well as engaging software applications that work together to help kids earn treats for their friend Scout. Includes wireless keyboard with automatic shut-off, cartridge based console, child-sized mouse and right or left hand adjustable mouse pad. Requires 4 “AA” batteries and 4 “C” batteries (not included). Measures 16″ x 8″.

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars very educational but poor mouse design
My three year old loves playing with this computer and has learned a great deal from playing with it too (phonics, basic spelling and word recognition, computer typing and mousing skills). And even though the mouse is very difficult to use (for me), she has managed to adapt to its very poor design and quality and make it work. At three years old she needs to be on level 2 already and my 1 1/2 year old likes using it too, so I am not sure how long it will last as an educational toy but younger kids can appreciate it too. If you don’t want the batteries to run out put the toy away when not in use. Though it doesn’t have an off switch, the mouse goes to sleep if you don’t move it for a while.

2 Stars Prepare for spending your toddler’s college tuition on batteries
My son received this as a gift when he was 3 1/2. I was attracted to this because (a) uses any TV instead of a computer, (b) has a standard QWERTY keyboard as opposed to some alphabetical units, and (c) features a realistic mouse.

The standard/built-in games are limited, but OK for teaching basic keyboard and mouse familiarity. We have not purchased any of the add-on games because the units are ALWAYS DEAD. Both the keyboard unit (pictured) and the control unit (which plugs into the TV) require a substantial number of batteries. And those batteries don’t last long. They keyboard does not have an ‘off’ setting; it just goes into sleep mode. So unless you store it in a cabinet, every time a key is pressed or the mouse is jiggled, it starts up again.

I recently complained to LeapFrog about the amount of batteries the unit requires. Their only recommendation was to remove the batteries after every use. Ya know, go grab a screwdriver and remove the battery pack from TWO units after every use??! Forget it.

For the high cost, be prepared to spend just as much on batteries. There are power adapters available for purchase, but if the battery life is so short, they should include these with the product and make battery use optional.

4 Stars Kids adore it, easy to use & a great value
I was wary about a toy that would have my kids sitting in front of a TV. When my daughter began to learn “keyboarding” in kindergarten, I decided to compare child-oriented computers so she could continue to learn at home. The ClickStart My First Computer was a lot of “real” computer for the price.

It plugs into a TV and creates a computer from the TV rather than it being a child-friendly keyboard that gets online. It teaches the same keyboarding and mouse skills that my daughter was learning in school. My three year old son also took to the ClickStart. It does keep him away from the real computers so if that’s a reason you’re considering a preschooler computer, this one will alleviate (if not solve) that problem.

They drop the keyboard (mouse and mousepad are attached) quite frequently and there’s been no damage. The mousepad may be mounted easily on either side of the keyboard. It’s a red laser mouse and can be used off of the mousepad as well.

The graphics are good. We run ours on a larger screen than is recommended and the kids have no complaint about the graphics. The games are set up so that reading is not required to enjoy play. Games we have can be either goal-oriented (you “win”) or simple play (exploration, developing keyboarding skills, etc.). The software that goes with this system is reasonably priced and fairly easy to find, both considerations when I compared products.

I highly recommend purchasing the LeapFrog ClickStart My First Computer Adapter at the same time as the computer. It will save a fortune in batteries from the beginning.

My only complaint about the ClickStart is that the receiver and the keyboard must be fairly close to each other to function/receive signal. If that’s not a problem for where you intend to us the computer, it should be good as gold for you.

BTW: The games are fun even if you’re older than 6

5 Stars One of the best toys my son has
I bought this for my 2 1/2 year old son because he loves to play in my computer, and this looked appropiate and fun. He was immidiately hooked up. The games are engaging and fun. It comes with 4 preloaded games, which are very educational. My son has been playing with it for two months now, and still loves it. He has already learned colors, shapes, numbers from 1-10, and his ABC’s! It really is educational. I purchased the Dora Explorer game which also teaches to count in Spanish. I love this toy. I don’t usually write reviews, but this toy really deserves it.

1 Star A Big Disappointment
I love Leapfrog toys and have several for my daughter, but this was a huge disappointment for us. She would love to play it but the mouse is impossible for her to use and just doesn’t work well at all. What should have been a great learning toy is nothing but frustration for us all.

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LeapFrog Fridge Words Magnetic Word builder Turn your refrigerator into a fun learning center for your little one with the LeapFrog Fridge Words Magnetic Word builder. Children can learn to build over 325 words through three different levels of play: Load a Letter, Word Play and Word Building. Using the included 29 letters your child’s reading skills and self confidence can take flight. All pieces attach securely to any magnetic surface and provide hours of learning fun.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Fun, durable and educational toy
My husband sent me to the store to get magnetic letters for our 10 month old daughter, and I brought home this toy. And our daughter loves it! We can be cooking dinner and she’ll stand in front of the fridge and pull out & put in the letters. She doesn’t comprehend it yet, but she knows how to play the ABC song and she dances along with the music. My husband and I have sat in front of the fridge with her for over 30 minutes spelling different words and doing the sounds with her. And it’s durable too – she has pulled and thrown the letters off of the fridge and there has never been a problem with them. The jet sticks pretty well to the fridge – she has been able to push it to the bottom of the fridge, but can’t pull it off the fridge. And I love the 2 volume settings – we have it on the lowest setting and can still hear her in the kitchen if we are in the family room. This is a great toy!!!

5 Stars Great educational toy!!
Leapfrog Fridge Words Magnetic Word BuilderPlease note: this review refers to the newer airplane shaped Leapfrog Fridge Words Magnetic Word Builder, not the older version.

I purchased this item for my 17 month-old daughter along with the Leapfrog Fridge Phonics (sun shaped, not the older red and blue version). First off, I was thrilled that the upper-case letters from the Fridge Phonics are interchangeable with the lower-case letters from the Word Builder. Now my daughter can learn her upper and lower-case letters at the same time. A noted change with the new versions of this toy – if a letter has more than one phonetic sound, both sounds are given. For example, when the letter A is placed in the toy it gives the long and short vowel sound. This is also true for some of the consonants that give more than one sound (i.e. the letter C).

The only drawback to this toy is that at times the voice is not as clear as I would like. Also, with a younger child, having all 26 letters out at the same time may be over whelming, so I only put up about 10 letters at a time. Other than that, I am thrilled that I purchased this toy.

3 Stars newer version not compatible
We have the original Leap Frog Fridge phonics with the single letters. These are all capitals. This Word Whammer comes with only lower case AND the letters are not the same size/not compatible with the previous version. That is SO frustrating and obviously something that Leap Frog did purposefully and for monetary reasons. We generally love Leap Frog products but I was very disappointed that the letters were not interchangeable (as they were on the older version).

5 Stars Very good, educational toy.
Very educational toy. Daughter loves it. It has taught her how to build three letter words. Would recommend this to anyone.

5 Stars Great educational toy
I bought this as a present for my 3-year-old son. He very much enjoys finding the letters to make words and of course singing the ABC song. I would recommend this toy to other parents that are teaching their children the alphabet.

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Enough medical tools for a team of young “doctors” to play at the same time. Plastic 19 piece set includes a battery-operated stethoscope, pager, realistic sounding cell phone, forceps, bandages, thermometer and more. Plastic clamp-tight carry case. Requires 2 AA batteries, not included.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Best Doctor Kit!
Highly recommend! My daughter plays with it everyday for the past 4 months. Love the sound effects!

5 Stars Excellent doctors kit!
What a great product! We started out with the cheap $10 doctors kit.. but since my daughter was so into playing doctor, we decided to buy this kit for her for Christmas – she is 2.5 years old. She LOVES it!

She absolutely loves how the pager, phone and stethoscope make noises. I’m not to fond of the coughing coming out of the stethoscope, but she doesnt seem to mind (I think they could have just done the heart beat).

There are a lot of pieces to this doctors kit! They fit in the box (which has latches on it to keep it closed properly), and the quality is pretty good of the items.

Very good doctors kit for kids – highly recommend it. My daughter loves to play with it.. and we get examined a lot in this household

4 Stars Doctor set
This toy quickly became a favorite for my grand daughter. There are lots of pieces for her to play with.

4 Stars Overall a good Dr.’s Kit
Some of the items are a bit cheap, but my daughter has enjoyed playing with the kit, and I am glad that I purchased it for her.

5 Stars Great Doctors Kit
My daughter is 3 1/2 and loves to play with her doctors kit. There are a lot of pieces to the kit and we have not been able to find any comparable toy in any local store. So for us, this is the best around. However, for the $$ we were slightly disappointed that the cell phone does not work. It appears to have a defect. Other than that, great educational toy.

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