UNDER THREES
Learning Drum(19.99) from LeapFrog *****
LeapFrog Toys (UK), First Floor, Unit 1, Concord Business Centre, Concord Road, London W3 0TR (Stockist number 0800 1695435, website www.leapfrog.com)Tested by Flying Start Nursery, Wallingford, Oxon This is designed for babies from six months. It enables them to create their own music in their own way and music and games are linked to letters and numbers.
Tester's report
This was a great success with the babies under 18 months and they played with it for a long time, both alone and with adult guidance. Older children would benefit from it but it would have to be on a one-to-one basis so it would make a very good toy for home use. It offers lots of learning opportunities - number, alphabet, sequencing - and promotes concentration and listening skills. I think it is very good value for money as it is suitable for a wide age range and seems to be very robust. We enjoyed the catchy music and the light and sound stimulation.
Jan Thorp, Manager
Discovery Ball (19.99) from Leapfrog ****
Contact as before
Tested by Belvedere Childminders and Carers Support Group, Belvedere, Kent The Ball, containing letters, can be rolled or spun by a baby to the accompaniment of letter sounds, music and flashing lights. Recommended age from six months.
Tester's report
The children enjoyed spinning the ball to activate the music and letter sounds and seemed to enjoy the repetition. While I loved the singing alphabet I was disappointed that the letters were not spoken phonetically. However, it's a good multi-sensory resource, suitable from birth to three years, and would be good for children with both physical and mental disabilities. This is sturdy but lightweight and completely safe for little ones. It's also easy to keep clean by wiping with a damp cloth.
Lynn Manning, Group Leader
Changing Sensations Mobile (approx 20) from Fisher-Price ****
Fisher-Price Customer Careline 01628 500302, website www.fisher-price.com/ukTested by Sure Start Programme, Gloucester
This is from a new range of infant development toys called Learning Patterns and features soft characters, two choices of music - jungle-like or traditional -and a changing overhead display screen. When the mobile is activated the animal characters dance to the music while the colours and patterns change on the screen. It requires three AA batteries which are not included.
Tester's report
We asked parents for their comments as the ethos of Sure Start is to be parent led. This mobile was found to be a very stimulating toy which appeals to all the senses and it is also useful for children with little mobility. It's well made and robust and should last a long time. It's most suitable for babies from birth to one year.
Ann Perrins, Special Needs Inclusion Worker Stacking Surprise Octopus (approx 10) from Fisher-Price ****
Contact as before
Tested by Sure Start Programme, Gloucester
Another toy from the Learning Patterns range, this offers the child a selection of tactile fabrics, sound effects and music. When a baby places one of the rings on the stacking base the Octopus is activated and produces a tune and a sound effect. It requires three AA batteries which are included.
Tester's report
Our parents also thought this was colourful, stimulating and made to last. However, they found the pieces didn't fit well enough and could, therefore, be put in the wrong place when stacking. It's good for encouraging motor skills and co-ordination and promotes discussion about colour, shape, sound and texture. Suitable for children from birth to around two years.
Ann Perrins, Special Needs Inclusion Worker
FOUNDATION STAGE
Spelling Puzzles (7) from Orchard Toys ((((
Orchard Toys, Debdale Lane, Keyworth, Nottingham NG12 5HN (0115 9373547 website: www.orchardtoys.com)
Tested by Little Blackbird Playgroup, Oxford This is a set of 12 colourful picture and word puzzles with either three, four or five pieces. The recommended age is three to four.
Tester's report
These puzzles are lovely with lots of learning potential - letter/word recognition, use of language, mathematical development and hand/eye co-ordination. Because they are so attractive the children enjoyed playing with them. Although they needed a little help to begin with most of the children soon managed to complete them unaided which gave them a real sense of achievement. The pictures are of everyday objects depicted in a very simple style which makes them easily recognisable and promotes lots of discussion. They are especially good for one-to-one activities when concentration is limited. They are made of thick card which is likely to be chewed by younger children - wooden puzzles would be better - but are very good value for money. A very popular addition to the playgroup.
Julia Jeffery, Childcare Co-ordinator, Oxford City Council Mulberry Bush Game (8) from Orchard Toys *
contact as before
Tested by Little Blackbird Playgroup, Oxford
This is an updated version of this company's well known game. The aim is to race around a 3D mulberry bush, singing and miming actions while getting ready for school. The game comprises a jigged mulberry bush board, 3D mulberry bush, four playing boards, 24 cards, four mulberry cards, four character cards, four character stands and one die. Recommended age three to six years.
Tester's report
This is attractive to look at and the pictures on the playing boards provide a talking point when used with the Mulberry Bush rhyme but I don't think it is at all suitable. The game needs to be adult led. It is over complicated with far too much to do and remember. Each child has a cardboard character placed in a plastic stand which is moved around the circular board according to the number on the dice. The child is then supposed to mime the actions depicted on the spot where his character has landed and also sing the Mulberry Bush rhyme. All this is far too time consuming and most of the the children became restless and totally bored. The board itself is fairly robust but the central pieces which stand upright and are linked together began to split immediately. The small die and little plastic stands are likely to get lost. This would have been so much better as a simple board game without all the fiddly bits which take a while to set up.
Julia Jeffery, Childcare Co-ordinator, Oxford City Council Busy Buttons (Pounds 18.95) from Smile Education *
Smile Education, Kijo Ltd, Unit 2 Home Farm, Norwich Road, Marsham, Norfolk NR10 5PQ (Freephone 0800 37645385, website www.smileeducation.co.uk) Tested by Cornerstone Pre-school, Tamworth, Staffs
A construction toy with a difference as it consists of 24 scented shapes, featuring strawberry, banana, lemon and bubblegum, and 16 buttons. The shapes are also soft and flexible and children from around three years can learn to sort and match by scent, as well as eye and feel.
Tester's report
This is something a bit different for pre-school children. However, only the oldest children could manage it on their own, otherwise it has to be adult led. For one thing the buttons which keep the constructions together are very difficult for little fingers to push into place. It's also a shame that the instructions demonstrating the kind of things which can be made are printed in black and white, so that the children couldn't follow them; we had to colour them in. I'm afraid we adults couldn't distinguish between the scents either -everyone thought they all smelt like the dentist's! It is good for matching colours and learning about shapes but is most suitable for children over four.
Sarah Avery, Pre-school leader
Play Parachute (from 64) from Full-of-Beans *****
Full-of-Beans, The Coach House, Home Farm, Leebotwood, Church Stretton, Shropshire SY6 6LX (Freephone 0800 652 8200, website www.full-of-beans.com)Tested by Jellybabies Nursery and Pre-school, Birmingham The Parachute is available in two sizes with diameters of either three or five metres. It's made of fluorescent rip-stop nylon with reinforced seams and comes with a nylon bag for storage and some games suggestions.
Tester's report
We had the smaller version and found this to be a good size. It is so brightly coloured that the children were immediately interested and they loved it. It teaches social and physical skills and colour recognition in a fun and exciting way. Parachute activities must be supervised by an adult at all times but staff had almost as much fun as the children. There are plenty of suitable activities across our age range of two and a half to four and they produced screams of delight from the children. Children with learning difficulties can participate fully and our children with hearing impairments loved the sound the parachute made. Good value for money as it has long-term value.
Julie Kite-Lightfoot, Proprietor Rainbow Electricity Kit (89.69) from TTS ****
TTS Group, Nunn Brook Road, Huthwaite, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Notts NG17 2HU (01623 447800 website www.tts-group.co.uk)
Tested by St Luke's C of E Primary School, Cambridge The kit has been specifically designed to support young children investigating electricity across the primary school science national curriculum. The electrical components are mounted on coloured blocks that can be attached by Velcro on to the felt-covered base board. It is designed to help children understand electricity, make circuit building as simple as possible and to allow a wide range of circuits to be made as the children progress.
Tester's report
Every child will want a turn with this electricity box. It's very easy for the children to use and is safely constructed. The board allows them to see clearly how a circuit is formed and they particularly enjoyed predicting which metals would conduct electricity. It is tough and durable and built to withstand the onslaught of lots of inquisitive hands. Represents good value for money although there isn't sufficient material in the box for a whole class lesson. For that supplementary resources would be required.
Margaret Edwards, KS1 Teacher
Learning Lines (29.95) from Philip & Tacey *
Philip & Tacey, North Way, Andover, Hants SP10 5BA (01264 332171 website www.philipandtacey.co.uk)
Tested by Selborne Primary School, Perivale, Middx This is designed to develop language skills at Reception and KS1. It comprises a wall-mounted storage unit with six transparent A5 pockets, six sets of 24 laminated cards plus ideas for activities. The card sets cover lower and upper case alphabet, a pictorial alphabet, sight words and sentence builders.
Tester's report
I'm afraid this is not something I would choose to use. The range of knowledge required is too great and the word level too high. Children using or needing individual letter practice would be quite unable to cope with the words included in the sentence jumblies. The cards are too large for individual play and do not look very durable.
Viv Morris, Deputy Head
Learning Lines:Maths (29.95) from Philip & Tacey ****
Contact as before
Tested by St Michael's Nursery and Prep School, Barnstaple, Devon Card sets are designed to be used either as flat cards for group or class learning or as display cards on the washing line provided. The contents are a wall-mounted storage unit with six transparent pockets and six sets of 24 laminated cards. The card sets cover numbers and bonds, number words, pictorial number, ordinal numbers and coins.
Tester's report
The cards are attractive and large enough for group work. My class enjoyed estimating how many animals they could see and then checking their answer on the reverse of the card. It is useful to be able to hang the unit on the wall so that the children can access it easily and initiate their own number games. These are most suitable for children from five plus and are ideal for those with speech and language difficulties, Sharon Davidson, Reception Class Teacher Early Number Games with Unifix Cubes (18) from Philip & Tacey **
Contact as before
Tested by Phoenix Nursery School, Wolverhampton This is a set of three large-format board games designed to give practice in early number skills for children from four to six years and suitable for two to four players. The games consist of laminated boards, Unifix cubes (40 each of four colours), six spinners and four playing pieces.
Tester's report
These were not a huge hit in the nursery. The instructions are too complicated and the children found it difficult to use the spinner and dice.
They liked the colourful pictures and played with the pieces but not in the way intended. They showed no interest in the Unifix. The appropriate age group would be five to six year olds. However, the games were well made and could be useful for maths clubs.
Michala Hoyland, Nursery Teacher
Infant Video Toolkit (from 75 for one use) from 2Simple *****
2Simple Software, 3-4 Sentinel Square, Brent Street, Hendon, London NW4 2EL (020 8203 1781 www Tested by Vicar's Green Primary School, Alperton, Middx The software is aimed at three-to seven-year-olds and consists of a suite of six programs - 2paint, 2count, 2graph, 2publish, 2go and 2question. It is available in PCor Mac formats.
Tester's report
There are many excellent features to this software. The program has a very simple menu from which the children can select the program they wish to use.
The paint package is simplicity itself. The children can select a colour felt tip from a side menu and can paint to their hearts' content, which has the dual purpose of encouraging creativity and ICT skills, especially mouse control. A simple press of the button and the drawing is printed. The program 2publish is my favourite. Once again selection is simple and the children are presented with a number of writing templates which allows them to produce pages, simple books, alphabet books and much more. A great feature is the commonality of use between the programs and the very simple processes which produce great results. I really liked this when I first saw it and had decided to buy the site licence within ten minutes of first using it! Highly recommended.
Laurence Keel, Head Teacher
Musical instruments (from 4.99) from Insect Lore *****
Insect Lore, PO Box 1420, Kiln Farm, Milton Keynes, MK19 6ZH (01908 563338 website www.insectlore.co.uk)Tested by Platform 1 Pre-school Day Care, Chesham, Bucks A new range of musical instruments with an animal theme. It consists of Fish Tambourine (4.99), Clatter-Pillar (7.99), Animal Jingle Bells (10.99) and Crocoglock (13.99). Recommended age three years plus.
Tester's report
We used these at least three or four times a week over the testing period. Our children love playing musical instruments but the added interest of the animal shapes makes the activity even more enjoyable. The instruments have a very good sound, especially the Clatterpillar and the Crocoglock and the Jingle Bells are easy to hold and therefore good for children with special needs. All of them are made of moulded plastic and easy to wipe clean. In addition we found the organic packaging the instruments came in was a learning experience in itself. Full instructions are given for how to dissolve it in a bowl of water and the children loved watching it disappear before their eyes. Once dissolved it can be used for watering the plants.
Sharon Duncan, Nursery Leader Wooden Number Puzzles (14.99) from Insect Lore ****
Contact as before
Tested by Cherry Orchard Creche, Burton on Trent, Staffs Colourful pictures decorate this set of numbers from one to ten and each number has the corresponding number of puzzle pieces, making 46 pieces in all, which are supplied in a wooden case.The puzzles are also designed to be used for sorting and matching. Recommended age is from two years.
Tester's report
These are colourful, eye-catching and nicely finished. There are lots of learning opportunities for maths, language and nature as the pictures are of bees, trees, birds, flowers and so on. Our youngest children particularly enjoyed naming and talking about these. We liked the fact that the number two had two pieces, number three three pieces and so on. Because of its many uses we thought this set was good value for money and it comes in a nice wooden box. Our only criticism we had is that number four is a peculiar shape.
Vera Poynton, Creche Supervisor Orchard Game (25.84) from Insect Lore ****
Contact as before
Tested by Marigold Day Nursery, Wirral, Merseyside The aim of the game is to stop a greedy raven from snatching all the fruit from the trees. There are cherries, apples, pears and plums to be harvested before the bird can get them and all the players have to work together. This game comprises ten polished wooden versions of each fruit, four baskets, one nine-piece raven jigsaw, die and a game board.
Tester's report
It's a simple, easy, exciting game for preschool children. It involves picking up fruit corresponding to the colour rolled on the dice. It's not at all complicated so the children don't become easily distracted and the novelty of the baskets makes collecting the fruit more appealing. Part of the excitement is racing against the bird, although the children apparently hadn't heard of a raven before and kept calling it a crow. It's also good for colour recognition, identifying fruit and taking turns. Although the game is expensive it's well made and will last. The game board is very thick and as the fruit pieces are made of wood they won't get easily damaged. It has quite a few small pieces so needs adult supervision, particularly as some of them are fruit shaped!
Sharon Lewis, Deputy Nursing Manager Stacking Shapes (39.25 per set) from Asco ****
Asco Educational Supplies Ltd, 19 Lockwood Way, Leeds LS115TH (0113 20 7070) Tested by Kids Korner Day Nursery, Halesowen
This consists of three shapes - pyramid, cube and sphere - which can be stacked on each other in a variety of ways. The set contains 12 of each shape, each of which comes in three colours. Construction can be matched to the enclosed pattern card.
Tester's report
This is a lovely product to have in any nursery setting. It provides lots of learning opportunities including colour and shape recognition, pattern work and sorting skills. As there are only three-dimensional shapes it may be a little difficult for younger children to recognise their names although they can still explore and enjoy stacking the shapes. The shapes are a good size and seem very hardwearing. The children have had an enjoyable time playing with these and are still trying out new ideas all the time.
Karen Taylor, Officer in Charge Mathmobile (58.50) from Asco ****
Contact as before
Tested by St Augustine's Catholic Primary School, Warrington Designed to introduce work with colours, numbers and sizes, it consists of 12 vehicles, which are in two parts and three colours, and 42 people. There is also a set of instructions.
Tester's report
The cars and the people are so bright and stimulating and the children were keen to sort and compare them. This is a good resource which can be shared with Nursery and Reception. It gives lots of opportunities for counting, matching, sequencing and size recognition. It is also good for developing manipulative skills and hand/eye co-ordination and for close observational skills. We haven't had time to explore all its potential yet but because it can be used in so many different ways we think it is good value for money.
Ruth Tranmer, Head of Early Years Ordima Tropical Forest (25.50) and Sea Life Puzzles (23.50)from Asco ****
Contact as before
Tested by Silver Trees Day Nursery, Toton, Notts There are three puzzles and a poster in the Tropical Forest set. Sea Life comes in two sets, each consisting of three puzzles.
Tester's report
We originally tried these puzzles with the two-year-olds but the pictures are too complicated for them, although they enjoyed the texture. However, the three-to five-year-olds soon developed the confidence to tackle them alone. The pieces proved just the right size and the details in the pictures sustained interest. Because they are quite large they could be good for children with fine motor difficulties. Although the pieces are hardwearing - they can be remoulded if they are chewed. However, the trays for the puzzles look as if they might easily break.
Nikki Hare, Officer in Charge Scentissimo Scent Lotto Game (35.25) from Asco ***
Contact as before
Tested by West St Leonard's Early Years Centre, East Sussex This Lotto game uses smell to identify 20 concentrated perfumes - scents of flowers and fruits -contained in small jars. The set comprises five Lotto boards, 20 smell jars, four plasticised boards and an instruction leaflet.
Tester's report
This is an unusual Lotto game and very good for language, literacy and observation. The children found the photographic images exciting. The scents are very realistic but a few are too obscure for children of this age - for example, cinnamon and liquorice. Some of the pictures are a bit difficult to identify - we had problems with the pine cone and the cinnamon again! Our children are very clever and soon realised that they could find the numbers under the little pots and we had to put sticky tape on them (the numbers not the children) to stop them cheating. I think it is far too expensive.
Kathryn Dixson, Nursery Manager
Big History Stories (12.99) from English Heritage Education **
English History Postal Sales, c/o Gillards, Trident Works, Temple Cloud, Bristol BS39 5AZ (01761 452966, website www.HeritageEducation.net)Tested by Perivale Primary School, Perivale, Middx
This video has been especially made to help history come alive for three- to seven-year-olds. It runs for an hour and is an mix of stories, anecdotes and live footage. Its aim is to make history fun and to enable young children to learn about life in the past and how ordinary people cooked their food or fought in battles.
Tester's report
We used this video for a month but decided it wasn't something we could make much use of in the nursery or reception. It has some learning potential but I don't think it is realistic to aim it at three-to seven-year-olds unless their concentration is very good and they have a very strong interest in the topics covered. I'm afraid our children did not find it at all interesting.
Von Smith, Head Teacher
Number Track Games (19.50 plus p&p) from Beam Education ***
Beam Education, Maze Workshops, 72a Southgate Road, London N1 3JT (020 7684 3323, website www.beam.co.uk)Tested by Perivale Primary School, Perivale, Middx This is a set of five illustrated board games designed to help three-to five-year-olds recognise and use numbers, count and begin to add and subtract. Each game uses a different length and shape of track providing alternative images of the number system. The reverse side of each board is un-numbered to allow children to make up their own number games. They can count along a dinosaur's body, work their way up and down a block of flats or feed frogs in a pond.
Tester's report
This is suitable for both nursery and reception. It has good learning potential and the repetition is very good for SEN children. We used it in small groups and some of our children enjoyed the games but the drawback is that an adult is always required to help out. The boards seem reasonably durable.
Von Smith, Head Teacher OUT OF SCHOOL
Thomas the Tank Engine Games from Benjamin Toys - Bowling Set (9.99) ****
, Basketball Training Set (22.99) ****, Cricket Set Pounds 11.99) ***
Stockists information on 01438 347424
Tested by Green Top Out of School Club, Bradford, Yorks
The Bowling Set consists of six soft pins and a soft bowling ball which can be used for both indoor and outdoor play. The Basketball Set is self assembly and comes with an inflatable ball. The stand is height adjustable and the base can be filled with sand or water for extra stability. The Cricket Set includes a bat, stumps and two soft balls.
Tester's report
The soft balls should allow all these games to be used safely indoors as well as out of doors.The Bowling Game is easily accessible for all ages of children and the small cardboard plates on the bottom of the pins allow them to be knocked down easily. This is a good game for teaching accuracy.
Playing Basketball is good for team work and individual precision. However, the post has already begun to bend and often falls over.
We thought that the cricket set is probably the least suitable of them all for indoor use and it is certainly not entirely safe for games when younger children are playing with the older ones. However, the stumps are made of strong plastic and so are very stable.
Laura Mattocks, Out-of-school club leader Magic Cauldron Game (9) from Orchard Toys ****
Contact as before
Tested by The Castle Montessori After School Club, Berkhamstead, Herts Designed for two to four players from five to eight this game is intended to make maths more exciting. The task is to fill bubbling cauldrons with weird ingredients. To do this the children have to guess the solutions to the sum and then rub the heat sensitive patches on the cards to get the answers. The game comprises four cauldron boards, 40 double-sided picture/number cards and 40 double sided sum cards with rub and reveal answers.
Tester's report
We have been using this every day over the testing period and it has proved very popular with the after-school club children. The instructions are very easy to follow so the children were able to set it up by themselves. We think it is good value for money. It probably won't last forever, but nonetheless it does seem very durable - a thoroughly enjoyable game.
Laura Thompson, Deputy Manager What's Rubbish? (8) from Orchard Toys ****
Contact as before
Tested by The Castle Montessori After School Club The intention of this game is to make children aware of what can be recycled. Players spin the spinner and move round the board collecting cans, bottles, clothes and newspapers to put in their re-cyling bins. They then have to decide what rubbish goes in the refuse bin and watch out for the litterbug. The contents are one jigged board, 50 picture cards, four litterbug cards, eight recycling bins, four plastic counters, one spinner, 3D refuse bag. Recommended age is five to ten years.
Tester's report
This is another very enjoyable game, providing good value for money, and which was very popular with the children at the club. It has lots of potential for learning about recycling and has led to some excellent discussions. The game was played with every day when we first received it and it is still used on a regular basis, which proves that it has long-term appeal.
Laura Thompson, Deputy Manager
