Here are some of our most loved learning toys for our 3.5 year old preschooler. Still surreal to write that sometimes! We're focusing most on letter and number identification, letter sounds, writing letters, and are at the very beginning stages of site words.
Hot Dots Cards: Probably our most loved learning resource. These are flashcards on crack. The pen (sold separately, below) lights up, wiggles and shakes, and makes sound effects when you select the correct answer. We’ve gone through The Alphabet series and are moving onto the Beginning Phonics series now that Oskar is learning letters and their corresponding sounds. We love doing these before bedtime together.
Hot Dots Cards: Probably our most loved learning resource. These are flashcards on crack. The pen (sold separately, below) lights up, wiggles and shakes, and makes sound effects when you select the correct answer. We’ve gone through The Alphabet series and are moving onto the Beginning Phonics series now that Oskar is learning letters and their corresponding sounds. We love doing these before bedtime together.
Hot
Dots Pen: Goes hand in hand with the cards, mentioned above. They have other
characters too (cat, owl), but Oskar chose this blue doggie.
Leap
Frog Scribble and Write: Oskar got this for Christmas (thanks nana!) and it
gives me Etch a Sketch vibes from childhood, except new and improved. The pad
prompts you to trace letters with the stylus, which, in turn, gives you
practice on how to write them. A really great activity for the car or
independent play.
Site
Word Blocks: These are making their way Oskar’s Valentine’s Day basket. A
great little set for beginning site words.
Bathtub
Letters: One of our favorite bath time games goes hand in hand with
learning letters and numbers. These foam shapes stick to the sides of the tub. I
set up a row of them, and ask Oskar to show me whichever letter or number I choose
(and also ask if it is a letter or a number). If he chooses the right answer,
he gets to spray it down with this Squirt
Gun.
Sidewalk
Chalk: On nice days, I draw out all of the letters of the alphabet on our
back patio or driveway. I pull up a handy little gameshow sound-effect app on
my phone, and tell Oskar to jump on whichever letter I choose. If he gets it
right, I play the “right answer” sound effect, which he loves.
Brain
Quest: Anybody else remember these? A really cute set that we like to do
together to wind down before bed or nap time. Oskar often asks me if I can “ask
him the mouse questions”.
Books
on CD: Calling these a learning toy. Oskar loves to listen to CDs in the
car and to flip through the book himself, which is a great alternative to
movies or shows on the phone.
Smart
Globe: This is on the list for Oskar’s next birthday. I’ve read rave
reviews. The globe is interactive, and includes a pen to touch all the
countries or states in the US, which prompts the globe to name the place and to
provide facts about it. It also has an option to play a game to find the
country/state, and has a timer.
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