Thursday 29 May 2014

Dr Miriam Galt Fill and Spill Barn



Introducing a new range of developmental toys for baby’s first year and beyond. Developed with Dr Miriam Stoppard, the UK’s most trusted parenting expert. Each toy is designed to encourage learning through play and includes a play guide written by Dr Miriam with tips on how to play with the toy in the most beneficial way while having fun!A wooden barn with 8 farm animals to put in and take out. Encourages hand-eye coordination and manual dexterity including the important skill of picking up and letting go. All wood is from renewable sources.

A wooden barn with 8 farm animals to put in and take out. Encourages hand-eye coordination and manual dexterity including the important skill of picking up and letting go. All wood is from renewable sources. Part of a range of baby toys developed with Dr Miriam Stoppard, the UK's most trusted parenting expert. Includes a play guide written by Dr Miriam with tips on how to play with this toy in the most beneficial way while having fun!

I work in a children's centre and one of the most popular toys we use is the farmyard and therefore when I was offered this through the Amazon Vine programme in return for an honest review I was very interested in testing it.

First impressions was that it was very nicely packaged and packed within the box, with pieces wrapped in tissue paper to ensure no scratches etc before it was given or bought. The main farm barn is well made, with a removable roof. The corners have been rounded to ensure safe for young hands. It is not a large farm, just the right size as a first farm for toddlers. It is, however, one which can be bought as a first farm and then added to a larger farm set. 

Now, since receiving this item I have had time to consider one issue that I have with this product - the animals are not animal shaped - they are carved out of wood and have a cartoon style animal picture on them, beautiful as they are, but are solid shapes, not proper animals with legs to stand on, or chew on!. This product has been endorsed by Dr Miriam Stoppard, who Galt have said is teh UK's most trusted parenting expert, I am not arguing this, however when I have spoken in the past to Speech and Language experts through my work, they have said that children should see 'real photographic' images of things when learning, therefore surely farmyards should have pieces which look like animals, with four legs which can be grabbed at and a head which can be held, not a shaped piece of wood.

I also found the enclosed leaflet in which Dr Miriam told the reader how to play with the toy rather patronising - it also appeared to me to be too advanced for a 12 month old - Here is a DOG, he WAGS his TAIL and says WOOF WOOF - for example is too much for very young children and although some parents do need tips on playing with their child I do not think the leaflet was very informative.

However, after everything I have said, I do like the actual toy - great size for a young toddler, something which could be used for many years and used as a base for a farm which could, for example, be suggested to people to add to for future birthdays or Christmas, where people could buy separate pieces to add to the farm (eg separate animals, tractors, fencing etc). 

I received this through the Amazon Vine Programme in return for an honest review.

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