games and puzzles in toys

We got this toy for our son at about age two because he knew his colors and animals and this was a game he could play with these skills. He doesn't SHARE very well yet, so he plays best with mom & dad, or alone with all four game boards to himself! There are coins in 4 colors with one of three animals on them. The child pulls a lever and the coin comes out - he matches the animal on the correct color game board. It is easy and fun. My son enjoys it VERY much and so have friends' children! Plus, it will help him learn to "take turns." Pretty soon, anyway!

Barnyard Bingo is the one game that my kids (2and3) love to play over and over. It teaches pattern recognition and color identification. The mechanism by which the 12"chips" randomly come out keeps the kids attention. A lever is pressed and a "toingg" sound is made and out pops a chip that has either a chicken, a cow or a pig on one side. The object of the game is be the first to match the three animals on your little plastic card. The cards are made of very durable plastic. The only problem that I have had with this game is that my kids peel the animal stickers off or eat them. I have purchased this game three times just to keep up with the sticker cunsumption. I have decided to just buy animal stickers at a sticker store. With either homemade or store bought stickers you could expand the usefulness of the game to include different types of animals or letters. It truly is a wonderful game.

My daughter, who turns 2 this july, goes to speech therapy. The therapist pulls out this game to try to get my little one to not only speak, but to put the coins in the slot (follow direction), take them out, match them up, learn animals and colors. Also to take turns. This is a Wonderful teaching game! Please note the coins a small, and could be a choking hazard. But overall I recommend this game.