The Melissa & Doug Pattern Blocks and Boards are a traditional plaything that delivers an entertaining and instructive experience for kids. Featuring 120 solid wood shapes and 5 double-sided panels, this toy allows for limitless opportunities for creative designs and solving puzzles.

Melissa & Doug Pattern Blocks and Boards

Pros and Cons

What We Liked

  1. Educational: The wooden block set promotes spatial awareness, color recognition, hand-eye coordination, and problem-solving skills.
  2. Double-sided boards: The set includes double-sided boards, providing kids with more options for creative play and learning.
  3. Durable: Made with solid wood, the blocks and boards are sturdy and built to last.
  4. Ideal gift: This toy makes a great gift for children ages 3 to 6, encouraging hands-on, screen-free play.
  5. Versatile: The Melissa & Doug 120-piece set allows kids to create a variety of patterns, sort blocks by color, count pieces, and more.

What Can Be Improved

  1. Slippery blocks: Some users found that the polished wood surface of the blocks can be slippery, making it challenging for little fingers to assemble the patterns. Using velcro dots can help enhance the play experience.
  2. Paint odor: One user reported that the paint on their set had a noticeable smell that persisted over time, which may be an issue for children with sensory sensitivities.

Quick Verdict

The Melissa & Doug Pattern Blocks and Boards is a fantastic toy that combines fun and learning, allowing children to engage in hands-on activities that promote cognitive and motor skills development. With its durable construction and versatile design, this set provides hours of enjoyable play. While the slippery blocks and paint odor may be minor drawbacks, the overall educational value and creativity offered by this toy make it a worthwhile purchase for children aged 3 and above. Check it out on Amazon!

Unboxing – What’s Inside?

As a parent in the USA, I recently purchased the Melissa & Doug Pattern Blocks and Boards toy from Amazon. I was excited to introduce my 3-year-old child to this classic wooden toy that promotes creativity and spatial reasoning. The delivery was prompt, and I received the product within a couple of days.

Upon opening the box, I found:

  • 120 solid wood shapes
  • 5 double-sided panels featuring colorful patterns

Specifications

Brand: Melissa & Doug

Manufacturer: Melissa & Doug

Dimensions: 13.1 x 1.7 x 8.5 inches

Weight: 2.8 pounds

First Release Date: June 12, 2006

Documentations

The included user guide was extremely helpful in getting us started with the Melissa & Doug Pattern Blocks and Boards. It provided clear instructions on how to use the wooden shapes and panels to create various patterns and designs. The guide also offered some suggested activities to enhance learning and creativity. If you want to explore the user guide, you can find it here.

Features – What We Found

Educational Wooden Block Set

The Melissa & Doug Pattern Blocks and Boards Classic Toy is a great educational tool for children. It comes with 120 wooden blocks in various shapes and colors, which inspire kids to create colorful patterns on the 5 included boards. This toy helps children develop essential skills such as spatial awareness, color recognition, hand-eye coordination, and problem-solving abilities. By manipulating the blocks and arranging them on the boards, kids engage in hands-on learning that promotes cognitive development.

Classic Learning Activity

Pattern blocks have long been recognized as a classic math manipulative and learning activity, and this toy provides children with the opportunity to enjoy this timeless play experience. By working with the blocks and boards, kids can explore mathematical concepts such as shapes, patterns, symmetry, and counting. This not only enhances their mathematical skills but also encourages critical thinking and logical reasoning. It’s a fun and engaging way for kids to learn while they play.

Double-Sided Boards

The Melissa & Doug Pattern Blocks and Boards Set features double-sided boards that offer even more creative play options. Children can use these boards to create linear patterns, sort blocks by color, count pieces, and much more. The versatility of the double-sided boards adds variety to the play experience, keeping kids engaged and challenged. It also encourages them to think outside the box and discover different ways to use the blocks.

Perfect Gift for Kids 3 to 6

The Pattern Blocks and Boards Classic Toy makes an ideal gift for children between the ages of 3 and 6. This is a critical period for development, and the toy offers age-appropriate challenges that stimulate learning and growth. It promotes fine motor skills as kids manipulate the blocks and place them on the boards. It also fosters creativity and imagination as they design their own patterns and compositions. The toy provides a screen-free play experience that allows children to express themselves and explore their capabilities.

High-Quality and Trusted Brand

Melissa & Doug has been a trusted brand for over 30 years, known for creating beautifully designed and high-quality products that spark imagination and creativity in children. The Pattern Blocks and Boards Classic Toy is no exception. With the recognition of NBC News as the gold standard in early childhood play, parents can have confidence in the durability, safety, and educational value of this toy. It is a reliable choice that will provide hours of engaging and enriching play for children.

Our Review and More

Our Score: 93.0

I recently purchased the Melissa & Doug Pattern Blocks and Boards Classic Toy for my 4-year-old daughter, and it has quickly become one of her favorite toys. The set comes with 120 wooden blocks in various shapes and colors, along with 5 double-sided panels for creating patterns. The educational aspects of this toy are fantastic – it helps develop spatial awareness, color recognition, hand-eye coordination, and problem-solving skills.

What I love most about this toy is the versatility it offers. The double-sided boards provide endless creative play options, allowing my daughter to create linear patterns, sort blocks by color, count pieces, and more. The quality of the wooden blocks is excellent, and they are durable enough to withstand constant use. Additionally, I appreciate that this toy encourages screen-free play, which is a big priority for our family.

I highly recommend the Melissa & Doug Pattern Blocks and Boards Classic Toy. It makes a great gift for kids ages 3 and up, and it complements other Melissa & Doug block sets for even more building fun. The only minor issue I had was that the wooden blocks could be a bit slippery, making it challenging for little fingers to place them accurately. However, I found a simple solution by attaching Velcro dots to the blocks and boards, which made the pieces stay in place. Overall, this is a fantastic toy that provides hours of educational and engaging play for young children.

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