Surprising use--the best dog toy ever!
Written: Feb 08 '06 (Updated Feb 09 '06)
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Pros: Durable, safe, colorful and whimsical
Cons: Shapes fit in all holes--questionable learning potential
The Bottom Line: Also read reviews, for "Lamaze Soft Sorter Toy." Our child looked past it, but our dog adored it--f you have both in the house, decide whose it will be!
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| lisandrea's Full Review: Learning Curve Lamaze Soft Sorter |
Yes, yes, I know, I just titled this review, "The best dog toy ever..." You say to me, "But, this is a children's toy!" Ah-ha. Not in my house! We tried that.
I bought this at Babies-R-Us with a gift card when my son was turning the corner on manual dexterity toys, thinking this would be a fun one for us to work on together--it is soft, so safety seemed high. It is colorful, and although I tend towards the wooden, natural colors first, the colors are not over-the-top overwhelming. With a different pattern on each of six sides, and a seventh pattern inside, it could be disconcerting as a bit overstimulating, but I'm personally overly sensitive in that area, I think. Most of my son's peers would think this is a softie (so to speak) in its stimulating factor. I mean, no batteries, no ringing bells, no midi music, no wheels?! It's mellow among the field of most modern baby toys.
Well, my son had absolutely no interest in this cube. And, let me add that since each shape piece and its paired hole is soft (triangle, oval thing, square and circle), there is no distinguishing with a child that one shape can fit into only one matching hole. Essentially, any shape can be crammed into any hole, so this isn't necessarily the best shape-sorter. However, if you work with the fact that each 3-D piece not only fits its matched hole in shape, but also in pattern, then it should be easy matching for any child, I suppose. Just seems a bit too much to describe to a 6 month old. See? This one has a zebra pattern--it goes with the hole on the zebra side...it's too much of a puzzle in that way for the age group at whom it is aimed.
So, as I stated, I could not muster up support from Logan of this soft cube. I started him on it young--about 5 months or so [(?) I forget now, it's been nearly 3 years since we purchased it)]. He preferred the Kleenex boxes he'd been gnawing on that had given me the idea that he might get a kick out of this similarly shaped toy, and has he developed, his interest did not develop for this item.
So, here I'm stuck with this relatively pricey box--and 4 shapes. They squeak, they rattle, they crinkle--they're safe to throw all over the house even at the most fragile of things like TV screens and babies...but still, Dear Son remained disinterested regardless of my creative attempts to play with him and the box.
Then we adopted an adult poorly-behaved dog (thank you, he is improving daily), and his first thought was to grab a hold of everything soft my son owned! Teddy bears, tennis balls...nothing seemed to escape his big drooly mouth. I removed each item with a firm scold and tap on the nose "This is not your toy. Here, have this pokey pink ball thingie..."
Then Shadow grabbed the Learning Curve Lamaze Soft Sorter and shook it to high heaven. Four shapes flew from East to West, and I just about fell to the floor in laughter. Shadow said, "Hey! Now here is a toy I can get into!"
It has been his ever since. When he has to go to the groomer or for a sleep-over while we're out of town, the Shape Sorter goes with him and his Mexican blanket. It has the smell of home and a bit of whimsy that reminds him we will return to pick him up.
If you were left in a cold nasty cage for a day in a loud room of of other abandoned complaining pooches, wouldn't you find a sense of well-being in the humorous patterns of your favorite 5-piece toy? It say, "We love you!"
My dog is TALL and heavy with a serious set of jaws (Standard Poodle--great with the kids!!), but there is only one very small tear in the box after a good 10 months of his aggressive shakes. So, to answer any question of durability, I am quite certain your child will never give this toy the test my Shadow has given it. It will last a lifetime!
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 20 ish
Type of Toy: Other
Age Range of Child: 0 to 12 Months
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Epinions.com ID:
lisandrea
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Location: Virginia
Reviews written: 45
Trusted by: 4 members
About Me:
AP, NFP, WAHM/SAHM but NO SPAM (thank you, Ma'am)! :O)
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