Babalu, Inc. is a company that was launched in 2009 with the introduction of FeltTales. In 2009 they acquired WJ Fantasy, a 25 year old toy company that specialized in a selection of nesting blocks, toys, advent calendars and children’s books. The majority of Babalu toys are priced under $25 with many under $20- perfect for gift giving this holiday season! Babalu sent me a couple of toys for my review.
FeltTales felt story board $19.95– Felt story boards have been around for ages. They inspire children to use their imagination by providing an outlet for open ended play. FeltTales story boards come in a variety of themes including, Pretty Princess, Pups in the Park, Dinosaur Days, Busy Day at the Farm, Pirates at Shipwreck Cove and Let’s Go to the Ballet.We received a zoo themed one that my two year old was thrilled about. Each board has a handy carrying handle and a story starter on the back. Here’s an excerpt from ours: “…And just to show these creatures aren’t too wild, each mother here is taking care of her child. The animal babies have different names, you see. If I say the names, can you repeat after me? The elephant’s baby is called a calf, and that’s also the name of the baby giraffe!…”
I’d love to see inside the mind of my two year old. He sat and played with the story board, making animal noises, removing all of the pieces and sticking them back on. Every once in awhile he’d say things like “that’s a giraffe” or “it’s orange”. He enjoyed this new toy and I think he will get a little more out of it (as far as the story lines go) as he grows. The recommended age is 3+.
As a mom, I liked how he sat and played quietly with the story board. I could almost see the gears of his brain working. It will be great for bringing on car on trips as well as a quiet activity for home. The pieces didn’t stick to the board as well as I thought they would. I wonder if there is a trick to this (if anyone has any ideas, please let me know!) but the board did come with a travel pouch to help keep the pieces together. This is a good thing because each FeltTales story board comes with at least 19 moveable pieces! Having a quiet time toy that doesn’t have any flashing lights, make loud noises or require batteries was a refreshing addition to our playroom.
Do-Re-Mi Musical Building Blocks $24.95- Nesting and stacking blocks have always been a favorite of my children. My youngest always go straight for her stacking cups on the toy shelf without fail. So when I was given the opportunity to review these musical building blocks I was sure my kids would love them. I was right, of course! This set of 8 blocks is fitted with a metal bar that, when struck with the provided mallet, plays like a xylophone. Also on top of the box is a graphic of the note positioned on the staff with the corresponding letter of the note. If you set up the blocks so that these graphics are right side up, the metal bar is positioned horizontally. I found this interesting since on most xylophones they are positioned vertically. This was a well thought out and smart design because it is easier for children who are still developing coordination to strike the bar in this position. An accompanying song book allows children to learn to play simple songs all by themselves.
Each side of the blocks shows something different: children practicing instruments, playing homemade instruments and instruments that comprise an orchestra. One side also helps to teach counting with a rhyme and visuals of numbers 1-8.
Since the blocks nest together, it takes up minimal space inside the storage box with a carrying handle. A feature that certainly did not go unnoticed by me!
Babalu Inc. has offered one lucky winner their choice of FeltTales. Enter to win by filling out the form below. Also, be sure to see all of our other giveaways here.
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