Madeline and I attend a Gymboree Play and Learn class once a week. She absolutely loves the class and is learning so much! She plays, sings (she actually knows the words to some of the songs) and participates in everything. . definitely a big change from when we first started the class a few months ago.
I am also really enjoying the class for different reasons. . we are meeting other moms and friends and they sell fabulous learning toys right in the lobby. This could be annoying to some parents because you could have your kid asking you every week to buy them a new toy. This isn’t happening for us yet. Madeline is still young enough to not really care if we walk out without a toy and is just happy going to the class and getting a Gymbo stamp on her hand at the end. But what I love is that Gymboree offers discounts (pretty much every week) on these toys, products and learning games. So, that’s usually enough incentive for me to take a look and buy something I think she’ll enjoy. Plus, this saves me a trip to Target. . where I will inevitably waste more money on useless things in the dollar section.
Most recently, we purchased this Melissa & Doug See-Inside Alphabet Peg Puzzle. It’s crazy because ever since I bought this, Madeline is obsessed with learning her alphabet and she will be 2 on November 30 and she already knows all of her letters! She can say them and recognize them out of order. She literally plays with this puzzle 4 or 5 times a day and so far, has not gotten sick of it. She not only loves placing each letter where it belongs in the puzzle but also saying the letter and the word that the letter is associated with in the puzzle. I’m amazed. My first daughter did not learn her ABC’s this early. . . and so I just bought the See-Inside Numbers Peg Puzzle. Hey, here’s hoping she learns her numbers as quickly and with as much excitement!
If you have a 1 1/2 or 2 year old, I highly recommend these Melissa and Doug Puzzles for your little ones! Enjoy!!!
