Country Toys

Some fun extension activities for the Melissa & Doug Basic Skills Board include:

• Ask your child to name each of the skills that will be mastered-snapping, buttoning, buckling, zipping, lacing and tying.
• Ask your child to name the color of each puzzle piece.
• Show your child that the puzzle pieces on the bear’s arms are interchangeable. Ask your child to place the pieces in specific order from left to right. For example: Place the snap piece first, then the button, etc. Repeat the activity using the predominant color of each piece.
• Place four or more pieces in front of your child asking him/her to study them before closing his/her eyes while you remove one piece. Ask your child to identify the piece you removed.
• Time your child to see how quickly s/he is able to complete each of the skills and then undo them.

The Melissa & Doug Pattern Blocks and Board Set also includes the following fun extension activities:

• Create a linear pattern using the blocks. Ask your child to replicate the pattern. Increase the difficulty by adding more blocks.
• Ask your child to sort the pattern blocks by color. Ask your child to count the number of pieces of each color. Ask your child to name each geometric shape.

  green-triangle, red – trapezoid, blue-large rhombus/diamond, yellow-hexagon, orange-square, white-small rhombus/diamond

• Ask your child to combine tow or more blocks to replicate another shape. For example: two triangles make one rhombus. Stacking the blocks on top of each other may help your child better visualize the equivalency.
• Trace the outline of one or two of the simplier images provided on the pattern cards on a piece of paper. Place the outline on a flat surface. Ask your child to fill in the outline using the pattern blocks of his/her choice.
• Ask your child to place the pattern blocks on a flat surface and create a unique geometric design.

Melissa & Doug’s Magnetic Calendar helps teach and reinforce calendar skills and the understanding of time, years, months, weeks and days.

Some activities for the Melissa & Doug Magnetic Calendar include:

• Discuss the components of the calendar with your child. How many days are there in a week?…in a month?…in a year?
• Assist your child in setting up the calendar for the current month. Place the month, year and date magnets in their correct spaces. Fill in any holidays that fall within the month using the magnets provided.
• Talk about your child’s schedule, appointments, upcoming events or celebrations for the month. Chart these dates on the calendar using the magnets provided.
• Discuss the change of seasons with your child. Point out the magnets that can be used for charting the four seasons and the daily weather.