Imagine Toys Review #2 ~ a to z Magnatab

by Carrie Wells, Ed.D.
I'm so excited to be doing another review for Imagine Toys, an awesome website that features amazing pretend play, arts & crafts, and educational toys for children of all ages.  This time, I was sent the a to z Magnatab.

This learning toy comes in uppercase and lowercase letters. We were sent the lowercase letter Magnatab. This is a very unique toy. It comes with a stylus that has a magnetic tip and a board that is about the size of a sheet of paper. As you can see, the board contains all the letters of the alphabet written in light blue with arrows along the letters to show children how the letters should be formed. Each letter has small holes with magnetic balls inside. When you use the stylus to trace the letters, the small balls pop into each hole with a light clicking movement/sound.

The best feature of this product is that it provides a great tactile cue to your child, indicating that he/she is forming the letter correctly. If you go outside the "magnetic zone" and mis-form the letters, you do not hear or feel that click of the magnet going into the small hole.

This product is recommended for children age 3+. Whether the Magnatab is used at home or at school, children ages 2 to 5 should be able to use it correctly with adult modeling and guidance. When I initially gave it to my daughter without any instructions, she just wanted to "scribble" with the stylus to hear the clicking sound and to feel the small magnets moving around.

Once I showed her what to do, she tried to hold the stylus correctly and guide it over the letters. She is very interested in letters and numbers recently, so this is a fun way to motivate her to learn more. This shows us writing together hand-over-hand.

BUY IT! Interested in purchasing an a to z Magnatab for your child? It's just $24.99 at Imagine Toys! Imagine Toys offers many other awesome learning toys, like the Super Sorting Pie for $27.95 and Telly the Teaching Time Clock for $25.95.

You can also 'like' Imagine Toys on Facebook and 'follow' Imagine Toys on Twitter, where they host fun Twitter parties with great giveaways.

  * I received the aforementioned product for free to review. The opinions expressed are honest and provided without monetary compensation.

Our Learning Environment

Before Lydia was born, we created a pretty typical baby nursery ~ crib, glider w/ottoman, toy box, mobile, rug, etc. Well, I just scrolled through the 9000+ photos on my computer, and I cannot find one of her nursery. That should tell you how infrequently we used it. Lydia never slept in her crib, and it was recalled about a year ago. So, when we started to plan for Bryce's bedroom, we decided to make a toddler room. Right now, it basically serves as a classroom and playroom for the two of them. We wanted to go with bold, primary colors (see the colors used in this blog??) and we chose a space theme.

We have a toddler-sized table and chair set with a cool outer space rug below. The 4 bins on the side store different puzzles.

We have a library with books to fit each month's holidays or a particular theme. 

We have lots of storage for all of our learning toys, building blocks, and pretend play toys. I'm always looking for new ways to organize the room and new toys to add to our collection. I generally choose toys that combine imagination and learning. Lydia seems to love those, too!

So, that's our learning environment! Feel free to share ideas for creating a learning environment, for age-appropriate toddler toys, etc. I am always ready to learn more!

The ABCs of Teaching Preschoolers ~ L is for Library

by Carrie Wells, Ed.D.

Introduction by Deborah Stewart, M.Ed. of Teach Preschool:
This post is to celebrate the 20,000 members who have joined Teach Preschool on Facebook and the wonderful bloggers who share their amazing ideas and insights each day. As a special thank you to each of you who care for and educate our youngest learners, the bloggers and I have put together "The ABC's of Teaching Preschoolers". Be sure to visit my fellow bloggers and check out the fun and insightful tips they have prepared especially for you.

The letter I chose is 'L' for 'Library'. A library, whether in your home or classroom, is so much more than just a collection of random books thrown on a shelf. An early learning library should inspire children to want to explore stories, ask questions, manipulate items, and use their imaginations.

Here are some suggested supplies/materials to start your classroom or home library for your young learners:

A variety of books: Books can be organized by theme, a child's interests, or a certain sound you are focusing on teaching. I suggest including pop-up books, books with sounds, paperback, board books, hardcover books, books with stickers, books on tape/CD, big books, etc. I am expecting baby #2 in just 3 weeks, so all of the books in my daughter's library are about babies and big sisters.

Themed objects: If you choose books with a particular theme, put together a basket of items that go with that theme. This allows the child(ren) to explore the same topic in a variety of ways! I put a basket full of baby dolls next to the library for Lydia to play with while looking at books.

Manipulative toys: Included within a library can be felt storyboards, alphabet puzzles, magnetic letters, letter/word games, puppets, dress-up clothes, and other literacy-related items. These objects allow young children to practice early literacy skills beyond just looking at books.

Photo albums: This is a great way to personalize a library. Include pictures of your child(ren), family members, favorite toys, animals, transportation, etc. Anything that can stimulate interest and conversation. The children can also use personal photos to make their own books that can be placed in the library.

Seating options: Children should be able to sit comfortably while engaging in literacy activities. Your library may include area rugs, table/chairs, bean bags, rockers, pillows, blankets, and any other comfy seating options for little ones.

Organization: It's important to keep items within the library well-organized and easily-accessible. You want children to be able to reach everything to explore objects and books independently. It helps to label containers with pictures or words and to have a variety of colorful bins/baskets for easy clean-up.

Writing area: After reading books and looking at pictures, children may want to draw pictures and write their own stories. Place paper and age-appropriate writing utensils in an area that is accessible to the child(ren). I like the Crayola Pip-Squeaks for ages 2 to 4.

Whether you are building a library for your preschool-age child at home or your students at school, remember to personalize the books, activities, toys, and decor. Young children love seeing their favorite books in the library, their artwork posted, and their favorite toys within reach!