Review: Melissa & Doug Geometric Stacker

Today's review: the Melissa & Doug Geometric Stacker

I must first disclose that I am a HUGE HUGE proponent of Melissa & Doug toys, for these reasons:

• they are sturdy


• they are classic


• they are pretty affordable


• they don't rely on fancy electronics or cartoon characters to entertain and engage
  


• they are intellectually, creatively and visually stimulating

Not every Melissa & Doug product is as good as the next, but nearly all of them that I have seen, heard about, or tried are better than 75% of other toys you see in the stores. That's a pretty decent margin.

On to the review! We received the Geometric Stacker as a gift for my daughter's 2nd birthday from my husband's aunt. As soon as we opened it, it was a hit, not only with my 2 year old, but also with my 1 year old.

The toy consists of a wood base with three rods that stand up. On each rod is a series of shapes, graduated in size, with a like-shape "cap" at the top. One stack is all octagons, one is all circles, and one consists of squares with a puzzle-like interlocking system.

Josie (my 2 year old) uses the toy on her own by stacking the shapes according to size, like this:

Or like this:

I will say that Josie is not really able -- or willing, maybe -- to line up the squares the way they need to be to interlock them. They fit together like this:

And it is a little tricky for her to line them up. Well I'm not sure if it is too hard for her or if she just doesn't have the attention span it requires. They can still be stacked, they just won't lay flat.

We also use the toy to learn sorting, by shape:

Or by color:

Josie is still learning the whole sorting game, so this is more mom-directed, but as she gets older I do think she'll get it. She likes to name the colors and shapes (which is another way the parts can be used) but she is not really too invested in the sorting piles. Then again, she's only been 2 for a couple months, so I guess I should give her a break.

Caroline (who just turned 1) also loves this toy. She does have the dexterity to place the shapes on the pegs -- they are large enough that her little hands can grasp them easily and heavy enough that gravity does some of the work once she gets them on the peg. Plus, they make a very satisfying *clack* when they hit each other. This is my Caroline's favorite part. Caroline also uses this toy by throwing the shapes to see what she can break and by trying to feed them to the dog.

The Geometric Stacker is very durable. It has taken a lot of abuse from my kids. Though most of the Melissa & Doug toys are tough, I have had little issues with durability in a couple. However, this toy has held up extremely well. The only visible wear has been the paint slightly coming off where my kids have put them in their mouth. I love how they refuse to try a bite of watermelon but they'll snack on every toy in the room.

So, in summary, I LOVE this toy. I do think the more they play with it, the more the novelty will wear off, but that's true with any toy. Plus we've already had it two months and they play with it every day still. But once we rotate it out and then back in, I have every confidence that it will be as exciting and educational as it was the day we unwrapped it. My one wish was that it were made in the USA (like everything else in your house, it is made in China). If you're the type that likes lists:

PROS

• sturdy


• attractive and appealing to kids


• makes a loud clack sound that even I can't resist


• has multiple play uses


• teaches shapes, colors, size differentiation
  

CONS

• made in China (no offense, China)


• a tad expensive (retails at $16.99)

The verdict? We at Must Love Babies highly recommend!!