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Baby Roundtable: Babies "Read" Books Eye-Dazzling Learning Tools Captivate Tots
Participating in this month’s Roundtable were Penelope Pauley and Lucy (2); Christy Chambers and Nigel (2); Maggie Rochin and Orlando (3); Diana del Pozo and JoJo (10 months); and Sharri Hefner and Sydney (4 months). CLICK HERE to view the full results of the survey. My First Taggies Book ‘Hey, Diddle, Diddle’ by SCHOLASTIC  What It Is: A hard book with fabric tabs and colorful illustrations reciting the nursery rhyme "Hey, Diddle, Diddle."What the Moms Thought “My First Taggies Book ‘Hey, Diddle, Diddle’” is a terrific board book that was a hit with the infants and toddlers alike. The infants flipped through the pages and chewed on the tabs, while the older kids learned the nursery rhyme, turning pages as their moms sang. Penelope thought that her daughter would not enjoy the book, but was surprised when Lucy’s eyes lit up with the tale of the cow jumping over the moon. By the time they put the book down, Lucy had the nursery rhyme memorized. What the Kids Said Two-year-old Nigel was more interested in the tags than the book. Four-month-old Sydney loved the illustrations and used the tabs to turn the pages. How to Improve It The moms didn’t have many suggestions to improve the book. One said that the book could be larger for toddlers to handle, but that would not keep her from buying the book for another child. Would You Want Another Toy Like This? Maggie, mother of Orlando (3), appreciated the bright, simple illustrations and would be likely to purchase similar toys. Ten-month-old JoJo loved putting the tabs into her mouth. I was so thrilled to see my four-month-old Sydney turn the pages of a book that I would definitely look for products like this for her in the future. Baby Flash Cards by WEE GALLERY (ToyDirectory) What It Is: Artistic animal flash cards. What the Moms Thought The Wee Gallery Baby Flash Cards are real works of art rather than a learning tool. They have kid-friendly rounded edges and are made of solid card stock, even withstanding cat bites without defect. One mom thought that they would be perfect hanging on her infant’s bedroom wall. The toddler moms were unanimous in saying that the font is difficult to read and the illustrations are somewhat abstract, making the cards a less than ideal learning tool for toddlers  What the Kids SaidThe cards were a hit with both the infants and toddlers. They are a good size for both to handle. Toddler Lucy said the designs were “very pretty.” “”My son had a wonderful time placing the cards on his head and having me snatch them off,” said Christy, mother of Nigel. How to Improve It While the cards are artistic and visually stimulating, the cursive lettering complicates word recognition. The animal designs are unique, but are not the best representations for learning animals. One child, who had been able to distinguish the animals before, became confused as to the difference between a snail and a snake. However, to change the item and lose the style would make the cards less appealing. Would You Want Another Toy Like This? This is a unique gift that could be used as decoration in the child’s room. A mobile to display the cards is sold separately and would be a nice addition to any nursery theme. What Should We Call the Twins? by WEE GALLERY (ToyDirectory)  What It Is: A simple story book with graphic illustrations.What the Moms Thought The younger children responded to the images on the pages, but the parents of the toddlers found themselves making up additional story lines. What the Kids Said The size of the book was good for both the infants and toddlers. The infants especially seemed to enjoy the book. Ten-month-old JoJo laughed as her mother Diana read it to her. Four-month-old Sydney eyed the graphics and turned the pages herself. However, the toddlers did not respond as well. One would not allow her mother to open the book and another was confused by the word play. How to Improve It The images in "What Should We Call the Twins?" are fantastic. However, the story did not hold interest with the toddlers. Would You Want Another Toy Like This? Books with similar graphic illustrations would be ideal for infants. Here are the toys the Baby Roundtable evaluated, plus a couple more from each manufacturer:
 Writer's Bio: Sharri is a freelance writer living in Los Angeles. Most recently, Sharri wrote a one act titled "Spice" for Gene Rhee’s "The Trouble With Romance," which stars David Eigenberg ("Sex and the City"). "Georgia Heat," a script Sharri wrote with fellow NYU alum Mora Stephens, is slated for production Summer 2007 (Janet Yang, Executive Producer). Sharri received her MFA from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. Before NYU, Sharri was graduated summa cum laude from California State, Long Beach. While Sharri was completing her thesis, USAToday selected her as one of the top college students in the country. Sharri is the proud mom of Sydney, who was born in June 2006. Read more articles by this author |
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