Tomorrow on NBC CT,  I am featuring some of the PAL Award’s Spring winners that spark great fun and can keep language skills sharp over the summer–encouraging exploration and open-ended play. Here are the new products I am going to share:

All about flexible, open-ended, play using great toys and games that can teach too!

princessPrincess Palace by Janod (4 years and up, $50)

  • Open up your suitcase, reveal a palace complete with kitchen,bedroom, dressing room and garden room surrounding great hall.
  • 28 accessories: set your banquet table for 10 people, host a birthday party with cake, give your princess a ride on the horse drawn carriage
  • 16 pieces of interlocking path
  • Portable story telling
  • Available here

group-lo-resWorry Eaters by Haywire Group (3  years and up, $16-$23)

  • These friends can spark a conversation about worries and fears,
  • Kids write down their worries or draw them, put them in the mouth and zip shut
  • Worry Eater hangs on to the worries for them
  • Terrific language learning tool to start a conversation about what is concerning your child
  • using, learning, building emotional vocabulary
  • Available here

sq-579B_Jungle-Fun-ABC-PlayMat_frontangle-300x300Jungle Fun ABC Playmat by Alex Toys (1 year and up, $50)

  • Kids loved popping out the letters as they named them
  • Even used the plastic zippered case to put them in as named them
  • Corresponding animals Z is for zebra, B is for butterfly
  • Pictures to describe to build language: the duck is on the crocodile’s back
  • Available here

Bakery Shoppe WThe Bakery Shoppe Set by The Queen’s Treasures (8 years and up, $130)

  • Who doesn’t like a trip to the bakery with your favorite 18” doll?
  • Girls got right into role-play as one took over the cash register with money
  • treats are sold separately, but even come with a bakery box
  • great for role play, dialogue and story telling
  • Available here

imgres-2Maker Studio Construction Set by ThinkFun (7 years and up, $20)

  • very innovative company, great price point for all the learning included in this set
  • Box full of parts and gadgets, instruction booklet using elementary science and engineering concepts
  • create your own toys
  • made a well with a winch out of oatmeal container
  • learn problem solving, vocabulary of engineering–spool, connector, gear, rod and purpose
  • challenges-rescue a toy out of the well
  • Available here

shoppingHucklebee by MindWare (18 months and up, $20)

  • Parents ask me most frequently for toy suggestions for toddlers
  • Hucklebee is great because it comes with 50 suggested activities for interaction with  this cute bee,
  • following directions to shake Hucklebee and then shake yourself all over.
  • colors, shapes, counting, body parts, action words and pretend play
  • Available here

imgres-3The Painting Teepee by Pacific Play Tents (3 years and up, $170)

  • kids saw the teepee and couldn’t wait to personalize it with the paint tubes
  • moon and stars to warrior on a horse
  • really sturdy for pretend play, can handle several children
  • discussed designs and started up their story
  • Available here