Customer Reviews

AMBI Lock a Block

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is the best shape sorter out there. The "shapes" are 3-D, so they can be inserted in many different directions, not just 2 directions like the usual toy of this kind. This means that even 1 year olds can really work out the problem on their own. The door and key are equally fascinating, as others have noted: open the door, close the door, take out shape, put in shape, etc for long periods of time. One of the best and most fun toys my son owns, AND its educational in an open-ended way, unlike all of these electronic "learning" toys.

I bought this toy for my son when he was 9 months old and at 1 year he still loves to play with it. He plays with it in a lot of ways -- he likes to clap the blocks and balls together, walk around holding them, roll the yellow balls around and chase them, put the blocks in and out of the little door. This is even before he got to the point where now he tries to sort the shapes. I think part of the reason he likes it so much is that the blocks (the square, the ball, and the pyramid) are brightly colored, and just the right size for his hands. The toy seems very thoughtfully designed and well made.

I taught preschool special education for 8 years, and this toy was a favorite with many of my students. To reiterate what another reviewer said, the shapes are 3-D which is very helpful for babies and children just learning how to insert shapes in a shape sorter. Kids also love the door and key feature, which helps keep the toy interesting for older preschoolers. Now I have 10-month old twins, and they will be getting a lock-a-block toy for Christmas.

My daughter got this for her 1st birthday and almost 3 months later she still plays with it like it is new toy. She got the hang of it right away. The shapes are very easy for her to put in the box. It is also her secret safe where she puts other toys too. =)

My son got this for his 1st Christmas...He was 9 months old and nothing held his interest more than a minute or two. The lock a block is wonderful.. He spends several minutes play with it..Placing the blocks in and taking them out and repeat.........over and over again.....We bought other shape sorters, but he takes those shapes and put them in the lock a block.....The key is hard for little ones to figure out.....but that seems to be half the fun...I would recommend this and have to many of my friends...

I sent this toy to my new one-year old 2nd cousin Jenna, the daughter of my cousin Nancy in California. This was a birthday gift. I wanted something that would be educational but also fun. Nancy told me that Jenna likes playing with it, and that it is very well made. It has vibrant colors which kids like, and it has enough things to do so that you don't get bored. It has several cubes, balls and triangles that you have to fit in the holes. You have to fit the cubes into the square hole, the balls into the round hole, and so on. Then when you want to take the balls and cubes out, you have to open the door with the key which is attached. It's a very clever design. It's very well made, too. Nancy said Brio is one of a few companies who make really good development toys that she likes. I think this is a good deal because it's high quality and relatively inexpensive. I buy a lot of toys for my younger relatives, and this is one of the best I've seen. Its elegance lies in its simplicity.

One nice thing about this toy that I didn't see mentioned by any other reviewers is this: neither the keyhole nor the door are spring loaded. This means that for a young toddler like my 14-month-old, you can turn the keyhole to the unlocked position and it will stay that way; and you can leave the door propped open, although it may not stay that way. This allows young ones to put the blocks -- or whatever they grab -- in and out of the box without having to operate the lock. I had been concerned that I was going to be constantly called on to unlock the door for him, but now I see that's not the case. When he's ready, he can figure out how to use the key, but for now, he can enjoy the toy without using the locking function.

I think the bright colors of this toy, combined with the interesting shapes and perfect size of the blocks it comes with, make this toy very appealing to my son.

I bought this toy for my friend's 14 month old daughter. While visiting them, my 11 month old son was playing with this toy and when he hit the key on the box, a small piece of the key broke off and the key came off the toy. The piece was small enough to be swallowed.

I bought this for my daughter's 1 year birthday and she really likes it and has a lot of fun sorting the shapes and dumping them out the door. It's really nice to be able to leave the door unlocked so she doesn't get frustrated and need help every time she wants to get the shapes out. HOWEVER, after only one month a chunk of the key broke off when the toy was dropped on the floor. The piece that broke off was very sharp and small enough to choke on. The key is still functional, but we cut the cord to remove it from the toy so mom or dad need to help unless we leave it unlocked all the time.

A neat little cube filled with simple shapes to help improve a toddler's dexterity, shape and color recognition. The "reward" is a clever key that unlocks the box so it can be played all over again. The manufacturer is smart enough to attach the key to the cube, so it won't get lost. Good value for the cost.