Customer Reviews

Melissa & Doug Deluxe Wooden 27-Piece Lacing Beads in a Box

5 star:		(41)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

My 2-year old son was interested in the toy from the moment he saw it. He enjoys stringing the beads and then dragging then around on the string. He can be entertained with it for quite a long time. The colors and shapes are fun and attractive.

The quality of the product leaves something to be desired. After playing with the beads on a hardwood floor for one evening, the paint has begun to rub off the edges of the pieces. The holes in the pieces are not sanded finely enough, so sometimes the string gets snagged when one tries to pull it through. Also, and I don't know if that is intentional, or if any other similar product does it differently, but the piece of the rope that is covered in plastic is too short: you have to hold the string about 1 inch away from the plastic covered part to fit it into the bead to be able to grab the string on the other end. An adult can do it of course, but it's hard to do for a 2-yo.

I bought this for my 18 month old because she is really into books, puzzles and stacking blocks. She picked up the beading concept right away and was thrilled with this new toy. I think the bright colors and variety of shapes are interesting to little ones and it's a great activity for teaching hand/eye coordination. The beads can also be used for stacking. We do this activity before naptime or bedtime as a quiet transition. This will be a perfect toy to grow with her as she gets older and starts learning patterns and color families. Another great product from Melissa & Doug.

Let me just say- I love the design & colors! My 4 year old has tons of fun creating patterns & making games out of the beads (blocks) & string. However, the paint chips easily, the blocks get dented & the overall quailty is "just okay". This is not a toy I see lasting through both of my childen (4 years & 4 months). I enjoy HABA's quailty better when it comes to wooden toys.

I am currently shopping for some new lacing beads... I thought I would write a review since I am replacing a set of these for two main reasons.

1) The paint chipped off these quickly. My son does like to drag his full string of beads, so I would understand some wear and tear, but they look horrible. I want my 1 year old daughter to play with them and I am not comfortable with her using this set.

2) I was originally drawn to the numbers and shapes, but after having them for over a year I think they are too busy and difficult for children to create patterns with.

I have to say my son loves these and has enjoyed playing with them once a week or so. He is quiet and focused when lacing them.

This set of lacing beads is a big hit with my two year old. The beads seem durable, I haven't noticed any paint chipping, and they're big enough for small hands to grip. I like that the holes in the beads are wide enough that it doesn't cause any frustration while my child plays with it. The lace ( a colorful shoelace) is pretty long so I wouldn't recommend allowing a youngster to fiddle with this set alone. Great product. A good bang for your buck.

My 2.5 year old kids are having a difficult time putting the string through the holes - not because they don't know what to do, but because the rigid ends of the string that are covered in plastic are too short (those ends are probably as short as on a regular shoestring). Also, to have such a long string is 1. dangerous 2. what's the point - even if you put all of these on one string, you'll have 2/3 of the length still available. I much prefer the strings with a solid rigid edge on one end, and a big knot on the other, so that the beads are not falling off of it. Definitely not for smaller children.

This is such a great toy! We purchased it for our 4 year old sons birthday. He really enjoys stringing the beads and tying the string around various things in our house. It is great for small motor control!

My granddaughter is 3 and loves these beads;they are easy for her to use, colorful, and durable. I have given my grandchildren other Melissa & Doug puzzles and games and they are some of their favorites.

My 2-year old son rec'd this toy for Christmas, and I have to say, it's another quality item by Melissa & Doug! The beads are very bright and colorful, and the laces go through the holes very easy. You can also stack the blocks into a tower. My son has been having a lot of fun with these blocks and figured out how to lace them right away. The blocks come in a little wooden tray which is nice for storage. I would highly recommend this lacing set. We are very happy with it.

We purchased this set for our 2-year-old daughter. While she enjoys playing with the beads, it is difficult for her to string them together since the holes through the middle are roughly drilled out. In the past, I've had very positive experience with Melissa & Doug products, but this one leaves me less-than impressed.