Customer Reviews

Melissa & Doug Lace and Trace Pets

5 star:		(33)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I bought these for my 4-year-old son, who happens to be a very hands-on kind of kid. He loves making things with blocks, crafts, and various tools. These lacing cards keep his attention for at least 30 minutes a day, which is saying a lot for an active little boy.

The figures are made of a good, sturdy wood product that keeps them from bending or falling apart, unlike the cardboard type. I love that the images are on both sides of the cards. The laces are thick and easy to handle. My son loves these!

Great fun for a little kid, while learning to use their hands and build skills that will help later on.

This is a plain ol' great toy! First of all~no batteries required!!! I have childre from ages 8 to 3 playing with these and they all have their own way to make it fun. It really has helped with my 3 year old's small muscle coordination, and the 8 year old has stopped stabbing her finger with a sewing needle since she has started practicing with these! I would highly recommend these to anybody whose child may need a little help in their hand/eye coordination. They are made out of very durable wood and the strings match the outer edge of each animal. You won't go wrong with these! PLUS they are made in the U.S.A! Hooray! I love all of Melissa and Doug's toys.

I bought this to give to my grandson for Christmas, since he is not yet 3 years old, we are spreading out his presents over several weeks instead of giving them to him all at one time.
I gave this to him today, because he was unlacing my boots, and I thought that the toy would be a good activity to distract him from unlacing all my shoes.
Right out of the package, I was disappointed with the quality of the toy.
1. Most of the holes have rough edges and the strings became damaged with the first use.
2. Many of the holes were drilled wrong, either not round, or just a partial hole through the toy.

Overall, I think the lax construction of the toy will seriously impact the durability and the replay value of the toy.

I bought the M&D Lace & Trace Pets AND the Lace & Trace Farm for my almost-4-year-old. As I type, she's having a ball with the pets set. I can see hours of enjoyment coming, and I can certainly see that it's going to be a challenge for her hand-eye coordination skills -- something all kids need to develop.

Speaking as an adult, I am absolutely tickled pink to have found sets of cut-outs that are made of something that's not going to bend or tear, like the ones I had when I was a kid. These cut-outs are sturdy, 1/8" thick wood. It's going to take a lot more than general wear and tear to ruin these puppies! In fact, I can even see getting them out for my grandchild(ren) to play with one day. They're that well-made. On that score, I give them a full five stars and would give more if possible.

The laces, though, are rather another story. After less than an hour's play time, they're already showing signs of wear. They're made of some sort of braided nylon-type material that snags a little too easily on just about anything (including the pre-drilled holes in the wooden cut-outs), so I'm already reminding my preschooler not to let the cat play with them. Though they're color-coordinated with the edges of the cut-outs, my daughter hasn't noticed and probably wouldn't care if she did; I'm sure I'll be able to replace the laces pretty easily if they get too snagged and ratty. Still, it would have made more sense to make them out of something less "snaggable."

One last thing would have made this a fully five-star item in my book: Some sort of lid on the box, or perhaps a soft-sided carrying tote. These sets come in a flat wooden box with two compartments -- one for the cut-outs, one for the laces. While the laces and cut-outs do fit back into the box with little trouble, there's nothing to KEEP them in the box -- no lid, no straps, nothing. If it had come with some sort of lid, problem solved, but I think I'm going to have to buy some sort of tote that zips or snaps shut, so my daughter can keep everything in one place easily.

Still, as I said before, this is one heck of a durable set of cut-outs. I am very happy with the purchase and, more the point, so is my daughter!

I got these for my two year old granddaughter, and it was a great purchase.
She plays with these every time she comes over, and gets better and better at laceing them. She knows which color lace matches the card, and won't put any other on.
They are made of a very durable material, and come in a little box for storage. Just wish it had a lid.
I would definately recomend this toy!!

My 3 year old loves the trace pets. It is wonderful to see the concentration in her eyes and the thrill on her face when she completes an animal. You can't beat an item that teaches your child valuable skills without them knowing it.

My sister bought this for my son's 5th birthday. He loved it. I didn't expect my almost 9 year old son to also like it. We have to because because they tend to fight over it. Great for car trips.

The wooden pets are so much nicer than the cardboard ones. My[...] loves this game and has learned some new skills and words like push and pull from this toy.

This is a pretty fun toy, and I love how it helps my son's fine motor development and problem-solving skills.
Unfortunately, he weaponized the string so we now use it as a car/restaurant toy. That seems to work well for us.

My soon to be five year old daughter received these 10 months ago for Christmas. She still gets them out and plays with them regularly. I have even noticed my 8 year old son and his friends playing with them from time to time. The quality is great, too. I wasn't sure when I read in the description that they were made from a cardboard material, but they still look new and my kids tend to be hard on toys. I would have no problem giving them as a gift and recommend them to anyone considering them.