Customer Reviews

Plan Toy Shape and Sort It Out

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I chose to buy this shape sorter for my 12 month old because it is solid wood and the shapes only fit through their own holes. This is important, because MANY shape sorters have more shapes, but they will frequently fit through more than one shape hole.
This toy good for Montessori-style learning, because it has the natural control of error.
This toy is simple, but good quality, and my daughter loves it.
The lid is not attached, like some, but that's fine. We play with it togther and she has almost as much fun matching the lid to the box!

I purchased this shape sorter for my 17 month old about a month ago, and I am really pleased. We had previously purchased another Plan Toys Shape Sorter Plan Toy Shape and Sort with a very similar name but different design. My child never really took to it, partly because it is not the most intuitive design. She never really figured out the intended way to retrieve the shapes, though she did get creative and find another way! It seemed clear to me that she would be more interested in dropping shaped blocks into a container where she could retrieve them.

Before purchasing I had read a review that pointed out that this a fool proof design in that the shapes will only fit into the right spot. We have found that to be true.

After receiving this sorter, my daughter mastered the round spot quickly and is very good at the other shapes as well. There are two of each shape, so your child can reinforce what they learn when they hit the right spot by putting the same shape in again right away. The lid fits nicely, resting in a groove. It is slightly weighty so it works well and is easy to remove and replace.

I love that this toy is non-toxic with safer rounded edges. Wood toys can be less toxic but a potential hard surface to fall on, so rounded edges show that someone put thought and care into the design.

The wood is a beautiful, matte finish. It feels good in your hands. The colors are rich, and engaging for my child. I don't think you can go wrong with this one!

Update: As my child grew older, she did some of their first stacking with these blocks. The matte finish gives them some grip so they are not as difficult as the Baby's First Blocks by Haba (which I also recommend).

Yes, the lid does come right off. But for the reviewer complaining that their child has more fun taking the lid off than sorting the blocks: isn't this a toy? If they're having fun doing their own thing, i'm not sure what the trouble is. Sooner or later they'll get into that obsessive sorting stage.

This toy is very solidly built. The blocks are solid wood, the box is sturdy, and the lid fits perfectly on top. It doesn't lock or clip or lock in, there's no hinge. It's a piece of wood that rests on top of the box, and that makes it very easy for the child to remove it and pull the blocks out so they can start sorting all over again. I can't speak for other parents or their kids, but mine loves to upend the box and dump everything out, lid and all. He wouldn't be able to have that fun if the lid locked into place, and i'm glad i don't have to be involved in liberating the blocks every time he's put them all into the box.

(And for anyone who doesn't know much about the Plan Toy company, my favorite thing about them is that they use food-grade dyes for their products, so you never have to worry about your child ingesting toxic chemicals by chewing on them. They also source renewable wood and engage in a variety of other eco-friendly policies.)

My daughter just turned a year old, and while she hasn't figured out how to put the pieces through the holes, she likes to drop the pieces into the box with the lid off, and carry it around by the little handle. Very well-made, durable, and cute. I will definitely buy more Plan Toys!

I got this for my son when he was about 11 months old. As the toy is said to be for 2+, I figured that I would put it away for later. I had to put the round blocks away until he was 13 months, because they were small and could fit in his mouth. He really started playing with this at 13 months. I love that there are just three different shaped blocks. It is a great starter toy for learning to put things through the holes. Some of the other toys like have a lot of different blocks that would be better for an older child.

I wanted the Tupperware classic shape sorter, but saw this wooden version and went for it instead. My kids love it, however, often times find it easier just to take off the lid and put the shapes in the box. I wish it was harder to remove the lid so that they had to spend a little more time trying to figure out how to correctly fit the shapes in. The older they get, the more they seem willing to keep the lid on.

My 14-month old son loves this toy! He still hasn't figured out where to put all the pieces, but he's working on it. When he first got the sorter a week ago, he spent considerable time putting all the pieces into the box (without the lid) and dumping them all out. After showing him where to put pieces with the lid on, he's now able to fit some of the shapes through the right holes. As previous reviews mentioned, the shapes only fit in the right openings.
The quality of this toy is quite amazing, and I'm sure it will last a while!

I purchased this shape sorter for my son's first birthday. I was attracted to its simplicity. It's also environmentally friendly...and WOOD. It arrived well-packaged and in a timely manner. The colors are bright and we haven't experienced chipping or flaking. My son enjoys using the toy as intended. He also likes to remove the lid and fill the box with other toys. I don't mind this, but it would be nice if the lid was attached with a hinge or something...to encourage it to be used as intended. Also, the box portion is unpainted and unstained like many other Plan toys, leaving it susceptible to staining. A good rub-down with linseed oil or applying a child-safe water-based lacquer solves this. An overall wonderful toy with some small cosmetic issues.

I have two other shape sorters and this one is definitely the best for a baby just starting to sort shapes. First my son liked to take the lid off and just take the shapes out and then put them back in. Eventually I noticed that he figured out how to get the circle through the hole. He is still working on the triangle and square, but can get it occasionally. It's also a challenge for him to get the lid on right, but he keeps working at it until he gets it. It is very well made with smooth corners. I am very happy with this purchase.

Like the other reviewer mentions, the lid is far too easy to remove and there's no hinge or anything to keep the lid permanently attached to the box. Needless to say, my 15 month old is more interested in pulling off the lid than he is in sorting the blocks. I'm hoping that I'll be able to find the lid when he gets old enough to learn how to put the lid back on and use the toy the way it was intended to be used.