Melissa & Doug Shape Sorting Cube

Other products by Melissa & Doug

Product Features

• Appropriate for ages 2 and up.
• Classic toy and childhood favorite.
• Helps build early shape, color and size differential skills.

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 6.8 x 6 inches ; 2.1 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• ASIN: B00005RF5G
• Item model number: 575
• Our recommended age: 24 months - 4 years
• Manufacturer recommended age: 24 months - 6 years
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #400 in Toys & Games (See Bestsellers in Toys & Games)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #1 in	Toys & Games > Preschool > Baby Toys > Shape Sorters
  #2 in	Toys & Games > Learning & Education > Early Development Toys > Shapes & Colors
  #53 in	Toys & Games > Preschool > Toddler Toys

• Average Customer Review: 2.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (95 customer reviews)

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

The ultimate shape sorter! Features 12 chunky, vibrantly colored shapes that make a satisfying ‘clink’ as they drop into the natural finished hardwood cube! Then open the lid, take them out, and start all over again!

Product Description

Ages 2 & up. This classic, wooden sorting cube is sure to delight any toddler. Features 16 large, colored shapes for little hands and a removable lid. Measures approximately 5 ½ square.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

76 of 78 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Challenging Shape Sorter, Great Toy, Manage the Frustration!, January 23, 2004

By	Colorado reader & parent (Colorado Springs, CO) - See all my reviews

Durability:5.0 out of 5 stars Fun:3.0 out of 5 stars Educational:4.0 out of 5 stars 

My 22 month old daughter plays with this toy, but there are 2 major sources of frustration.

1) The lid doesn't stay on well - whenever you try to put a shape into the side with the lid, the lid flips over. An older child could probably figure out that you have to hold the lid (or just drop the shape neatly into the hole without touching the lid) - but a younger toddler just isn't going to get that. It is very frustrating. Other people have pointed it out as well - perhaps the designers will respond in version 2. It's needlessly frustrating.

2) Some of the shapes are very similar /complicated - it is frustrating for a young toddler. BUT!!!! my daughter is slightly younger than the recommended age, and, it is a learning toy - it isn't supposed to be immediately easy. Just know that for younger toddlers, you should play with them and help them select the right hole.

A bit of guided play is called for while they are learning and it will increase fun/decrease frustration. My daughter has learned some of the shapes on her own, and is getting 'closer' on some of the others, but I frequently play with her and talk to her about the shapes and help her find where they go.

All in all, it is a good toy. We have several Melissa & Doug toys, and have been pleased with them all. They are safe, high quality, and nice looking. And you can never have too many small, brightly colored pieces of wood underfoot. :)

60 of 62 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Great idea, but poor design, March 8, 2005

By	Henry K. Cookson Jr. "leecookson" (Burlington, NJ USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Durability:4.0 out of 5 stars Fun:3.0 out of 5 stars Educational:1.0 out of 5 stars 

We bought this shape sorter for my older son when he was about 18 months old. He'd already been playing with a lightweight plastic one for months, but we liked that this one was wood and had more shapes -- in addition to the basic oval, circle, rectangle, triangle, square, etc., this one has a flower shape, a heart, an octagon, a couple of different triangles, a wedge, parallelogram, etc.

Unfortunately, the shapes fit through any hole in the sorter, so the child isn't really learning much of anything. Plus, the lid is impossible for a small child to keep on while they're playing with it -- even my older son (now 4) has trouble with it!

I've also found that it gets so crowded in there that the shapes don't always fit well when you're fitting in the last few. You need to shake the sorter so that the shapes settle to the bottom. Another issue that I have with this product is, several of the pieces are small enough to fit INTO a small child's mouth -- our younger son, 18 mos, has proven that on several occasions! The plastic ones we have from the other shape sorter are all a bit larger than these pieces, and I think safer. We keep this shape sorter up on a high shelf, to be played with on a rainy day with supervision. It's not a toy I'd leave out for everyday play.

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Looks good, but poor design for actual use, August 31, 2004

By	Kelly R. Stanaj "artsysmartsygrrrl" (Grand Blanc, MI USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I commend Melissa and Doug for the nice variety of shapes this cube offers as well as its classic wooden toy appearance, but that being said, actual use of this cube is cumbersome and faulty. A bit too heavy for tiny hands to turn and look for the appropriate hole, it also becomes frustrating when the lid falls off (no latch or hinge to keep it on) or it is almost full with blocks and you are trying to push in one of the shapes in the lower portion of the cube and it won't go in because there are blocks inside sitting on the bottom. If the lid latched, you could turn the sides facing up and easily insert the shapes, but not so. I sold my daughter's on ebay and got her the classic plastic Playskool one that has a snap lid and that is lighter weight so she can turn and tumble, looking for the right hole for the shape she has.