Three Little Pigs Playset by Melissa and Doug

As a Speech Language Pathologist I'm always looking for toys that help to promote both the use and understanding of language skills. This is an excellent toy that can help support not only the development of story telling skills, but it is a great way to teach colours, matching, and counting abilities as well. What I really love about the toy is that you children can retell the story of the Three Little Pigs by acting it out with these soft, squeaky figures that are just the right size for toddlers hands. The pigs can b hidden in the plush houses and the wolf slides down the chimney - both of which are really fun activities for young children. Strengths: This is a great toy for promoting pretend play and story telling as well as for teaching some basic concepts. Weaknesses: The houses are made of a plush fabric that is a little hard to clean, but this only matters if you are using the toys with multiple children. Price: $27 - $30. Where to Buy: Melissa and Doug toys are widely available at many toy outlets such as Toys R Us as well as specialty toy stores. They can also be purchased online directly through the Melissa and Doug website (www.melissanddoug.com) or through a vendor like Amazon.