Shape Sorting Caterpillar by The Little Toy Company

This is a great wooden shape sorting toy that is designed for children 18+ months of age. Each "peg" on the caterpillar is a different shape and has two rings that fit onto the shape fairly easily. The rings are a great size for little hands and are easy to manipulate. Strengths: This is a nice to for promoting fine motor and cognitive skills. I like the fact that it has shapes other than circles, squares, and triangles, which are the shapes that many sorting toys come with. Weaknesses: There is one major design flaw with the toy, especially if it is to be used with younger children. The pegs that you put the shape rings on aren't actually attached to the caterpillar board. It does add another dimension of difficulty to the toy, which is nice for older children with more well developed fine motor skills, but it is incredibly frustrating for younger children. The children I have used it with will become very agitated when the peg slips out of the hole just as they are about to put the ring on. I solved this problem by gluing the peg to the board! The toy isn't as challenging for some of my older children, but at least I'm not facing any tantrums when the younger ones knock the pegs over. Price: $18 - $25. Where to Buy: You can find this toy online at Fat Brain Toys (www.fatbraintoys.com) or at the Little Toy Company's website (www.littletc.com).