*This post contains press samples, all views are my own
Paw Patrol to the rescue! If you’re a parent to a pre-schooler like myself, you’ll know just how true this statement actually is! We had Cameo’s preschool parents evening recently and we were so happy when his teacher said that he is advanced when it comes to his learning, especially his phonetic sounds and numbers. Let’s be honest, there’s nothing a parent wants to hear more, right? Over the past few months, we’ve really tried to introduce toys and games that help him learn, as well as being fun. It can be hard because Cameo is 3 and loves a screen. Whether it’s the TV, my phone or his tablet, it’s so interactive it can be hard for a toy to beat. Well, that’s why I said, Paw Patrol to the rescue! Because in this case, they’ve really hit the nail on the head when it comes to fun, interactive toys that have been helping Cameo learn and were even voted as one of the best toys on a recent MyPriceGuide list.
PAW Patrol Ryder’s Alphabet Tablet
This Alphabet is one of the most used toys in the house at the moment. Cameo loves it because it resembles an adult tablet and of course, he knows all the characters. It’s described as an interactive first table and is suitable for children ages 3 years and over. It has three different interactive activities/games that your little one can do and it’s all around phonics and the alphabet. Each game has a focus on letters, sounds and words.
I only recently learned that Cameo was learning phonics at pre-school so this has been great at bringing that learning home in a way that he finds fun. There’s a find the phonics letter (as in, find E for Everest), find the picture (can you find Skye) and what is the first letter? (as in, what is the first letter of the word bone?). Cameo’s really enjoys the phonics games as he thinks he is super clever when he gets them right!
Cameo also really enjoys discovery mode which is basically just free play. Cameo will press a button and it will say the letter phonetically which is really great for learning. It also means he hasn’t got bored of the tablet yet, because from his perspective there are lots of different things to do and it isn’t just the same thing every time he presses a button.
Ryder is the character who basically hosts all the talking on the toy and is the one giving the games directions. I’ve found that Cameo hasn’t really needed any assistance with this as the screen is touch-sensitive enough for his little fingers and is happy to play on his own. Of course, it’s still nice for me to get involved as his mum and we can play together too. Also, good news… there’s a volume control button! The tablet does require 3xAAA batteries which should be included.
The PAW Patrol Ryder’s Alphabet Tablet is available to buy from Argos.
PAW Patrol Smart Phone
The Paw Patrol Smart Phone is all about numbers and colours, so it’s great to have in conjunction with the tablet above. It’s for ages 18 months upwards. So, Marlo well and truly took ownership of this one! Which toddler doesn’t love a pretend phone?! It’s great for imaginary play and even better than it’s with Paw Patrol characters. There are 4 different activities that can be played on the phone. Finding colours, finding numbers and finding characters. There’s also the option for a general quiz game where the questions can be to do with any of the above. You can also ‘call’ up to ten different characters who will say something different, every time their number is pressed.
The smartphone also has an on and off switch, as well as volume control – woop! Another bonus. There’s actually so much more to this toy than I first thought, which is great! Ryder and the Pups have a whole host of things to do on this phone and it’s a small but mighty toy.
Another good counting toy that’s also available featuring the Paw Patrol Pups Is the PAW Patrol Count with Marshall (Available from Argos). If numbers are what you’re getting your little one to work on, it’s a great way of getting them to count together with Marshall using coins that are popped into a Paw Patrol Truck!
Back to the smart phone, it’s been a great toy for both Cameo and Marlo who are 18 months apart in age because there’s so much to it. From numerical learning, memory, colours, role play and hand to eye co-ordination. It’s also been pretty robust in terms of kids play and being dropped etc and they can both be wiped down with a damp cloth. (We know how mucky things can get).
The PAW Patrol Smart Phone is available at Very.
