Melissa and Doug Basic Skills Board

See all shipping options

by: Jessica M. Sloan (Lillington, NC)
on: Friday, 29-October-2010

This is a fastener learning board that is also a puzzle. The snap, zipper, and belt buckle were all difficult to do at first, even for me, because they were so stiff. After a while, though, they became softer and now my 2-1/2yo is able to do them with help (she can do the snap, the zipper, the latch, and the lacing, but the buckle and tying are still beyond her developmentally.) She likes to take them all off the board and play with each piece separately. She doesnt have any trouble doing them off the board, as some other reviewers have had. Also, she loves to put them on her feet like shoes and stomp around the room.

This is a good fastener board. Work the zipper, buckle, and snap a bunch of times to loosen them up. If your little one has trouble with the activities, perhaps he or she is not developmentally ready for the tasks. Put it away for a month and then try again.

by: Karen M. Johnson (LIBERTY, MO USA)
on: Monday, 20-September-2010

As other reviewers have said, some of the fasteners are too difficult for a toddler to do alone, which makes for frustration. My 2-year-old can buckle her own car seat clip and the belt on her changing table, but she has trouble with the clip on this puzzle because it is on a small piece of wood and difficult to hold steady while she manipulates the clip. The belt is too stiff for her little fingers to manipulate, and the button hole is slightly too small for her to practice with the button without getting frustrated. Sure, I can help her out, but toddlers like to do it myself! and the whole point of the thing is learning independent skills, right? So this should be redesigned to accommodate small fingers.

by: MommyReview (United States)
on: Saturday, 7-August-2010

This didnt go as well as I hoped with my daughter! she prefers to practice on real clothes. Button is too hard for her little fingers. Looking back I probably wouldnt have bought it.

by: Melissa (United States)
on: Sunday, 17-January-2010

Like any other Melissa and Doug product, this is very durable and has stood a 2 year olds worst and now a 12 month olds chewing. However, its really hard to manipulate the concepts the puzzle is trying to teach because the puzzle piece the function is on is too small so little hands cant button and hold the piece still at the same time. I would just stick with the standard plush doll to help teach zipping, tying, buckling, buttoning and snapping.

by: Aly (Chicago)
on: Saturday, 15-August-2009

I usually love Melissa & Doug toys, but I was dissapointed with this one. The button hole is stitched so tightly that its hard for toddler-sized hands to put the huge button through it. The belt is also a bit tricky since the holes are close together.

The plus side: its a basical skills board and puzzle all-in-one, and its fun to dress/undress the bear.

by: P. Cherry (Boston, MA, USA)
on: Tuesday, 21-April-2009

This is fun for kids to learn new skills. It will keep their hands busy.