Melissa and Doug - Penguin Stacker

Seven wooden pieces slide onto a central dowel to make this personable penguin. Rock the rounded base to see him "waddle" - then tip the puzzle over or lift off the pieces and start again!Extension Activities: More Ways to Play and Learn:Help the child to identify all the colors on the stacker toy.With the penguin assembled, ask the child to point to different parts as you describe them. For example you could say, "Please point to the orange beak." As the child advances, try just giving clues instead of naming each part. For example you could say, "Point to something that comes in pairs and flaps."Remove three or more pieces from the dowel and lay them flat in front of the child. Ask the child to compare their sizes. Help the child to place them in order from smallest to biggest.Remove all the pieces from the dowel and lay them in a line, in order (bottom to top). Ask the child to place them on the dowel in order. When the child is ready, try scrambling the pieces first, then asking the child to build the stacker correctly.Ask the child to try to assemble the penguin, in the correct order, without using the dowel.Ask the child to stack the pieces out of order to make a mixed-up penguinHelp the child make up a story about the penguin. You could encourage the child to tell you about the zoo where the penguin might live, or about his penguin friends in the cold antarctic.