Learning ResourcesSmart Snacks Shape Sorting Cupcakes,17 Pieces, Ages 18 Months+, Fine Motor, Color & Shape Recognition

This review is for the Learning Resources Smart Snacks Shape Sorting Cupcakes.I bought this shape sorting set for my 3 year old son. He currently is enrolled in the Early Childhood Special Education program. I'm constantly looking for activities that will grab his interest as well as assist him in the various areas he struggles in. This does that.Included in this purchase is a pan which accommodates 8 cupcakes. On the bottom of each spot on the pan is a raised image of a shape. Also included are 8 cupcakes- each cupcake consisting of 2 parts. The icing is removable. On the underside of the icing is a raised shape which fits snuggle into the cupcake bottom which has its entire center cut out in the coordinating shape. The bottom of the cupcake not only snugly fits the shape in the icing, but it also slides onto the raised shape on the pan- allowing 2 separate opportunities for shape sorting with each cupcake. Please see included images which showcase this.The cupcakes are firm and have the feeling of a rubber and plastic combination. My son has chewed and thrown them and they're still in perfect condition. They are not slippery and have a nice thickness to them (without being too big)which makes it easy for lite hands to grasp. They all have a vibrant color to them and have maintained their vibrancy even after heavy usage.These are extremely durable and are very versatile. We use this for both imaginative and structured play. They are used in our toy kitchen and on pretend shopping trips. We use them for color identification, sorting, shape identification and counting. My 3 year old is able to remove the pieces and place them back together on his own without issue.The box it comes in isn't suitable for long term storage with almost daily use. We keep it stored in a plastic container with latches so that it's easy for my son to take out and put away on his own, while also managing to keep all of the pieces together so none get lost.I have read a number of reviews about the cupcakes having a terrible smell. This was not the case for us. My son has sensory issues and we've had to get rid of toys that he said he can smell. He's never complained of an odor and happily plays with it when we bring it out.I'm very pleased with the quality of the cupcakes and tray. I have no doubt that it will last for many years. As soon as my son no longer uses it, I will be donating it to our early childhood program so other kids can benefit from it. I am positive that this will be a great addition to a preschool setting and will hold up brilliantly to heavy use.

We got this for my Daughter who is 2 and she absolutely loves this toy. It’s fun because it teachers her shapes but also can play with it in her kitchen and decorate the cupcakes. Easy to store and clean. Can even go in the bathtub.

Let me say that my twin boys love this set! Very well made, holds up to drops and tossing and live bites. I had little smell issues with this as others have mentioned. We have found it to have multi levels of play encouraging different levels of learning. From colors to shapes to matching all the while developing hand/eye coordination through manipulation and as they are cupcakes pretend baking/eating. I bought when they where a little over two and played with the set like we where baking cupcakes pointing out the different colors and shapes. Taking then no time to pick up and learn for themselves. They did not always matching shapes in the pan to shapes on cupcakes but as playing continued they learned that the cupcakes had their own "home" in the tray. The colored icing can be removed from the chocolate cupcake to sort shapes and later become a fun game for me and my boys as we take them apart (more me then them as they tend to be hard to pull apart) and then put them back together ( as shapes do not all go in any old way the child as to manipulate the top and bottom till they fit just-right making for great hand/eye coordination) and then place in proper tray "home". As now they are almost 3 1/2 they still play with the cupcakes as food items and can take most apart on their own and put back together if the chose. They do tend to go missing though out the house as there are two of them sharing and splitting up the cupcakes. But all this has caused us to create a new game called find the missing cupcakes!! I do highly recommend these for any child two and older as they have been a much loved addition to our toy collection that actually gets played with multiple ways.

This is a VERY cute, VERY well thought out and VERY well made toy!! While I'm sure it mostly caters to girls, it's not girly looking. I actually bought this for my autistic 3 year old son. We are always in need of educational activities that force him to sit still and use his mind for a few minutes. The fact that this requires no batteries and is QUIET is just a huge bonus because it's something we can take to church or other quiet places to occupy him for a bit. This little cupcake set covers several learning bases: colors, shapes, hand/eye coordination and matching. Each cupcake top has a shape that can only fit into the correct cupcake base. Each shape also is represented on the bottom of the "tin" (though it's plastic) so you can match each completed cupcake to its correct spot there as well. Any cupcake will fit in any hole though. The cupcakes are made of really high quality somewhat rubbery feeling plastic. They're not squishy at all but they feel a lot heavier and softer than just hard plastic. The quality is outstanding. We've had these for over a year now and they've held up to a LOT of abuse, including being chewed on, and still look new. My son is a whizz at these now and we time him to see how fast he can get them all put together and in the right spots. I get asked all the time where I found these because other kids are always wanting to play with them! This would also make a great addition to any play kitchen set. I have nothing but the highest recommendation for this toy!