Dandelion Organic Developmental Sorter

I purchased this as an alternative to the mainstream shape-sorters, which are typically made of "mystery" (and possibly toxic) plastic. I figured that since this shape sorter is made of organic fabric, I wouldn't have to worry if my then-8-month-old (now 13 month-old) daughter ended up putting it in her mouth, where pretty much everything goes these days. In addition, it's machine-washable, which is always a plus with any baby toy. However, the problem is that this toy is supposed to be first-and-foremost, a shape-sorter, but it fails miserably at this task. The shape-sorter cube is extremely soft, so it collapses under the least amount of pressure, such as when you're trying to put the pieces in. And on top of that, the shape-pieces are so soft that they can pretty much fit into any shaped hole with just a little squeeze. So this item is totally useless for teaching my little-one to recognize and match shapes. I suppose it's just as well, since my baby is completely uninterested in this toy. At most, she'll chew on or squeeze the pieces, or shake the one that rattles to hear the sound it makes. But this will keep her mildly engaged for only a minute, tops, before she tosses it aside and moves onto a more fun toy.

The only reasons I'm not giving this item a 1-star rating are that it's made of organic materials and it's easily washable. However, if you're looking for a REAL shape-sorter that's safe for your little-one, try the HABA Spielstabil Shape Sorter or Melissa & Doug Shape Sorting Cube, both of which are BPA-free, PVC-free and phthalate-free.

Grade: C

Finally a washable soft sorter toy! My son enjoys the crinkle, rattle and squeak noises the shapes make. I love that he can can't hurt himself on this toy and it is machine washable and holds its shape & color well after laundering. The colors are subtle but the baby loves the different textures of the cloth. The only drawback is that when baby actually begins to sort rather than just play with the shapes, the shapes can be easily shoved into the 'wrong' shaped hole, but at that point you can move to a hard sided sorter cube.

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