Fun with numbers

Playing with numbers or learning with numbers. It could also be playing and learning with numbers. In earlier posts, we have talked about how much we love the idea of learning through play. This week we look at number based toys that help your children in more ways that you would have thought. Two of the leading suppliers in this field are Bigjigs and Melissa & Doug and we are delighted to showcase more of their beautiful toys for you.

Bigjigs Wooden Number Tower is a beautifully constructed educational wooden toy comprising ten numbered stacking pieces and a natural wooden base. Kids will enjoy this educational, stacking toy, as you encourage them to consider the shaped pieces and how they fit together. This toy promotes shape and colour recognition, and manual dexterity. Once the tower has been built, you can encourage your child to count the pieces. The Wooden Number Tower is a fabulous toy which will encourage your child to experience constructive play, whilst promoting motor skills and creative development. From 12 months +.

Melissa & Doug See Inside Numbers Peg Puzzle is an educational wooden peg puzzle. It has a puzzle piece for numbers 0 up to 9. There is a colourful picture under each piece of the same number of items as the number on the puzzle piece. For example, under 5 there is a picture of 5 fishes.

This educational peg puzzle promotes letter recognition and early counting skills. The puzzle also helps to develop hand-eye co-ordination, fine motor skills and skills of visual perception.

From 2 years +.

Melissa & Doug Shape Sorting Clock makes the challenge of learning to tell the time a little easier. The hours and minutes hands are labelled very clearly, and the hours are marked both on the shape sorter blocks and on the face of the clock. The five minute intervals are also clearly marked, showing how an hour is made up. A wooden toy clock that features shapes, colours, numbers and time telling.

The shape sorting clock has received several awards including a Silver Practical Pre-School award in 2005, Highly Recommended in the Good Toy Awards in 2005 and a Silver Award from the Best Toy Guide in 2005.

It is an educational wooden toy that encourages a child to sort shapes whilst introducing them to the basics of telling the time.

From 3 years +.

Like the idea of learning through play? Visit our online shop for lots of great (and educational!) gift ideas.

Anyone for High Tea?

We are delighted to say that, after what seems like a very long wait, we have now had a delivery of High Tea Shape Matching sets from our friends at Tidlo. Since the last of our stock sold out like, well Hot Tea cakes, our customers have been on our case wanting to when more are in stock and so we are pleased to say they are now in.






Tidlo High Tea Shape Matching is a brightly coloured, two-tier cake stand, featuring 15 attractively designed cakes. An educational wooden toy that supports early counting skills, and helps to develop shape matching and spatial awareness. Each cake has a number on the base to match into the correctly shaped base on the cake stand. The yummy, pretend cakes look good enough to eat! A fantastic toy for pretend play and for kitchen role play games. The High Tea Shape Sorting toy encourages a child to think about numbers and shapes whilst they are playing.

Ideal from 3 years + and for keeping them amused on long Summer days.

Dressing Up

There are some things that it seems will always be a part of growing up and the enthusiasm for dressing up seems as undiminished as ever. And so, with our friends at Melissa & Doug we thought we would bring you as many different costumes as possible to cover as many different interests and preferences.

If you want action then the Firemen dressing up kit, complete with jacket, a helmet, a badge, a fire exstinquisher and a totally realistic sounding bull horn will give them hours of fun. Likewise on the action front, it's all aboard for the Pirate kit - anyone not having fun walks the plank! Want to get them involved in the kitchen, get them the chef's kit complete with hat, an oven mitt, wooden utensils and measuring spoons. There are loads more options to choose from - have a look at the Dressing Up page in our online shop for more details. All for Age 3+.





Something else that always seems to fascinate is jewellery - well the girls anyway! Not only do the girls like to put on pretty things (like the Princess Daisy necklace) but also they need somewhere pretty to keep all their beautiful things (like the Cupcake Trinket box). Or when that just isn't enough, there's the Djeco Vanity case which has hairbrush, mirror, lipstick, powder bottle, perfume bottle, two hair slides, two rings and a bracelet. Hours of fun dressing up and playing with jewellery - what more could a girl (of any age!) want. Age 4 years +.





There are lots of things to enjoy, for boys & girls, at our shop so go and have a look when you get a chance. We'd really love to hear from you think about our toys and our shop - let us know at sally@butterfliesanddragons.co.uk.

Play & Learn

This week we return to a familiar and favourite theme of the team here at Butterflies & Dragons. We just love the idea that our children can play with fantastic toys that not only keep them amused but also help with their educational development. For this entry, we are looking at development of language skills through play with classic letter based toys. The focus on this comes from about the age of 3+ and hence you will find all the toys featured today suitable from that age.

Melissa & Doug Wooden ABC Puzzle featuring thick, chunky wooden pieces that neatly fit into the puzzle board and can also stand up for pretend play fun.

This educational puzzle is Super-Sized with pieces that are an easily manageable size for toddler hands. This puzzle supports your child's recognition and understanding of the letters of the alphabet in a fun, colourful way. Encourage your child to look out for the full colour pictures that nestle under the 26 alphabet pieces! Age: 3 years+




Melissa & Doug See Inside Alphabet Peg Puzzle is an educational wooden peg puzzle. It has a puzzle piece for each of the 26 letters in the alphabet. There is a colourful picture under each piece of something that begins with the same letter. For example, under N there is a picture of a Nest.

This educational peg puzzle promotes letter recognition and early reading skills. The puzzle also helps to develop hand-eye co-ordination, fine motor skills and skills of visual perception. Age: 3 years +




The Tidlo wooden lowercase letters set includes 58 colourful magnetic pieces, that can be placed on the fridge or other magnetic surface. A great way for a child to learn the alphabet!
# Bright, colourful magnetic letters that are a fun way to develop early literacy skills
# Children can practise spelling simple words and names
# Letters are easy for small hands to grasp

The wooden magnetic letters can be played with perfectly on a white magnetic board, or a fridge door. Age: 3 years+




We said in our last post we had somegreat competitions coming. We're working on some ideas so stay on the edge of your seats, more news soon.