Melissa and Doug Wooden Shape Sorting Clock Reviews

• A learning toy that grows as your child does!

  
  By A2W4BO3M0A1KPL on 2005-05-04
  My daughter received her 1st Melissa & Doug wooden toy for Christmas and boy do we love the ones we have purchase since. Any way, this clock is made of wood. The clock has 12 brightly colored shapes for each number of the clock that your child can take out and then place back into their own place. The hands of the clock are 2 different colors - the minute hand is marked minute and is red and the hour hand is blue. Printed under the hands of the clock have the numbers so your child can find what numbers go where on the clock. Also printed are the seconds and minutes in the 5 minute pie shaped increments that are also different colors. Also included are how to tell time from Quarter Past, Half Past, Quarter til and O'clock.
  
  I love good toys that actually grow with your child and being that it's made of wood, it should last quite nicely for generations! For teaching time, I think this is terrific! Defiantely a 10 Stars!
  
  

• Inaccurate and Poor Teaching Design

  
  By ADR5YY95MNPIX on 2006-01-28
  As a Math teacher and mother of two girls, I was horrified that my four year old within minutes of playing with this item, noticed that the pentagon shape was marked "6" and the hexagon shape was marked "5". I called the company immediately and was informed that they receive this complaint ALL THE TIME but the design is intentional. If the hexagon were correctly marked "6", I was told, kids could then place the shape upside down and it then would read a "9". However, the clock face provides the correct number printed above the cutouts so kids could verify their work that way. Moreover, that would not be the first time that kids confuse "6" and "9", which is what learning is all about. Children would be far better served if Melissa and Doug would skip the "hour numbering to geometric side" concept, which they don't carry thru with all the numbers anyhow, and just design a clock to teach time and not complicate it with an inaccurate secondary purpose. I shudder to think how many kids will mislearn pentagon and hexagon thanks to this clock.
  
  

• It's About Time....

  
  By A1QO88MU0PYJON on 2005-07-25
  Can't say enough about Melissa and Doug toys! Very durable and the many ones that we own are highly educational.
  
  My twin 4yr old boys are not only experts with their colors but have great knowledge of different shapes outside of the typical square, circle, triangle, etc. This is definitely a toy that will grow with them as they continue to advance into learning to tell time. Our 2yr old daughter has picked up on this toy and has mastered the act of placing the correct shape into the right spot months ago.
  
  We're in the process of collecting these great toys that seem to stand the test of time. As a mother I love these wooden toys just because they last longer than the typical plastic toys made these days.
  
  Awesome job Melissa and Doug!
  
  

• Fun and colorful but INACCURATE

  
  By AQD6IF2IA9X3N on 2005-10-19
  I agree with previous reviewer that this toy is fun and colorful, my 2-year-old loves it, but it makes me insane that the number 6 block is a pentagon and the number 5 block is a hexagon! Seriously, what would it have taken to just reverse those 2?
  
  This is also the case with their peg shapes -- but in that case, there are 4 blue pentagons on the number 4 peg and 5 red squares on the number 5 peg. They obviously went to some trouble to design these games and they're durable, appealing, etc. but HONESTLY, that's pretty sloppy user interface design!
  
  I, too, have written to Melissa & Doug to provide feedback, without response. That said, my son who turned 2 last week has now learned the words "pinkagon", "eightagon", and "crapazoid", thanks to this toy. :-)
  
  

• New and improved! Shapes are changed on new ones!

  
  By A2P9JZ59PXYNYT on 2007-08-11
  I recently bought this toy for grandchildren, ages 3 and younger, for when they are at my house.
  
  Previous reviews complained that the shapes of numbers 5 and 6 might be confusing, and so I avoided this purchase for a while. BUT, the one I bought is NEW and the 5 is the pentagon shape and the 6 is the hexagon shape, so that is no longer a concern. Look at the picture of the product above - today the picture I am looking at on this page shows the correct shapes for 5 and 6, so it appears that Melissa and Doug have corrected this problem! If you were to purchase an older or used version of this clock be aware that it may have the wrong shapes - but the newest ones I would presume are correct. Mine is.
  
  I rate this toy 5-star. It is certainly not a bells and whistles toy, no noises, no lights. Thank goodness. But I think there is a lot of value in this toy.
  
  This is a concrete hands-on way for children to begin learning about not only clocks, but also shapes, order of numbers, and more, depending on the age and stage of the child. It is a toy that can grow with a child, one to be taken out and used for a while, then as interest wanes, put it away for a while, and then bring it out later for a child to explore at a different stage.
  
  Please keep in mind that children will probably get more value out of any toy, where a parent, grandparent, teacher, sibling, babysitter, etc. first sits down and talks with the child about the toy and maybe models how the child might use the toy. Then expect them to try using it for different things - like stacking, or pretending that one piece or another is food for a doll, or whatever - and that is OK too - keep in mind kids learn in different ways than we might expect. (Of course keep an eye on younger children to make sure they are not putting pieces in their own mouths, pretending it is their own food!)
  
  There is obvious shape-matching value for younger children.
  
  A child might take the shapes outside of the "puzzle" and line them up - in numeric order, or just to compare shapes, colors or whatever.
  
  With an older child, you might introduce time-telling vocabulary, in relationship to where the clock hands are.
  
  
  
  
  
• I bought this and then sold it at a yard sale
  By A220ZQQXMK8KKU on 2005-10-28
  Paint chips off (all too common with Melissa and Doug items)which is hazardous to the little ones, especially those who "taste" everything. Too many pieces.
  
  
• Fantastic learning toy for teaching children how to tell time!
  By ARBS3TQIS6URF on 2005-11-08
  All three of my kids love this toy! We have no complaints about the quality - as most Melissa & Doug products it is well made AND durable.
  
  We also questioned the 5 and 6 shape decision - when we called their customer service number, they told us that it is a self correcting clock and if they used the hexagon for the "6" then a child could put it in upside down as a "9." If the other numbers are put in upside down then they are not numbers - that works for us!
  
  We are very pleased with ALL of the other valuable teaching elements this clock has to offer! Learning time increments; hours, quarters, minutes, seconds, shapes, colors, numbers...the list goes on.
  
  Five stars for this GREAT product...keep up the good work Melissa & Doug!!!
  
  
• Great except for one flaw that I just can't get past...
  By A32423IFH1HEPN on 2005-09-22
  My son loves this toy, he loves anything with numbers and shapes. Its very durable, and cute, etc.
  
  But the reason I gave it three stars instead of 5 is that the number five block has six sides, and the number six block has five sides. HELLO!! What were they thinking??? That seems like such a no-brainer. I wrote to the company but never got any response or even an acknowledgement so I'm not happy with their customer service either.
  
  
• Great clock
  By A2NMGXAC2EFNB4 on 2006-04-04
  The clock is a good size and the colours are bright. The numbers are easy to see and hands showing which is minute and which is hour are great. It even has on the inner part quarter past, half past etc for each 15 min incriment and the 5,10,15,20 etc for each 5 minutes at the appropriate number on the clock making this work well for each stage of learning how to tell time, as well as having the more complex shapes. The only thing I found funny is that the 6 is put on a pentagon and the 5 on a hexagon instead of the other way around which may make it confusing for a child seeing the number 5 on a six sided shape or the number 6 on a 5 sided shape when trying to determine what it is.
  
  
• Researched a European recall on this product
  By A1R3YMMOT1FODE on 2007-12-29
  My child received this toy for Christmas even after we requested no toys made in China. I did my research to make sure I wasn't being overly obsessive and found that this exact clock was recalled in Europe last year for lead paint. Melissa & Doug makes their toys in China and feels the need to test them in China and again one they arrive in the US to ensure safe toys. We are returning this clock.
  We also have a puzzle from them and a push lawn mower. The puzzle makes animal noises when no one is near it, so we removed battery. The lawn mower was poorly made and has to be continually re-assembled so my child can play with it. I think the MD toys have good intentions, but poor execution.
  
  
• A hexagon has 6 sides.
  By A3EFWZMFP929ZT on 2007-03-24
  I'm not buying this product because the pentagon has a 6 on it and the hexagon has a 5 on it.
  
  
• Good toy for more than just children
  By A2XET9SYN3KPBV on 2007-01-10
  I actually bought this while my father was recovering from a stroke. I was picking up some other Melissa and Doug Chunky Puzzles and found this clock. It helped my father in his stroke recovery. He could place ths shapes correctly on the clock and could tell time. This seemed a little more interactive than the workbooks he was using. So already the clock was a hit for me.
  
  I have the clock now for my son (16 mons). It isn't a great toy for him at this age since the pieces are little abstract. He still tries to put the pieces in place but the uniform sizes make it hard for him to get it right. I have it on the shelf for later use.
  
  As an engineer, the 5/6 sided thing was noticed but dismissed because of the whole positioning thing in the clock face. I don't love the inconsistency but it's a minor short coming considering the other benefits of the toy. Granted, I don't know that I would use this clock for an older child (pre-K) since it is simplistic and I think pre-K kids are ready for things that look...well, more like clocks, especially the kind they see in school. But since my son isn't that old yet, we'll see if that theory pans out.
  
  
• It's ok
  By A2CGAXFQ88O92 on 2007-04-05
  I'm a big proponent of Melissa & Doug products however, this clock is ok. My son just turned 3 so it looked very interesting to him. You can practice counting by fives. All of the shapes are represented. How many times can you go over square and circle?! Trapezoid, parallelogram and octagon are great. The thing that bothers me is the 5 and 6 shapes. The 5 is hexagon (6-sided object) and the 6 is a pentagon (5-sided object). I thought at first maybe I purchased a knock off or one that was not manufactured correctly, but every picture of the product on websites is the same as the one I have. For a product listing a 24 month age on it - that should really be reversed. Ultimately, it will help with learning the time. Stick with the Melissa & Doug Shape Sorting Cube if you're looking for something with shapes.
  
  
• Excellent product
  By A2VNLMWB0YXR0 on 2007-11-06
  I think some people are just expecting too much. I bought this for my three-yr-old and am very pleased. My daughter has a TV program that comes on at one o'clock and I wanted to teach her how to recognize that particular hour. The shapes were a bonus for us. And I can teach her at a later time to count minutes. She's having fun recognizing numbers and matching them with the shapes. She also likes stacking them and making towers and watching it fall (an added bonus)! She's too young to know the five has six sides and the six has five sides. And if she did figure that out, then I'd praise her for noticing, not be negative about the product. It is, after all, a toy. Toys aren't perfect, and after a while they fall apart. But if they've accomplished the purpose for which you bought it, then it was money well spent, in my opinion.
  
  
• A Disappointment
  By AROMKKAS1TWR4 on 2007-01-10
  Although Melissa and Doug products are known for their excellence, this product was a disappointment. I intended it for my grandson, who is learning the basic shapes and is also very interested in clocks. However, most of the shapes in this product are not the basic shapes that children learn(square, rectangle, etc.), and the clock is small and uninteresting. I returned this product to Amazon.
  
  
• Learning on so many levels
  By A2QMXPLU4OYLA6 on 2007-09-18
  Colors, numbers, shapes and time. Need I say more. I love this clock from Melissa and Doug. We requested it as a Christmas present last year and my girls (now 18 months and 4) still play with it almost daily. I've given up on all the toys that make noise, flash lights, etc. I love Melissa and Doug products and you will too!
  
  
• Fantastic!
  By A1LJNVE9NJJKYL on 2007-12-30
  Wonderful wooden toy! Packaging says for 3 & up, but my 10 month old has fun playing with this one. Beautiful colors, fun to take apart and it teaches!
  
  I was lured in by the rainbow of colors - this is well worth adding to your playroom
  
  
• Awesome Toy
  By AAJ4OO8411R0W on 2007-09-16
  My son (age two, I know, too "young" for it according to the manufacturer) loves this toy. He fell in love with it at the toy store....and 4 months later, he actually still plays with it on a regular basis. He doesn't really recognize numbers yet, but he's getting the hang of shapes and colours, and this toy helps with his shape/colour practice.
  
  
• Confused about the poor review comments
  By AZ171KYWEFB9V on 2007-12-06
  I just purchased this for my 6 1/2 year old daughter, that is learning to tell time, and to help my 4 year old daughter with her shapes and early time telling. I like how this toy is geared to grow with a child so that both of my girls can play and learn from it. It's a great value!
  
  I don't understand some of the reviewers comments about the 5 and 6 not being correct. (even though it looks like they've corrected that on the toy now). I don't think it was a 'mistake' by the toy maker. I look at it as another way of teaching your child to recognize the shape alone, without a number aid. What I do find rather funny is that people complained about these, but what about the Star? It doesn't have 12 sides.. the circle and oval do not have any sides, not to mention there are a few shapes being repeated with different numbers why not complain about those? That to me is nitpicking, and not a valid review, or reflection on the toy, or the manufacturer.
  
  My point is, Melissa and Doug toys are very durable, and educational. No educational tool should be used alone. An adult should be there to 'play with' and help teach their children, and not depend on a toy to do it all.
  
  
• What a great buy!
  By A3ULCBUW6M71WO on 2008-01-03
  I bought this for my 2 1/2 year old daughter, who likes identifying shapes. This set has all the basics and then some (a parallelogram, trapezoid are included). Beyond that it also identifies quarter-hour, half-past and quarter-til, the minute and hour hands, and provides 60-step increments (seconds or minutes). Brightly colored and quite a grow-with-you educational piece that we will be using for my 13 month old too! Side Note: Not sure where one of the previous reviewers saw an incorrect photo depicting a hexagon marked 5 and a pentagon marked 6, but the photo I see corresponds to our set which correctly identified hexagon and pentagon.
  
  
  
  
• This is how it worked for us
  By AZ69I68VP5SWQ on 2008-02-15
  We got this as a gift from the grandparents, and it just sat in the toy box with nobody having interest in it.
  
  Then recently I dug it out of its grave and resurrected it with this game I made up: 1) I got my 4-year-old boy to dump! all the numbers out onto a table. 2) He shovels them all into a cloth bag off the edge of the table. 3) We take turn taking out a number from the bag without peeking. My saying "no peeking" always generates more interest in peeking. 4) The person who got the block reads the number on the block and puts it in the correct slot. 5) The person then points the long-hand to 12 and the short hour-hand to the number that has just been put in.
  
  My son who is otherwise very academically challenged as a 4-year-old learned to tell time in no time -- two days. We also learned to use our sensory nerves to psyche out the pieces. When he puts his hand in the bag he knows how to pull out number 12, his favorite number on the clock.
  
  
• Wonderful learning toy from early toddler to Kindergarten
  By AR3JEMAQ10N6B on 2007-03-23
  I recently purchased this clock to teach my 5 year old how to tell time. I have an almost three year old as well. Both girls love it! Older daughter is learning about the minute and hour hands, o'clock and half past, while she teaches her younger sister about the shapes and colors. It is very sturdy and well-made as are all the items we have gotten in the Melissa & Doug line.
  
  
• Durable Time Telling Toy
  By A2VNTDGUDNTMSK on 2007-04-09
  I am very pleased to have found this toy in time for my son's birthday. He already knows his shapes and colors, but this toy will help him learn other shapes that he will need to know while preparing for school and it will better help him learn how to tell time. My only regret is that I didn't have this toy for my 9 year old when he was trying to learn how to tell time. My youngest son's birthday is coming up and I know he will love this toy. He is a sponge for learning and knowledge right now and this toy will satisfy some of his desire to learn more I'm sure. This toy is much more durable than most toys out in the market. It is made of wood, not plastic like most. It reminds me of a dear grandpa out in his shop making a wooden toy for his grandchildren with much thought, care and love put into every ounce of making the finished product.
  
  
• Fun & Educational
  By A1TARQLYHVXLLI on 2007-05-29
  This wooden shapes clock is a great toy for toddlers. It teaches shapes, colors and numbers in a fun way. There is no sign of the previously mentioned problem with the pentagon/hexagon. The five is on the pentagon and the six is on the hexagon. It seems durable and will be useful when my kids begin to learn about telling time as well.
  
  
• Great fun!
  By A14MH5CVC413VJ on 2007-08-08
  We just bought this clock for my daughter. The previous reviewers will be happy to know that the "6" is now a hexagon and the "5" is now a pentagon. I am a math teacher as well and I honestly did not have a problem with the original design since you can't have a one-sided or two-sided block so what should they have done for those numbers?
  
  
• More than a puzzle
  By A208U42GARHSOR on 2007-11-23
  This is an extremely durable toy that functions as a shape sorter, puzzle, and clock. It teaches shapes, colors, numbers and how to tell time. The pieces are large enough for children who are still very oral yet small enough to be easily manipulated by small hands. It's easy to store. My two children (ages 23 months and 4) both enjoy playing with this toy, which has taken quite a beating and has held up quite well.
  
  This is a wonderful toy and a great bargain.
  
  
• Must have puzzle!
  By A37LTU7IRWF5HQ on 2007-12-15
  This is a fantastic toy! My two yr old absolutly loves it. the best part is that this clock will grow with your child. Children learn to read clocks in first grade, this is a great aid. Learn shapes, colors, and numbers at first. Later learn hours, minutes, and time phrasing like quarter till, located on the center wheel, it even counts the minutes of the hour by fives! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! This toy is very well made and well worth every penny. You can also find it at Toys R' Us.
  
  
• Great way to learn numbers, shapes and colors.
  By A2P5B6U0PUUJ0A on 2007-12-17
  I have the new version of this clock. The five is a pentagon and the six is a hexagon. My son is learning his colors, identifying same shape and numbers, shape names, and some fractions. He is almost two but this toy has so many possibilities and he is learning so much from it. Highly recommend.
  
  
• I love Melissa and Doug
  By A3A043HT8HLL0Z on 2008-01-14
  This is a great wooden clock. The pieces fit very nicely and the whole clock has a nice, sturdy feel. The colors are beautiful. We gave this as a gift and the little girl loved it. She has played with it for hours.
  
  
• Wooden clock by Melissa and Doug
  By A3HNMEXQJNDSVC on 2008-05-14
  I ordered this clock for my 3 year old daughter. I wanted to make sure she could tell time using an analogue clock, and not just a digital one. She's having a blast with the puzzle pieces, and now her 18 month old sister is also playing with it. It's been very durable, and it's great to watch the two of them playing with it together, singing "Tick tock, hickory dickory dock!"
  
  

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