On the day of the haircut, we got home to find that our latest toy from Learning Resources had arrived. It is a Design and Drill Tool set, which is a self contained box filled with lots of different colour bolts, some special fun bolts, two battery operated tools (a drill and a screwdriver), and also a manual screwdriver and spanner.
We quickly unpacked it and installed batteries in both power tools. BB soon got the idea of how it works and straight away picked up the booklet with examples of pictures that you can make and tried to copy. He needs help with this though, he can copy the shape but doesn't always get it the right distance from the edge, meaning when he gets to another part it won't fit on the board. He's getting the idea of counting the rows now though.
Also, having made a few examples, he has started making his own designs - they are usually a steam train - though I do need him to tell me what it is.
There are lots of great things about this resource. It is great for developing creativity and fine motor skills. There is also counting, colours, design. Having both a drill and a screwdriver means that it can be a good toy to work on with a friend, and both people can have a power tool. There is also a hand held screw driver so a third person could even join in, or when the batteries go there is still a way to play.
On the batteries, I anticipated that they would wear down really quickly. Indeed the main reason I have taken so long to write the review is that I was waiting to see how long they lasted. We haven't played with it non stop by any means, but it has had a fair amount of use and I still haven't changed the batteries which is great news. The other thing that I really love about it is that it is all self contained, coming with its own easy to carry and store tool box case. This means that its a good toy to take with us when we got to visit my Nan.
The only downside is that you have to take all the bolts out of the board before you put it away. This might not be a downside at all, it teaches you to put things away properly - but at the moment it's mostly Mum that does that!
It is a great resource though, like everything else we have had from Learning Resources it is a very well made and robust toy. I would definitely recommend it.
You can buy the item direct from the Learning Resources website, or from Amazon. There is also a cheaper option where the tool box is not included, for those people watching their budget.
Disclaimer: This resource was sent to me free of charge for the purposes of this review. This review is however 100% my own honest thoughts and opinions and I have not been paid to write this!
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