Things We Loved
Poke-A-Dot! Books
By Kelly Patten, mom of Freya (3) and Daisy (7 months)
As a child, I loved the pop pop pop of bubble wrap. Today’s kids have embraced the rainbow-hued pop-it toys. There’s just something so satisfying about popping those bubbles. Enter the Poke-A-Dot! book series to introduce your child to bubble popping, as well as a host of other early literacy, numeracy, and fine motor skills. There’s a range of books in the series focusing on popular themes such as ocean animals, farms, vehicles, and familiar songs and rhymes.
We purchased a Poke-A-Dot! book called “Goodnight Animals” for my daughter when she was about one. The text is a catchy, repetitive rhyme that helps babies and toddlers say goodnight to each animal—a perfect addition to any bedtime routine. The book is also great for supporting language development. Animal sounds can help babies and toddlers create links between early speech sounds and words. The book also provides opportunities to practice colors, rhyming, and vocabulary development.
As my daughter has grown, the book has been invaluable for developing numeracy, counting, and one-to-one correspondence. One-to-one correspondence is a developmental skill that involves counting a group of objects and assigning one number to each object. Each page provides the opportunity to pop a bubble as the animals are counted. This additional sensory input, both tactile and auditory, supports the development of early math skills.
One of my favorite components of the books are the bubbles. Fine motor skills are seamlessly integrated into an engaging and hands on story. It takes some practice, but little fingers will quickly learn how to pop the bubbles and hear that satisfying pop. One thing to consider is that the book is quite large and heavy, weighing in at almost 1 kg. Despite the bulky size, these books provide hours of entertainment and lots of opportunities for learning.
My family loves these books; we’ve had countless hours of fun popping bubbles and reading along—all while developing vital early literacy and numeracy skills. We would all recommend them to anyone with young children.
Eco Play
By Eva Ngolo, mom of Imora (7) and Gemma (18 months)
Recently, I had an amazing experience with Eco Play, a charming family-owned business that specializes in offering high-quality toy rentals for kids. The toys are not only top-notch but also meticulously maintained, and the rental prices are incredibly budget-friendly, starting from just ฿100 for a two-week period. The owner, who is remarkably kind and attentive, even went the extra mile by personally delivering the Pikler triangle I leased and demonstrating how to assemble and use it.
This exceptional service is not only advantageous for expat families who frequently relocate and need to manage their children's toys but also for anyone living in a condominium with limited space. Eco Play, founded by a devoted mother, aims to provide a delightful, cost-effective, and eco-friendly way for kids to enjoy toys. The selection ranges from baby walkers to coveted items like Pikler triangles, ensuring a wide array of quality toys and baby items for rent.
Moreover, if you have toys that your kids have outgrown that are still in excellent condition, you can exchange them for store credit. To make a booking, it's as simple as visiting their Instagram page @ecoplay.th, where you can see what toys are available, and then sending an inquiry. Their response is very quick and the customer service is the best. I wholeheartedly recommend Eco Play to all parents seeking an exceptional toy rental service.
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