What will you do with yours? (The First Years Stack'em Up Cups)

Member Name: kiwiii85

Product:	The First Years Stack'em Up Cups
Date:	08/12/08 (130 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Durable, fun, educational

Disadvantages: None!

Stacking cups are one of the simplest toys you can buy your baby and i have to say it's one of the toys we've had the most fun with.

~~~The product~~~

These stacking cups are made from plastic and there are eight of them in total. They are all numbered and vary in colour depending on which set you buy. In our case, the number 8 is the biggest and 1 the smallest. We have them in blue, yellow, orange, green, dark green, violet, dark purple and red. I think it's a great idea of having them different colours and sizes so your baby can experience new things with each cup.

The cups can stack inside each other for nice easy storage or you can stack them on top of each other to make a tower (my daughters favourite game).

These cups have so many uses and they are so good for your baby in many different areas it's hard to know where to start.

~~~Games~~~

These cups are a very simple, but flawless design so you can take them literally anywhere with you and they will provide the entertainment you want.

~Towers~

This has got to be the best game for a younger baby as it helps them develop different skills and provides hours of fun in the process. If your baby is very little, then you will end up building the towers for them and watching in wonder at their faces when they knock them back down. My daughter has loved doing this since we bought them - at around 4 months - and she still loves doing it now.

As my daughter got that little bit older, she started trying to build the towers herself and she's delighted with herself every time she manages. She expects me to build them for her when she can't be bothered and then has a little cheeky face on when she steals the one from the bottom and watches them all fall to the ground. My 5 year old nephew also enjoys building the towers and playing with them so it's definately a hit for any age.

~Noise!~

My daughter was probably around 6 months when she discovered that banging these blocks together made a nice noise. It doesn't matter what size of cup you use or what way round she holds it, you still get this little bang as she bangs them together. This game is extremely good for their coordination so i think it's important every baby should have something like this to do. Learning that hitting things together is also very good as it's a new skill for them and probably something very different from what they've been used to.

~Educational~

These toys are fantastic for a childs early education whilst being fun at the same time. The cups are numbered 1-8 so it helps your child with their numbers (obviously not a baby but as they get older.) I think this is fantastic as it shows how long this toy will last. They are also coloured differently so it gives your child a headstart with their colours. Education for a baby? Well yes, they enhance those first skills a baby should learn such as hand to eye coordination and problem solving.

~Bath Time~

We have a bath waterslide for our daughter and these make a fabulous addition to it and are perfectly safe to use in the bath providing your baby/child doesn't use them as cups to drink from! She simply fills the cup with water (which is easier than a lot of these toys you can get) and pours the water down the slide. These really are great and it ensures they have a regular wash so are perfectly clean for my daughter to use all the time. There's nowhere for any water to collect so if you're worried about moald, worry no more!

There are more games you can play with these but if i carry on my review will be endless! This was just a couple of ideas to give you an idea of the fun you can have with your baby.

~Price~

So how much would you really expect to pay for all of this fun? We paid the grand sum of £1.50 delivered to the door! These were from ebay but were new in their pack and i think they're an absolute bargain. They're available in almost every toy shop i've ever been in, the only things that tend to vary are the colour and size.

~Age~

I think these came with the recommended age of 9months + but there are no small parts and nothing that could harm a baby so i would say they are more suitable from birth.

~Verdict~

An absolute must! This has been and continues to be one of our most enjoyable toys and it was definately the cheapest. It's educational, cheap, attractive and the perfect size for your little one to play with. You have to ask what more you could really want from a toy.

Summary: Absolute must for everyone.