Just recently, Teddy has become more and more interested in the world around him. I think it’s down to a combination of things; some books we got a while back about the planet and about how our bodies work, talking about going up to “big school” in September and nursery – it all just seems to be clicking into place for him.
One thing Teddy absolutely adores is exploring. We’ve had such a tough time getting out of the house; we relied heavily on our garden for outdoor space but since we’ve had all the extension work going on it’s been a pain getting us all out for some fresh air. Luckily, the weather is starting to get better and we’ve finally got a bit of access to the garden so we’ve been making the most of that when we can.
Learning Resources recently sent us the new 5-in-1 Outdoor Measure Mate from their 2019 range of educational toys. We love Learning Resources, we’ve worked with them beforewe’ve worked with them before, and I always trust their products to be as educational as they are fun, so I was excited to get started with this. I thought that this would be an ideal one to one activity with Ted in the garden to start with.
Assembly of the 5-in-1 Outdoor Measure Mate
The Measure Mate comes in three pieces but it’s so, so simple to put together and take apart. It comes with a carry bag if you wanted to take it further afield and keep it compact in transit – ideal if you’ve got the pushchair as you can just pop it underneath in the basket.
It’s super lightweight, which is great for smaller hands and muscles (although Ted would say he’s got big muscles), and wonderfully sturdy and robust which it kind of has to be when it’s designed for children, right?
The Functions of the 5-in-1 Outdoor Measure Mate
The five functions of the Measure Mate are;
- Vertical measure – this allows you to measure freestanding objects.
- Callipers – allowing you to measure internal and external dimensions of an object
- Trundle wheel – measure distances
- Spirit level – there are two of these; discover whether a surface is level (horizontal) or plumb (vertical)
- Measuring stick – used like a ruler
Once we’d found our way to the garden, I asked Teddy if he could find some objects that he might like to measure. I helped him work out which function of the Measure Mate might be most effective for the objects he’d chosen; a stick from one of our trees and a brick from the ongoing building works.
Ted had great fun guessing how big the objects were going to be, and then getting an actual figure once we’d measured them. It was a good introduction into estimation versus accuracy, although we didn’t really go into too much detail.
The only thing I would say about the Measure Mate is that I found the callipers a bit stiff. They needed quite a bit of force to get moving; I’m hoping that these will loosen up a bit with more use.
The trundle wheel was a great source of fun for Ted who loved counting how many clicks he could make between points A and B in the garden. We measured where our new patio would go and how far it was from the house down to the greenhouse. I explained to Ted that each click represented a number and he was rather satisfied with his measuring efforts.
Overall Thoughts and a Chance to Win
I really, really like this toy. It’s one of those things you can leave in the car or by the door and pick up as you’re going out. It’s light enough to carry around even if you don’t manage to use it, yet effective enough to keep the kids engaged when you’re out of the house.
I’m hoping to use this, and some of the challenge ideas that come in the booklet, to spark some healthy competition between Toby and Teddy on the days that it’s dreary but when we still need some fresh air. I’m sure our Sandringham walks will become a lot more interesting. It’s an incredible resource that has a lot to offer and I’m truly excited to see how the boys use it and apply it to their every day. Any activity where they’re learning without realising is a bonus, isn’t it?
If you think your little one would like to get their hands on the Learning Resources 5-in-1 Measure Mate then do enter the giveaway below for your chance to win!
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
- This competition will open on 24th May 2019 and will close on 8th June at 11.59pm
- One winner will be selected at random
- One winner will receive one 5-in-1 Outdoor Measure Mate by Learning Resources
- You must be a UK resident aged 18 or over
- No cash alternative will be offered
- The winner will be contacted by email and announced on Raising the Rings Facebook and Twitter
- The winner will have 28 days to respond to their winner’s email
- You must enter using at least one of the entry methods in the Rafflecopter widget above, they are not all mandatory
- Prize will be provided within 28 days from winner’s response
*I received this product in return for a review. All views and opinions are my own.