I would have never thought that my almost-four year old would be so fascinated by a U-shaped mat with pockets to hold cards, but let me tell you, she LOVES it! The U-Play Mat from Play This Way Every Day! is exactly that, a U-shaped mat with plastic pockets all the way around. Designed by pediatrician Dr. Jen, the mat curves around the child while the parent or caregiver sits facing the child. Everything stays in place so the child can focus on learning and having fun!
The U-Play Mat starter set comes with the mat, two decks of cards, and a terrific tote that holds the mat with pockets to hold the decks of cards. It’s priced at $49.00 and let me tell you, that price is WORTH IT. Each deck of cards is 30 cards, 4″x6″ on thick cardstock with rounded edges, and can be used to play ten different games. I LOVE the whimsical designs on the cards, which were created to be universally recognized no matter what language the child speaks. Some of my faves:
U-Play Animals
U-Play Foods
This would make a terrific gift for a friend with a child undergoing speech therapy, or for your own use at home. Even for kids not in speech therapy, the U-Play cards teach matching, sorting, and beginning word recognition. This is one product I’m recommending to everyone!
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