Melissa & Doug Deluxe Latches Board
by Melissa & Doug
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List Price: Our Price: $14.57 You Save: $10.42 (42%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: Toy See more product details |
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Toys and Games Reviews of Melissa & Doug Deluxe Latches Board
Customer Review: Not just for aspiring burglars and escape artists!
Summary: 5 Stars
My two year old loves this! My kiddo is dexterous like you wouldn't believe, and has a passion for opening and closing doors as well as removing covers and lids (electrical socket safety plugs, the backs of remotes, change purses, bottle tops, baby wipes) and opening clasps (wallet, watches, bracelets). If your child is the type who's always looking for new and exciting ways to raise your blood pressure with feats of exquisite motor control, this latchboard is a great way to redirect that energy and curiousity.
I remember reading some horrified parent exclaim that perhaps teaching young kids to open latches and locks is a dangerous idea, but realistically speaking - the latches featured here probably aren't used in a safety capacity anyway. (Unless you hide your dynamite behind a miniature chain locked door. And you might want to rethink that.)
The thing is also virtually indestructable. I can say this with confidence because it was "tested" by the brats next door, and those boys could destroy a padded cell. The colors and pictures are bright and appealing, too; it's remarkably well made.
My only beef is the cost of Melissa and Doug products, but since it's hand made I can understand why it's necessary. Keep up the fine work, guys.
Customer Review: Not the best quality
Summary: 3 Stars
My ten month old son loves playing with this. We noticed that he started playing with the locking mechanism on my husband's briefcase and the lock on out lock box and thought he would have fun attempting to undo the locks on this puzzle. He will play with this toy longer than any other right now. I want to complain b/c some of the locks just fall unlocked when the board is moved- the pull chain and the eyehook come undone the easiest. There is the one lock that is a half circle with a lever that one has to push upward to unlock. It requires a lot of strength to open. It would take a very strong toddler to open. If it had not been tightened so strongly I think it would make it easier for a toddler to learn the skill required and not so much the strength. My son loves opening and closing the doors on the puzzle. Overall I'd say it is worth buying because I haven't seen anything else like it but I have not been impressed by the quality of any of the Melissa & Doug toys that I have bought so far. I much prefer the quality of Haba and Plan Toys.Customer Review: Not interesting, not durable, not fun
Summary: 2 Stars
The quality is merely okay in a typical I-don't-like-M&D but I didn't want to buy the nice one from Tag Toys which I probably should have because it least it would have a useful lifespan and not make it to the dump in 3 years. We bought it when DS was 2 he mastered all but one quickly and it ended up in storage at Grandma's house. On the plus side, if you shove it hard it fits into the M&D storage piece with two different puzzle sizes, not the one with spaces for a single type of puzzle. And even with gentle play it looks sad with torn bits.
I think something with zippers/snaps/buttons/latches would have been more interesting. M&D also makes one but it has even worse reviews than the latches board.
These are the Tag Toys ones: [...] In retrospect, the least expensive version also has a place to hide things that DS would have loved at 2 and would still love at 3. All there stuff is nice and can be resold or gifted. And it is made in the US.
Customer Review: Simply an excellent toy - educational, fun, engaging....
Summary: 5 Stars
With all the childproof locks and products out there, I don't know about your kids, but mine are intrigued by doors and locks and latches, since they are typically not allowed to play with them. This board is magic to them!!
My little 18-month-old boy sits there with this board in his lap and will literally play for 15-20 minute stretches just latching, unlatching, opening, etc. The board features multiple types of latches, and, had I worked at a hardware store or paid better attention during Handy Manny, I'd probably know all the names. But he loves playing with them all.
As someone who very much values education, I think this toy is right up there in quality. I believe it helps with hand-eye coordination, spatial reasoning and even some problem-solving (if the latch doesn't fit just right, you might have to wiggle it or move it at a slightly different angle, for instance).
Highly recommend this one! For boys OR girls!
Customer Review: Great for inquisitive toddlers
Summary: 4 Stars
My daughter received this from grandma for her second Christmas at 14 months old. She is able to figure out several of the latches on her own so far, and the rest with help. She plays with it several times a week at least. It's very sturdily made and will still be in great shape once she is tired of it. That may take a while, though, since I also find it fun to use. :) My only complaint is that several of the doors are very tightly fitted and she needs help opening them, but I plan to sand the edges a bit to help with that as other reviewers said. I would prefer that it weren't made in China but then it would cost far more, alas.
(The reviewer was compensated for posting this review. However, the opinion stated in the review is that of the reviewer and the reviewer alone. Further, the reviewer independently selected this product to review and has no affiliation with the product maker/distributor, Amazon or the review requester.)