Melissa & Doug Classic Wooden Abacus
by Melissa and Doug
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List Price: Our Price: $11.29 You Save: $3.70 (25%) 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 Classic Wooden Abacus
Customer Review: Good visual & tactile mental exercise resulting in language and mathematical advantages
Summary: 5 Stars
Holy Cow! My 3 year-old is now a genius!
In reality, this review will be tempered by 1) her reaction to the abacus, and 2) my perspective of how she has taken to the abacus, and what she is learning from it.
1) She loves the abacus. The colors are bright and engaging, and the construction is sturdy (it is kept at 3 ft height, has fallen - been yanked, actually - several times onto a carpeted floor, and has not broken or loosened at the joints). The abacus is brought out about as frequently as her wooden puzzles and kitchen pots and pans, a little more frequently than her dolls, not quite as frequently as her keyboard and musical toys.
2) I've taken her efforts to reach the abacus (and subsequent knockdowns) as signs of significant interest. Her vocabulary has expanded - not only does she says the word "abacus", but she has also taken a renewed interest in new words, including pronunciation and spelling of those words. Her colors are perfect (probably not a direct effect, but certainly reinforced by the color scheme). She is beginning to add and subtract by 1s. So, her interest, combined with its sturdiness, functionality, and usability are resulting in positive gains in her vocabulary, visual perception, and mathematics skills.
I rate this product 5 stars for its usability, functionality, sturdiness, and accessibility, as well as the reaction she has had to the toy, and its effect on her vocabulary and mathematical skills.
Your child may vary.
Customer Review: two faults with this abacus
Summary: 2 Stars
I bought the abacus for my seven year old boy-girl twins to help them with their adding and subtracting.
This particular abacus has two faults:
1. the ten beads in each row are identical in color. The abacus I remember using as a kid had the five beads on the left side of one row one color and the five beads on the right of the same row a different color. This makes a world of difference when sliding over various amounts. For example, lets say you want to slide across seventeen beads in total. If each row had five beads on the left in one color and the other five beads in the same row a different color, then you would easily slide across a complete row of ten in the first row, an easily identifiable 5 beads in the second row (same color), and then an additional two more beads in the second row to make seventeen. With the Melissa and Doug Abacus, you would have to slide across a full row of ten beads in the top row, and then count up seven beads (all the same color)in the second row and slide them over.
2. The abacus is narrow. If you slide ten beads over to the opposite side, they don't all go past the last bead in the next row. This abacus would be so much better if it was about 5 inches wider.
The abacus that I prefer is Desktop Abacus by Learning Resources
Desktop Abacus
The desktop abacus by Learning Resources has the features that I wanted.
Customer Review: Making math fun
Summary: 5 Stars
This abacus was purchased for a four year old boy who was adopted from the Ukraine 18 months ago. He has quite a challenge in front of him as he learns about and adapts to living in the US, having parents, learning a new language, and being free to be a child not constricted as he was in the orphanage. He loves the abacus! He can already count to over 100 and adding seems to be an inherent talent of his, but he plays with the abacus a lot and it makes sense to him. His mother works with him every day and even she is enjoying the abacus and the games that are included.
I am now going to purchase one for another grandson who will be four in March to help him along in school. Just think what a great "show and tell" item this is because so many children have never heard of one or seen one let alone worked with one! The learning can spread this way!
Customer Review: SIX CHILD USED ABACUS
Summary: 5 Stars
HI, I'M A MOTHER OF SIX. FIVE OF THEM IN SCHOOL AGES THE YOUNGER IS A ONE YEAR OLD LITTLE BABY. I WANT TO TELL EVERYBODY HOW DURABLE AND STRONG THIS ABACUS IS. I BOUGHT IT SIX YEARS AGO WHEN MY FIRST GIRL (NOW IN FOURTH GRADE) NEED IT FOR THE KINDERGARDEN AND SHE USED IT ALL YEAR LONG. THEN THE NEXT YEAR MY SECOND GIRL (NOW IN THIRD GRADE) USED TOO. ALL THE OTHER MOTHERS WAS VERY INTERESTED IN THIS ABACUS BECAUSE ITS SIZE, ITS STRONG AND DURABILITY, SPECIALLY WHEN I TOLD THEM ABOUT THE HEREDITARY ABACUS. SO SAME AS THEIR OLDER SISTERS MY THIRD AND FOURTH GIRLS USED IT IN KINDERGARTEN AND NOW MY BABY BOY (A THREE YEARS OLD) IS USING IT. SO I HOPE THAT I NEVER WILL NEED TO BUY ANOTHER AND THAT MY LITTLE BABY GIRL WILL USE IT WHE SHE GOES TO KINDERGARDEN BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE NEW. I DON'T EXAGERATE WITH MY STARS I'M TRUE TO MY STORY.Customer Review: manipulatives rock
Summary: 4 Stars
For everyone who learns by touching and doing (or is just too cool for calculators), an abacus is a must. Melissa and Doug's version is a little bit smaller, lighter, and less sturdy than some I've seen in schools and libraries, but it's still well-constructed and colorful - fine for home use. Young children love pushing the beads to and fro, making up reasons and stories for doing so. Older budding mathematicians might count them, or play some of the suggested games from the product packaging. Keep tantrumy ten-year-olds from stomping on it and it will last for a good long time. And for all those grownups who have heard the tale of how the abacus is mightier than the calculator, here's your chance to try it yourself. See what you can learn. ;)