Learning ResourcesSmart Snacks Shape Sorting Cupcakes,17 Pieces, Ages 18 Months+, Fine Motor, Color & Shape Recognition

This is a VERY cute, VERY well thought out and VERY well made toy!! While I'm sure it mostly caters to girls, it's not girly looking. I actually bought this for my autistic 3 year old son. We are always in need of educational activities that force him to sit still and use his mind for a few minutes. The fact that this requires no batteries and is QUIET is just a huge bonus because it's something we can take to church or other quiet places to occupy him for a bit. This little cupcake set covers several learning bases: colors, shapes, hand/eye coordination and matching. Each cupcake top has a shape that can only fit into the correct cupcake base. Each shape also is represented on the bottom of the "tin" (though it's plastic) so you can match each completed cupcake to its correct spot there as well. Any cupcake will fit in any hole though. The cupcakes are made of really high quality somewhat rubbery feeling plastic. They're not squishy at all but they feel a lot heavier and softer than just hard plastic. The quality is outstanding. We've had these for over a year now and they've held up to a LOT of abuse, including being chewed on, and still look new. My son is a whizz at these now and we time him to see how fast he can get them all put together and in the right spots. I get asked all the time where I found these because other kids are always wanting to play with them! This would also make a great addition to any play kitchen set. I have nothing but the highest recommendation for this toy!

We knew my son liked other cupcake toys from a friend's house and his one day a week daycare. I compared several different versions online and chose this one as it was gender neutral and had the shapes, colors, assembly and sorting aspects to it, which seemed to be a fun learning tool at this age. He received it for Christmas and absolutely loves them and can even distinguish between dark blue and light blue (we will have to work on "aquamarine" later"). :)I was very glad for reading the previous reviews, as I was prepared for the chemically-odor when opening. The good news is that it disappated quickly and seemed to be mostly gone from the cupcakes by the end of the day. It is a bit of a struggle to pull them apart at first, but it seems as though they are getting better with use. There are 8 diffent colored cupcakes with corresponding shapes (circle, square, rectangle, triangle, heart, star, diamond, hexagon) and the bottom of the pan has a picture of each of the shapes as well. The shape is cutout through the entire brown bottom piece, leaving a hole through the cupcake and making it where you can turn the bottom piece upside down and still fit the topper into the cupcake. The adults have seemed to enjoy this much more than my son who likes them put together the "traditional" way.The pieces are a nice size being too large for my 3 year old and 1 year old to stuff in their mouths, but small enough where they can grab them one-handed easily. The cupcakes have a stiff/rubbery texture making them hard enough where I am not afraid of peices coming off if a child pretended to bite one, though I have not tried to myself.

This review is for the Learning Resources Smart Snacks Shape Sorting Cupcakes.I bought this shape sorting set for my 3 year old son. He currently is enrolled in the Early Childhood Special Education program. I'm constantly looking for activities that will grab his interest as well as assist him in the various areas he struggles in. This does that.Included in this purchase is a pan which accommodates 8 cupcakes. On the bottom of each spot on the pan is a raised image of a shape. Also included are 8 cupcakes- each cupcake consisting of 2 parts. The icing is removable. On the underside of the icing is a raised shape which fits snuggle into the cupcake bottom which has its entire center cut out in the coordinating shape. The bottom of the cupcake not only snugly fits the shape in the icing, but it also slides onto the raised shape on the pan- allowing 2 separate opportunities for shape sorting with each cupcake. Please see included images which showcase this.The cupcakes are firm and have the feeling of a rubber and plastic combination. My son has chewed and thrown them and they're still in perfect condition. They are not slippery and have a nice thickness to them (without being too big)which makes it easy for lite hands to grasp. They all have a vibrant color to them and have maintained their vibrancy even after heavy usage.These are extremely durable and are very versatile. We use this for both imaginative and structured play. They are used in our toy kitchen and on pretend shopping trips. We use them for color identification, sorting, shape identification and counting. My 3 year old is able to remove the pieces and place them back together on his own without issue.The box it comes in isn't suitable for long term storage with almost daily use. We keep it stored in a plastic container with latches so that it's easy for my son to take out and put away on his own, while also managing to keep all of the pieces together so none get lost.I have read a number of reviews about the cupcakes having a terrible smell. This was not the case for us. My son has sensory issues and we've had to get rid of toys that he said he can smell. He's never complained of an odor and happily plays with it when we bring it out.I'm very pleased with the quality of the cupcakes and tray. I have no doubt that it will last for many years. As soon as my son no longer uses it, I will be donating it to our early childhood program so other kids can benefit from it. I am positive that this will be a great addition to a preschool setting and will hold up brilliantly to heavy use.