Shapes, Colors, Letters & Numbers

For infants and toddlers learning begins at home with shapes, colors, letters and numbers. Get a head start with these award-winning toys, videos, and books that are sure to entertain little ones while teaching them fundamental skills.

Don't miss our Reading List:
ABC Books for Early Readers
for infants-beginning readers.

Alphabet Flash Cards
Ages: Infant
Publisher: Chronicle Books, $14.95

These beautiful flash cards from artist Beth Nelson were inspired by a vintage French children's dictionary and serve as a lovely introduction to the ABCs. Printed on thick, sturdy board, they are perfect for small hands to hold and are equally suited for hanging on the wall in a child's room. Product Description

Baby Songs- ABC, 123, Colors & Shapes
Ages: Infant - 4 yrs.
Fox Home Entertainment, $19.98 (DVD)

Basic learning skills are introduced in an environment of pleasurable songs and colorful visuals. A steady diet of Hap Palmer, the expert on preschool learning through music and movement, is highly recommended.

Big Book of Words
Ages: 9 months - 3 yrs.
Author: Simms Taback
Handprint Books, $12.95

A clean and brilliantly bold collection of items including Daddy's shoes and Mommy's hat, mittens, bathrobe and pj's. All solidly displayed for babies nine months to three years just beginning to taste words and savor them.

Matching Colors and Textures Puzzle
Ages: 1 - 3 yrs.
Infantino, LLC, $13.00

This set of 20 two-piece puzzles will help children to develop matching and problem solving skills, learn color and first words, develop sensory skills and hand-eye coordination.

Soft Shapes: Counting, Animals, Colors, & Shapes
Ages: 1 - 4 yrs.
Innovative Kids, $6.99

Colorful books of easy to pop-out shapes are made of soft but durable foam material. Children learn how to replace the pop-outs and manipulate the pAges: as they learn animals, shapes, colors and counting. Manufacturer's Description

Sorting Bus
Ages: 19 months & Up
Plan Creations Co., Ltd. , $25.00

Our young bus drivers (or pullers as the case may be) were quite pleased with themselves when correctly fit the shapes through the sorter. And yes, the shape sorter does its job. A triangle fits only in the triangular opening, the square only in the square opening. When all shapes are on board, operators can pull up on the “sign,” and the pieces will slide out. Fill 'er up, and have a good trip.

Winnie the Pooh: ABC's
Ages: 2 - 5 yrs.
Buena Vista Home Entertainment, $19.99 (DVD)

Winnie the Pooh ABC's provides an age-appropriate introductory lesson in literacy by conveying basic information about rhyming, highlighting the value of writing down words, explaining the connection between sounds and letters and familiar names, and illustrating how to form basic letters. Product Description

Winnie the Pooh 1, 2, 3's: Discovering Numbers and Counting
Ages: 2 - 5 yrs.
Buena Vista Home Entertainment, $19.99 (DVD)

Winnie the Pooh 123's is an enriching story that starts with general number concepts and moves toward concrete strategies that children can learn and use. Product Description

Alphabet Songs Volume II (Ivan Idea)
Ages: 2 - 8 yrs.
Bumbles Productions, $12.99 (CD)

Alphabet Songs Volume II (Ivan Idea) is the second CD in the Alphabet Songs series. Like the first volume, it dedicates a single song to each letter of the alphabet and covers the letters I through Q. Product Description

Huggy Smart 123's
Ages: 2 & Up
Hooray!, $14.95

This hand-on approach to learning numbers never felt so soft and fuzzy. Huggy Smart 123's are chunky, colorful fabric magnets that are fun to hold and move around on any magnetic surface. Our testers arranged and rearranged them, getting a feel, literally for the shape of numbers 0 through 9. Because of their 1" thickness, the magnets won't slide- or disappear-under the fridge.

Huggy Smart ABC's
Ages: 2 & Up
Hooray!, $45.95

Like the Huggy Smart 123's, these ABC's are chunky, colorful fabric magnets that are fun to hold and move around on any magnetic surface. Set includes letters A-Z. Magnets won't slide- or disappear-under the fridge.

Sorting Train
Ages: 2 & Up
Plan Creations Co., Ltd., $18.00

The first thing a toddler is likely to do with this handsome wood locomotive is separate the six blocks that form it from the wheeled base. Indeed, the base is a toy in itself with wheels so a child can push it along the floor, as well as a cord so the child can pull it behind her. After that playful exploration, the real challenge is to stack the shapes onto the base to reassemble the complete locomotive. Hints about where each block goes are provided by matching shapes that fit together and colors that match.

Letter Factory
Ages: 2 & Up
LeapFrog Enterprises, $14.99 (DVD)

Follow popular LeapFrog characters on their wild adventure through The Letter Factory. Here, these engaging characters tour various rooms where each letter of the alphabet is learning to pronounce its sound. Teaches children ages 2-5 letters, phonics and listening skills while fostering language development.