My toddler girl loves using keys and trying to open locks. We have a Chicco shape sorter with shaped keys, but they are really hard to use--much harder than a "real" key. Have any of you mommas found a good lock and key toy that your kids love?
TIA
Thanks everyone for the great responses! We already have a lock box that has been a big hit for several months, so was interested in finding her something specifically with keys. I love the Parents "Animal Hospital" that some suggested, but it appears to be discontinued (sells on Amazon for nearly $80!). In searching for the Animal Hospital I came across a "Critter Clinic" that is very similar and super cute! It sells at Target for only $20. I think my little girl will love it!
Thanks again,
K.
UPDATE: We got the Critter Clinic and it is a HUGE success. She's been locking and unlocking the doors for days :)
Target has a really cute "Animal Hospital". It has about 6 mini doors each with their own key :o) It's really cute and would definitely be right up any kids alley who has a fasination with keys :o) It's not very big, and it's all in a small carrying case.
It's made by "Parents"...neutral colors...
Hope this helps!
~N. :o)
We have a little toy pet cage which is intended to house tiny stuffed animals. It's supposed to be to play vet or something. It has 6 little cages, and a ring of keys, with each fitting just one of the doors. It's by Parents.
http://www.amazon.com/BRANFORD-PM94032R-Parents-Animal-Ho...
We got as a great hand-me-down a plastic 3 pigs & wolf set with 3 stacked houses (blue, green, and orange) with color-coordinated keys. Our little one loves to play with the animals and then lock up the houses, sometimes one within the other. No clue where we got it but we've seen it at other folks' places too ... good luck!
Is your husband handy? My hubby made a lock box for the kids. It has two locks on each long side and one on each short side and one on top.
You can buy them at maybe Magic Cabin Dolls or Mindware. Google them, I know there are other magazine, catalogs I will get towards Christmas that have them.
Yes! Parents (brand name) veterinary hospital is great! It is a "hospital" with 6 cages/kennels, each with its own colored gate/keyhole, and the top of it (the 'roof') opens up to hold other "vet tools" like pet food/vitamins/thermometer/sethoscope, etc. This part is good for the older toddler/young child ages where they get into imaginary play. There are 3 small stuffed animals that come with the vet hospital (bird, cat, dog) and you can add your own to fill the other "kennels" and of course there is a key ring with color coded keys.
It has been a fabulous toy because it fits so many age/developmental levels - the locks/keys, the animals, the veterinarian play part of it, so on. My son isnow 8 and we still haven't put it away yet.
I would get it and put away the toys (tools) away for now, just let her play w/the keys, add the animals in, then as she becomes ready for imaginary role play, give her the vet 'tools' which'll make it a new toy for another good round of play!
It's been one of the best toys I ever got for my kid, I just wish I'd gotten it sooner when he was your daughter's age.
Melissa and Doug makes a "puzzle" with lot of different locks - chain locks, latches, etc. Not keys though. Are you sure you wan her to learn to use realistic keys, ,haha (well, really)?
I believe I bought one years ago at www.lakeshorelearning.com. Another place to check is www.learningexpresstoys.com.
Good luck
ADD: We had a very nice wooden box about the size of a lunch box with various latches on it. It was very well made...sturdy and heavy which became problematic when it was FLUNG across the room. Suddenly this great toy wasn't so great anymore!!
I saw a really great one when I was at stride rite the other day actually! I think it was by the brand Doug and Michelle? Except I thought to myself, "OMG, she'll teach herself how to undo all of our locks!" It included all of the actual locks we use in our house!
Here's a link to the Melissa and Doug latch board at Target. The've changed the design a little since I had one for my son, but the locks are all the same. He LOVED it and it is a solid wood board puzzle, very sturdy, classroom quality. Melissa and Doug make great stuff. I've always been happy with them. http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/175-###-###-####-###...
It will be a short phase... once you get her a lock box she'll get bored and move on to something else. Let her play as she has been with the keys and doors that you allow it with.... and watch it fade away in no time.
And I agree with everyone else, you will have a problem with her possible ESCAPE if you let her get too savvy with the key thing. ;)
Have you checked out Melissa & Doug.. or maybe its just Melissa Doug.. I don't remember.. but check them out. Sometimes they have some great toys. They might have something along those lines.
