When Fisher-Price says that its new Laugh & Learn Crawl-Around Learning Center is the “ultimate” active learning center, they are not kidding. This play area has it all: puppies, music, lights, sounds, and personalized recorded messages from Mom and Dad.
The “learning” part comes in with the inclusion of Fisher-Price’s Smart Stages content in three adjustable levels. The first stage is for kids ages 6 months and up, where they can learn to explore. There are a lot of hands-on activities to help baby learn that a little bit of the cause and effect of their actions. For example, the chunky green light switch actually turns the house’s lights on and off, letting kids see how flipping the switch makes things happen.
When kids are about a year old, parents can switch over to the second level: encourage. Now, the play center will prompt kids to find different shapes, identify colors of the piano keys, and locate different parts of the puppy’s body. As kids correctly identify different parts, they hear fun rewards and feedback, encouraging them to want to keep learning.
The last stage, pretend, comes in when kids reach 18 months. This stage encourages imaginative play, and features fun sounds, songs, and phrases. This stage encourages role play, such as having a snack with the puppy, hopping like a frog, and more!
These smart stages let the Learning Center grow with baby—making it a great buy for parents. The Learning Center is designed for kids to crawl around to the different stations, helping them stay entertained and engaged. There is tons of play value in the four stations that baby can explore.
The first stage is a puppy that teaches body parts, opposites, colors, and ABCs. It also gives kids a chance to get familiar with tactile play with its drop-through play, as they send the colorful shapes down the chute.
On the next panel, kids can use the phone to dial up fun. This phone lets parents record a message just for kids, so that when they press a button, they can play it back. The archway that connects the panels activates when baby’s crawl through, and they’re surprised with a musical reward, encouraging them to continue exploring.
The third panel is packed full of sensory play. There is a mirror for baby to discover themselves in, a jumbo rattle roller, a fishbowl clicker, and a textured turtle.
The last panel features a customizable picture frame, a peek-a-boo window that kids can slide up and down and much more.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by all of these incredible features, let me further overwhelm you with the idea that all of the characters featured on this Learning Center are bright, colorful, and friendly, and all of the chunky pieces are perfect for tiny hands. It is packed with educational content, but also features a lot of fun sounds and cues that will definitely keep baby engaged.
