Djeco toys are just glorious! Created in 1954 by Véronique Michel-Dalès at a time when few women were stepping out on their own in business, the company has been hugely successful and won four Oscars for toys in the 1960s! Djeco pride themselves on creating products which are attractive, intelligent and fun at the same time.
There are so many Djeco toys and games to choose from and I could go on forever about their wonderful colours, quality of materials and attention to detail. There is a timeless quality about them and children do come back to the toys again and again, playing with them at different levels of maturity.
We have had a lot of fun with Djeco's humourously named Pipop Pidoo Pop Up! The chunky removable sticks are perfect for little hands and encourage manual dexterity and hand eye co-ordination as your youngsters push them back into the holes. I particularly like the introduction of cause and effect when the sticks pop back out again due to the springs in the holes, making children howl with laughter! Some nice introduction to colour naming and matching and, as they get older, storytelling, imaginative play and so on.
Now, I love a cooperation game! Learning to work together is such an important skill for your young ones and one which will stand them in good stead in the future. This Djeco Little Cooperation Game is perfect for encouraging little ones to cooperate and work towards a common goal. I really like that it has a short playing time (about 10 minutes) which is long enough to enable a team spirit but short enough to hold their attention. Working together to problem solve means that the children win or lose together – they can manage that feeling together. Games like this see an improvement in dexterity, listening skills and communication.
Djeco have many products that nod heavily to traditional toys – and I love them! This Geoform set is timeless and will be played with by children and adults of all ages. I had once as a child (brought back from Austria by my grandparents) and remember playing with it in all manner of ways. Making pictures was fun but so was sorting the pieces in to colours or shapes. Trying to fill the whole board with shapes so there were no gaps kept me and my mother busy for hours! This Djeco version is brilliant as the case and pieces are magnetic and fold away so this is ideal for journeys or for passing time in waiting rooms or restaurants.
What Djeco do really well is their art and crafts, with something for everyone (no, really! I have given Djeco art products to friends’ children of both genders and all ages). Introducing children to different art mediums is always interesting (and not so easy when art is not your forte – speaking from experience!) Djeco allows children to dip a toe into a variety of forms and successfully create a work of art which, in turn, increases their confidence. This Djeco Coloured Jungle Pastels is a great example of this. The pre-drawn boards helps your child to bring the many-coloured animals to life with a mix of oil pastels and scraper work.
We do like to encourage our children to do creative, non screen based playing, and Djeco do have many sets, kits and toys which allow them to do that. No matter what age your child is or where their interests lie, you will find something that will engage, inspire and excite them! Now, I am off on a prehistoric safari adventure with this observation puzzle (you’re never too old for dinosaurs!) in preparation for a visit from my budding palaeontologist nephew!
by Allie White, educational consultant to BrightMinds
As a parent and former-teacher, Allie has a hands-on approach to home learning, believing that the best learning is done together in a relaxed environment.
Our mission at BrightMinds is to foster “a brighter way to play” to inspire your child to be curious about the world around them & encourage creativity in a fun & relaxed way.
We curate a world-class range of educational toys, games, gifts & books which are good quality, safe and backed by our extraordinary customer service. Djeco toys are our speciality and Djeco gift from BrightMinds is a wonderful gift for your special girl or boy.
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