12 nicest shape ovens for fine motor skills: complete guide
Always something to do for the holidays or rainy day?
Play Choice now has the ultimate activity book collection, with over 60 pages of fun coloring pages and educational puzzles.
Shapes stewing: an educational activity for children that will take a little practice at first.
With a mold stove teaches your child to recognize and distinguish the different colors and shapes in a playful way.
This is the complete guide to learning fine motor skills with a shape sorter, with the best braising and tips.
By pushing the shapes through the correct opening, the fine motor skills are stimulated. A child also learns good hand-eye coordination.
Mold stoves are available in different variants: wood, plastic, in the shape of a hammer bench, with light and sound, with square and triangular blocks or with keys!
I went looking for the nicest and best shape ovens for children of different ages and the best ones to start with or give as a baby gift is just a simple, these Jollein Forest Friends of white wood. Plenty to do, safe for the mouth and not too difficult. Sometimes it's just that simple.
Mold Stoves are a great toy choice, especially for young children so here I've reviewed the best in different categories:
Best wooden shape sorter
Simple way to introduce your child to hand-eye coordination and shape recognition and a toy that can grow with their development into toddlerhood.
| Shape sorter | Images |
|---|---|
| Best shape sorter with sound: B. Toys Hooty Hoo |  (view more images) |
| Cutest shape sorter car: Clementoni mold box |  |
| Cutest animals shape stew: SFC Toys animals in the jungle |  |
| Nicest shape sorting house: Miffy shape house |  |
| The nicest form oven farm: Vilac toys |  |
| Cutest shape sorter truck: Wooden safari bus |  |
| Cutest shape sorter noah's ark: Hape |  |
| Cutest shape turtle: Tender Toys |  |
| Difficult shape sorter: Goki sorting game |  (view more images) |
| Cutest fire engine shape stove: Joueco |  |
From toddler to toddler activity book collection
Educational games and coloring pages for 3 to 6 years
Your toddler and preschooler will love this e-book, along with the accompanying printables. He or she can play with it at every stage of development, together with mom and dad.
Buy at Bol.comWhat we discuss in this comprehensive post:
- 1 Shape sorter: from what age and up to what age?
- 2 Which developments does a molding machine stimulate?
- 3 Best molding oven rated
- 3.1 Jouéco The Wildies Family Activities Cube
- 3.2 Best shape sorter with sound: B. Toys Hooty Hoo
- 3.3 Best shape sorter car: Clementoni shape box
- 3.4 Cutest animal shape stew: SFC Toys animals in the jungle
- 3.5 Best shape sorting house: Miffy shape house
- 3.6 Best shape sorter farm: Vilac toys
- 3.7 Best shape sorting truck: Wooden safari bus
- 3.8 Cutest shape sorter noah's ark: Hape
- 3.9 Cutest shape sorter turtle: Tender Toys
- 3.10 Difficult shape sorter: Goki sorting game
- 3.11 Nicest fire engine shape stew: Jouéco
- 4 Make your own shape sorter
- 5 Conclusion
Shape sorter: from what age and up to what age?
There are very simple form stoves for children that can already sit up to play, if your child is around eight to one year old you could start.
Fine motor skills then develop quite quickly. In the beginning you can put your small primary shapes in a shape sorter or hammer them on a hammer bench.
In the next phase (between one and a half and two years) your child can place more and more specific blocks in the right shape or pieces in an inlay puzzle.
Building a tower with blocks is also fun.
For example, you can offer him or her increasingly challenging form stewing or a puzzle, each time with more complicated shapes or with smaller puzzle pieces.
We can say that from eight months to sometimes as much as twelve years the molding furnaces (usually for the younger children) or puzzles (for the older children) can be educational and challenging.
Which developments does a molding machine stimulate?
The molding oven stimulates children especially in the development of their fine motor skills.
The mold must of course be turned just right to fit into the correct hole. In addition to fine motor skills, it also stimulates hand-eye coordination.
With this, your little one tunes in what he or she sees and what he or she does with the hands. Your child will also develop further by feeling and looking carefully.
In this way, the children work on their intellectual development, including by counting and distinguishing different blocks, recognizing shapes and colors and possibly also recognizing animals.
Name the different shapes and animals and you will notice that your child will link the words to the relevant shapes or figures.
Their ability to speak improves.
They will also have to use their creativity while playing with a shape sorter, they can make up their own stories about the different (animal) blocks or shapes.
Very nice toys so for your child, but even better, also very educational! Make sure that the form stove is not missing in your home.
Why you want to develop fine motor skills
If your child develops his or her fine motor skills well, this makes learning to write easier.
Many small children find it difficult to perform small movements and it is often the case that if something is not easy, it will not be experienced as fun.
To properly prepare your toddler for grade three, the year they learn to write, we'll give some tips below.
Fine motor development checklist
With this checklist you can fill in at what age your child has learned important milestones in fine motor development. Print it out and fill it in, nice to keep!
Tips to develop fine motor skills
Play games with your child; this is fun and so your little one can follow your example. Of course it helps to give a lot of compliments to your child.
Start with games that your child can already do well to stimulate self-confidence and gradually build up the level of difficulty and keep repeating games.
Activities such as coloring and drawing, stringing a bead necklace, spinning a spinning top and claying are all suitable for promoting fine motor skills.
But also daily activities such as closing zippers or tying shoelaces, brushing teeth and combing hair should not be missed.
Helping you in the kitchen with setting the table, kneading dough, washing dishes and making a sandwich, make it a habit.
Some more games to develop fine motor skills:
- Laying a puzzle
- Play with a lancing device
- Cut out shapes
- Marbles
- Making shadow figures with your hands
- Practice writing letters
A shape sorter is often the first introduction to developing his or her fine motor skills for your child.
Best molding oven rated
Joueco The Wildies Family Activities Cube
- Can grow with your baby into toddlerhood
- Nice colors and shapes
- Quite big for really young 1 year olds
-
From: 1 years
-
Best: 2 – 3 years
-
Up to: 3 years
- Material: Wood, FSC Hardwood
- Theme: Games and puzzles, Shape sorter
- Play Mode: Solo
- Price at time of writing: €34,24 – $91,34
- Sustainability: Sustainable production
- Production: Manufacturing
- Storage: Compact
- Safety components: Non-toxic materials
- Playing Time: Longer (10 – 30 min)
- Gender inclusiveness: Gender neutral
A simple way to introduce your child to hand-eye coordination and shape recognition and a toy that can grow nicely with their development into toddlerhood. The multi-functional cube provides high play value and great value for money.
The cube is also easy to close so you can take it with you, plus it's big enough to fit all sorts of other toys too, which my son found amusing. This way it can be used and combined anywhere, which ensures high replayability.
It is durable enough to take a beating and has survived 3 years of toddlerhood with us. From shape sorter to bead maze and puzzles and even a wooden abacus. This way he can enjoy a versatile playing experience for a while.
Best shape sorter with sound: B. Toys Hooty Hoo
The Hooty Hoo shape sorter with sound and movable parts looks so cozy!
It is made of plastic and suitable for children from 8 months to about three years.
Your little one can let each colored owl slide through the correct shape so that it shoots down through the tube whistling, and then comes out again at the bottom with a speed.
The beads can slide your child up and down. When he or she puts the shapeshifter on its side, it becomes a rolling and rattling toy to to crawl behind (and develop).
The colorful owls complete the beautiful appearance of this shape sorter!
View the most current prices hereBest shape sorter car: Clementoni shape box
This only Clementoni shape box car Sensory Car junior 28 x 19,5 cm shape stew in the shape of a super colored car is the ideal toy for your little one.
Besides the eight shapes that can be put in the car on different sides, your little one can also let the car drive!
The robust plastic material is indestructible. The car is suitable for kids from one to four years old.
The colorful car will certainly provide a lot of fun. Is your little one taking up the challenge?
Cutest animal shape stew: SFC Toys animals in the jungle
The cool shape sorter has cute animals that are dressed as real Indians. Your little one will love this tree and the crazy creatures!
The set is a 100% certified wood, good to know if you are looking for a sustainable gift for your child or perhaps for your little nephew or niece.
The set is suitable for children from one year. All animals can be stored in this beautiful shape sorter.
A challenging game for your intelligent toddler!
Check the most current prices and availability here
Best shape sorting house: Miffy shape house
With this endearing Miffy shape house 21,5 x 20 x 18,5 cm white you will learn to stack, build, count and sort!
Your child will have a lot of fun with this plastic house of our faithful old Miffy.
Ask your child to put the six shapes in the appropriate holes on the roof and then take them out to play with again.
Who doesn't like to play with that sweet Miffy?
Best shape sorter farm: Vilac toys
What a cheerful and colorful set, this Wooden shaped farm with 8 animals - Vilac toys. The wooden toy set consists of a farm (more ideas here) with red roof tiles.
The house has a swinging door and eight sweet wooden animals including a pig, a striped kitten and a rabbit.
It will be a challenge for your little one to find each animal by the correct window.
Your child will learn to recognize animals and will develop fine motor skills by playing with this shape sorter.
Suitable for kids from 2 years and older.
Best shape sorting truck: Wooden safari bus
With the sustainable Houten safari 10-piece molding machine, these two friendly animal rescuers are on their way to help all the animal friends.
The set contains all kinds of exciting animals such as a lion, a rhino and even a giraffe! Your toddler has to look for the right animal in the right slot.
This durable wooden truck stimulates the imagination of your toddler or preschooler and is perfectly suited to develop your child's fine motor skills.
The loading door can be raised and all animals can stay in it. Your child can play with the animals and teach them to count.
The two rangers who take care of the reserve's exciting animals can get on and off the truck.
A very beautiful and durable game, and a wonderful gift for both boys and girls! Suitable for kids between three and eight years old, a winner!
Cutest shape sorter noah's ark: Hape
The Hape wooden shape sorter - Noah's Ark is for all the sweet animals that Noah wants to take with him in his beautiful, colorful ark; Your child can help him look for them!
Let your little one look for the lion with the lioness, Mrs. Crocodile with Mr. Crocodile and make pairs of all the other animals.
Your child can act out the story of Noah while developing fine motor skills. Don't forget to bring Noah's wife too!
This durable wooden shape sorter is of beautiful quality. Suitable for children from three to six years old.
Cutest shape sorter turtle: Tender Toys
So endearing this green turtle with his orange cap from Tender Toys!
This beautiful wooden shape box is suitable for little ones between the ages of two and four.
They can develop their motor skills while playing with the sympathetic turtle.
Your child is looking for the correctly formed hole in the five different shapes and will certainly have a lot of fun with it!
Difficult shape sorter: Goki sorting game
This brightly colored Sorting game in a box is suitable for kids from three to twelve years old. It is an educational and colorful game.
The brand Goki makes child-friendly and beautifully designed toys of high-quality material.
That's what they find at Goki toys should contribute to the motor and intellectual development of children.
In this game, the shapes and the holes have to be placed correctly on the wooden bars, which is quite a challenge for the little ones.
Can your child meet this challenge? In any case, it will keep him or her busy for a while! A great colorful game, also for the older kids.
Goki also has interesting ones puzzles and bending dolls for children of different ages.
Nicest fire engine shape stew: Jouéco
This red one Jouéco wooden shape oven fire engine 26 cm red is great to get started with! Little firefighters-to-be, pay attention!
This is really something for you. This shape sorter is so great to play with and learn to recognize all shapes.
With the beautiful firetruck your child not only gets to know the shapes, but also the colors.
By means of eye-hand coordination, the correct shapes can be placed in the appropriate holes. Your little one can also just drive around by car.
A very nice wooden cart to play with and learn with. The fire engine is suitable for toddlers from 18 months.
Make your own shape sorter
Fortunately, a shape sorter does not have to be expensive as you can see above, but if you really have a small budget, I have one last bouncer.
Finally, here I have a nice inspiring video from daycare the Teddy Bear with tips on making your own shape sorter:
Conclusion
As you have seen in the table, there is plenty of choice in shaping furnaces for kids of different ages.
After reading this article you have probably also become a bit wiser about shaping furnaces in relation to stimulating fine motor skills.
Hopefully you have been able to choose the perfect form oven for your little one!
Always something to do for the holidays or rainy day?
Play Choice now has the ultimate activity book collection, with over 60 pages of fun coloring pages and educational puzzles.
Joost Nusselder, the founder of Speelkeuze.nl is a content marketer, father and loves trying out new toys. As a child he came into contact with everything related to games when his mother started the Tinnen Soldaat in Ede. Now he and his team create helpful blog articles to help loyal readers with fun play ideas.
