Versatile and Colorful Melissa Doug Rainbow Caterpillar Building Set for Endless Creativity Review

Good solid construction. Gave it to our 12 month old for Christmas but he doesn't really care (at least not yet). He loves the spinning gears on his baby walker, so he thought he'd have fun spinning them. But he just pulls out the bolts and throws them on the floor. But maybe he'll grow up!

Bought as a gift for a good friend's son, 16 months old. Ahead of the curve for his age, he already enjoys mismatching colors on purpose and giggling about them, and then correcting them so they all match. Even a younger child will love taking the gears off and as they get older I think they will learn to turn them so they all spin. Nicely made toy, I think it will last a long time.

My baby loves it. I needed a fun and interactive way to teach her about colors and this does a great job and then some. She counts the gears and wonders how they turn. It also works well as a silent toy, perfect for our cross country flights to see our family. I will be getting more of these birthday gifts for my friends because it was so solid, educational, and interactive. Definitely a great toy that encourages learning, at a great price and made from durable materials.

My 18 month old does not like this toy. I gave him good grades because I didn't want to be harsh. The toy can be for children who like to sort things by color or for older toddlers. He removes the gears and drops them. I tried to get him to show interest in the toy but he didn't. He doesn't turn gears for fun. Maybe he would actually play with it if the gears were left on the toy and he couldn't get them off. It doesn't try to sort them or anything like that. Maybe he just doesn't like the toy…

My granddaughter has learned or improved on colors (she just turned 2) and loves to spin wheels but that's about all the toy has to offer. I could have said, "Find me red," and she would have. I could say, "What color is that?" and she would say. I would recommend the toy more to an 18 month old who is just starting to learn colors and movements and realizes that all the wheels need to be in place for the caterpillar to move. If your child has already learned these things, then this toy is…

When I received the caterpillar toy, I immediately noticed quality control issues. The black paint on one of the legs was rough, and even the paint on Melissa and Doug looked faded. Second, one of the wooden edges wasn't sanded properly and was already peeling off. I sanded it right away. I bought it for my 4 month old baby. The toy is still a bit advanced and suits her as she can't fully manipulate her hands but I love how colorful she is and I hope she gets better fine motor skills over time.

We bought this for my 7 month old daughter for Christmas and it was her favorite toy. She likes to put gears and bits of wood in her mouth and gears that are the perfect size; large enough to avoid choking problems. What impressed me the most was the quality of the wood, as the wood quality of other Melissa & Doug products was not good enough. It is a smooth, mature wood and the points are of excellent quality. As a former early childhood educator, gears are great for developing problem-solving

Wanted something for my 14 month messy baby to focus her fine motor skills on, besides tilting, tearing, smashing etc. I liked the size of the gears and thought me They were perfect for accidentally teaching her how to pick the lock on the front door and lock us out of the house. But alas - the gears are removable! This whole "off and on" thing is definitely none of her business and never will be her business. However, she LOVES to take them off and hide them deep in the dark corners of the…