Review on Melissa Doug Deluxe Wooden Lacing by Jack Collins

This review is for Melissa and Doug Deluxe Wooden Stringing Beads, 27 per box. I bought this set of lace beads for my 3 year old son. He is currently attending a special education program for young children. I am constantly looking for activities that will pique his interest and help him in the various areas he is struggling in. blocks, 5 cube blocks, 4 star blocks) - 2 laces with plastic tips on the ends - a small wooden storage box The beads are very well constructed and the laces provided slide well. They are very colorful and bright, but the color does not last with normal use. We've had them for less than 5 months and the paint is peeling (only on the edges). To see this please see the image I have included. I had read other reviews that suggested this happens to many people, particularly those whose beads have been played on hard surfaces, so I was prepared. While I would like the beads to keep their color I don't see this as a disadvantage. The laces work well and the plastic coated ends allow little fingers to slip the lace through the bead. The storage box is great. but not practical for this article. There is no lid so the blocks don't fall out, again requiring right-side-up storage. While this can work well in a more structured environment, it's not the best option for free play at home. I decided to omit the box and use a snap-on plastic container instead. It's easy for my child to take out and put back in and keeps all the pieces together securely. Please see the attached image to see my storage solution. We use lace beads for both textured and imaginative play. With this set we can work on fine motor skills (binding and stacking), colors, matching and sorting, shapes and patterns. For kids who are still learning to wash with ropes, our subject teacher Ed recommended using wooden sticks from the craft store or pipe cleaners. Ask, I still give it 5 stars. First of all, there is nothing wrong with the storage case that it comes in. It's actually very well designed. This is how the product was advertised and sold and I knew it when I bought it. I thought the price was reasonable and would have bought it for the same price without the storage case. Then there is the problem of color fading. I fully understand that this will annoy some people. It just doesn't annoy me. It seems logical and natural to me that painted wooden blocks should have the paint rubbed off at the edges. And because this item is so cheap I wouldn't expect the color to stay perfect forever. But even if the color rubs off in some places, enough color remains to make the product look cute and attractive to children.