Review on Engage Your Toddler'S Mind With Hot Dots Pre-K Math Workbook - Perfect For Ages 3 And Up! by Nick Bigalow

Our almost four-year-old is very precocious. In several areas, she is way advanced for her age. While we want to encourage her to learn, we want her to have fun and be able to discover things on her own as much as possible. Since it's designed for preschoolers aged three and older, this set gives her a great start on basic math skills.When I first opened the package and tried to use the pen, it didn’t work. I couldn’t figure out how to turn it on and off. I looked in the box, and there were no instructions. There weren’t any on the outside, either. Then my spouse suggested I look inside the Hot Dots book. Right in the front cover, it tells you to check the back cover for instructions.The first thing I had to do was look for two AAA batteries, since they weren’t included. Then I had to get a screwdriver to open the back panel to install them. Once those were in place, the fun could begin.The first five pages of the book are simple number recognition and counting exercises. This is followed by four pages of identifying which set of pictures contains the most or least number of objects. The next six pages have the child count images and match the numbers. There are two pages that have them find the missing number in a sequence, followed by four pages of identifying the next image in a pattern. Eight pages deal with shapes; five with size comparisons. There are three pages that ask a child to identify the prevailing color of an image. One has them identify which objects are the same or different. The final twelve pages are review. Then there is a sheet of reward stickers in the back.The pen works by pressing it against the dot next to the answer for each problem. If the child selects the right answer, the top of the pen flashes green and the pen plays a happy tune. If they choose incorrectly, the pen flashes red and makes an uh-oh, sort of sound. You have the option of turning the sound off, but a clever or curious child will quickly figure out how to push the button and turn it back on.I did notice the pen is not fool-proof. On the questions that prompt a child to select two items, the cues can be confusing. You also have to be sure to hold the pen straight or it won’t work. It went through the batteries surprisingly quickly.Non-readers will need help knowing what to do, so it’s not entirely independent learning. Our kiddo loves stickers and frequently indiscriminately affixes them, so we had to remove that page before giving it to her. But she loves the opportunity to master new things. Since this book is entirely reusable, she will be able to enjoy it for a long time, and other friends and siblings can, too.At almost $28 at the time of this review, this set is a bit pricy. There’s the added expense of batteries, too. But we are hoping that it pays for itself in both entertainment and educational value over the long haul.