Review on 🍦 Melissa & Doug Wooden Scoop Counter: Perfect Toy for Counting and Imaginative Play by Michael Gonzales

I bought this gift for my children aged 4 and 2.75 for Christmas and it has been one of their favorite toys of all time. We originally had a smaller set (Melissa & Doug Scoop and Stack Ice Cream Cone Magnetic Pretend Play Set) that included 4 large magnetic textured plastic scoops. My kids loved them and played with them every day. I thought this set would be identical but with more parts, which is not true. The magnetic set has larger ice cream cones that attach to the scoop and cone with magnets that hold them in place. Ice cream scoops are structured and fit well in the hand. This set works with dowels. Scoops of ice cream have small pins protruding from the bottom that fit into a stand, cone, or other scoop of ice cream for stacking. The shovel isn't that much fun because pressing the button doesn't always work well, and setting the shovel up on the stand requires a dexterity most toddlers don't have. It also comes with tongs which are just as useless but my kids were very happy just using their hands. The shovels are made of wood (unlike the magnet set) and also come with the bowl. The body is wood with a plastic "glass" front (so you can only use it on one side). It has two openings on the side for easy lifting. My 2.75 year old can pick it up and transport it with some effort. She even lifted and lowered him down the stairs without help. The pieces are big enough that if lost, they're easy to find after a few hours. Each spoon is sweetly colored with a touch of chocolate or nuts, but is flat and untextured. The filling is a malleable plastic with texture and holds up well on spoons. My kids love the order-to-order menu (which works well with dry-erase markers). This toy not only caused a lot of laughs, but also challenges some math, language and social skills of beginners. If I had to criticize, I would say that I prefer the magnet system to the dowels. Aesthetically, they are prettier, easier to fold and more fun to assemble. However, I prefer wooden scoops to plastic scoops, which probably makes the magnet system ineffective. This is definitely one of our favorite toys we've ever had and I'm grateful I bought it this year. I hope to be able to use it for a few more years. (Note: the bag of sugar in the picture is from Melissa and Doug's coffee set, not this toy. Oops!)