Counting barns: which set for your toddler?

All our counting sets share a simple game: ten numbered houses, ten soft animals. What changes is the theme, the way the house opens and how much story you can build around it.

Set	How it opens	Good for	Shelf
Farm barns	Lift-off barn roofs	Classic first set, cows and ducks	Toddler Learning Toys
Farm with farmer	Lift-off barn roofs	A figure to lead the story	Toddler Learning Toys
Safari zoos	Colourful zoo houses	Lions, pandas and louder roars	Toddler Learning Toys
Puppy houses	Door or roof, two ways in	Extra puzzle for nimble fingers	Toddler Learning Toys
Kitten bags	See-through fronts	Spot the kitten before opening	Toddler Learning Toys

Start with peekaboo

At twelve months the game is simply 'where is the cow?'. Lift a roof, find an animal, put it back. Numbers come later on their own.

Then fingers

Every animal is a finger puppet. Parents use them for little shows; toddlers try to wear five at once. It is the best grip practice we know.

Then counting

Around two, children start noticing that the barn with three dots has a three on the roof. Line the barns up and count out loud while tidying.