Working with companies like Learning Resources gives me opportunity not only to use and review educational materials with my kids….but it gives me opportunity to learn even better, more fun ways to educate my children and help them grasp concepts. When I first opened up this latest product, Attribute Apples, I really had no idea all the possibilities of learning with this bucket of 27 cute, plastic apples of all different sizes, shapes, and colors. The possibilities with this awesome little bucket are endless….and not just for my 4 year old.
Attribute Apples come in a cute, bushel-like bucket with a cardboard insert that separates the apples. There are red, yellow, and green apples….some apples have stems with leaves, and some apples have cute little green worms. Jaden was ecstatic over the wormies, and frankly, so was I; they are so cute! 
The apples are small, medium, and large. 
Of course, the first thing Jaden and I wanted to do was sort the apples. We can sort by color, size, apples with leaves, apples with worms, apples with just a stem, etc. 
Not only can we sort, but after sorting, we can count the apples. We can count individually or by group. We can compare and contrast groups of apples, because there are relationships between the different attributes or features.
Pattern recognition is another learning activity with Attribute Apples. I can create patterns, leaving certain apples out, so that Jaden has to figure out the sequence and insert the correct apple. Other activities include describing the apples, picking out the one different apple in a group of apples, chain building with different apples that also have similar attributes, asking kids to pick out a certain number of apples with the same characteristics, etc.
Here’s where older kids can come into the fun, as well….with Venn diagrams. Venn diagrams can be used to discuss and compare/contrast the different attributes and relationships between the groups. It’s so interesting that such a small bucket of 27 apples can offer so many different ways to learn.
The apples are a type of plastic with a rubbery sort of texture. They can easily be wiped off, a great feature with kids, especially if in a school setting with lots of little hands touching and sorting. They’re very colorful and realistic looking. The only thing I noticed and that I want to caution my readers about is that some of the apples are quite small, so if smaller children get ahold of them, they could be a choking hazard. However, the apples are rated for ages 4-12.
You can purchase Attribute Apples for $21.99 from Learning Resources. I highly recommend them, in both a homeschool and traditional school setting. They come with a very cool activity booklet that’ll spark ideas and inspiration for activities.
The great news is that one MamaBuzz reader will win their very own bucket of Attribute Apples. Please leave a comment (see below) to enter, but then be sure to leave a separate comment for each optional way that you enter. This giveaway will end on Wednesday, February 22. The winner will be chosen, via random.org. This giveaway is open to U.S. only (void where prohibited). No purchase is necessary, and the odds of winning are based on a number of entries. Good luck, and have a wonderful day!
- When you were younger, what was a fun way a teacher or parent helped you to grasp a concept that was difficult to learn? Share a comment.
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(Disclosure: I received Attribute Apples, free of charge, from Learning Resources, for the purposes of review. All views/opinions remain solely my own.)
