Fat Brain - Spoolz

Only just received and put out in our waiting room. Purchased to provide further stacking, fiddle, manipulation and play option that looks attractive and inviting and is readily washable. For our paediatric clinic. Seems good. the test is whether the kids engage and play with it imaginatively. I am very choosy with our toy selections to ensure good experiences for children, engagement and also to model good toy choices for parents. So many parents fall for the more-is-better approach (of cleverly marketed marketing rubbish from major retailers). Kids usually need less and need stuff that encourages engagement creatively and free of narrow stereotypes and scripts. Washability is a huge issue for us. We hope this toy delivers on all this. They seem a little pricey. I would have preferred to have some spares so staff would not be under extra pressure to get them washed and out for the next day, every day, but with the price, I held back on those extras.
I expect that kids of all ages from about 3 up to teenagers will play with this toy. I see it as a stacking through to fiddle toy. The shape of the pieces will present difficulty to younger kids. I work hard to avoid "gendered" or prescriptive toys and play and feel that stereotyping and narrowly prescriptive play scripts are oppressive and stifling for healthy development and well-being. Our experience is that children of a wide age range and both sexes will play with good toys, such as the Green Toys flower sets and tea sets, and Viking vehicles with people figures for the reasons above, as well as well-designed soft toys (babies, animals etc).