Toy Review - Melissa and Doug’s Fold and Go Barn

One of the favorite toys I wanted to share with my son is a barn or stable toy. Our family loves horses and we wanted to teach him a little about our hobby while he is still young. We found the Melissa and Doug Fold and Go Barn. This wooden toy takes me me back to when I was a kid playing with a troll house with my friends. That toy got a lot of use and I wish I were so easily entertained today. It was plastic and cartoonish and folded up like a suitcase. There really is no comparison. The troll house was fun, but had nowhere near the realism and quality of Melissa and Doug’s Fold and Go Barn. As is their standard, their products are made from high-quality hardwood. They craft all of their products with education in mind, encouraging vocabulary development, fine and gross motor skills, and a great feeling of achievement.

This rustic barn is handsomely designed and will aid in the development of pretend play skills. It has doors to slide open and close as well as a useful chunky carrying handle that makes it easy to transport for great entertainment on the go. It is brimming with features such as large roomy stalls with swinging stable doors, sliding barn doors (my son’s favorite feature) that open and close effortlessly a spacious hayloft, and seven quality farm animals. The barn has two levels to allow horses, cows and goats to assemble on as well as in the gated stalls or on the roof. Also, since it’s not heavy or cumbersome, it’s great for clean up.

This wooden barn is an enjoyable toy for boys and girls and great for kids on the go. I was pleased to find it completely assembled and ready for play. Thank goodness I didn’t have to find someone to put yet another one of his toys together. I just opened it, and he was playing in seconds. This toy encourages group or independent play. It is kind of a dollhouse for boys (as well as girls) My son is only two years old, and I know this toy will be a preferred and treasured one for years to come.

Be a kid again and really enjoy yourself. Your child will feel your enthusiasm. You can simply change the way you play with the toy. Use your imagination. Maybe the cow doesn’t go in the barn. It goes on the roof along with Elmo and Cookie Monster. Or maybe the cow sits at the dinner table. Anything goes. This not to say that the TV is taboo or you should feel bad for giving yourself a break while your child quiets down to watch his favorite show. Just try to use the opportunities given to you by your child’s cues. Although he may not be talking just yet, you’ll know when he wants and needs time with you. And you will only have this time with this child once, so don’t waste it.