LEGO DUPLO Read & Build Review: $100 Lego Sweepstakes

So there's a new, fun LEGO DUPLO toy in town and the girls and I got a chance to try it out last week. We absolutely love blocks and we love books, so we were very happy to be given this opportunity to play with the LEGO DUPLO Read & Build set!

So here's how this works. Basically it's a storybook that instructs you to build certain things as you read through the story. Different block sets go with different stories and we were given the story "Let's Go! Vroom!".

"Let's Go! Vroom!" is about Racer Joe who goes out driving and gets stuck somewhere. Pilot Penny decides she needs to go out and find him (I love the fact that Pilot Penny is a girl, but I digress). At this point in the story, your kids help build the airplane with visual diagrams given in the book. Then Pilot Penny goes soaring around the sky and finally finds Racer Joe. Racer Joe's car is broken and at this point you have to help put his car together again. Then Pilot Penny and Racer Joe race off home!

Pilot Penny's Plane

The girls actually asked me to read this story three times. They had so much fun putting together each vehicle and making them fly and race at the end of the story. Then they had just as much fun taking them apart to start the story over again.

Pilot Penny and Racer Joe

(built by Savannah and Matilda)

As a mom, I loved this toy because it was so interactive and focused on several skills in a fun manner. The girls needed some guidance to put together each vehicle, but they were able to handle it with just a little assistance from me. The book made them stop and focus to follow the directions (simple pictures) to complete each task. Also, they had to use team work on several occasions to complete one vehicle or another. Savannah (4 years old) was best at following the instructions and knowing where to put each piece and Matilda (3 years old) was great at finding the pieces and putting the characters into their vehicles. Together, they were able to figure everything out and had a great time racing off at the end of the story!

By the third time we read this story, the girls were already reciting the simple, preschool level text. I always know they are enjoying a story when they can recite parts of the book back to me. I would recommend LEGO DUPLO Read & Build for any toddler through preschool age child......especially one that loves to build and read. I feel that any chance we can get a kiddo to pick up a book, is a move in the right direction on the path to learning how to read. 

Want to win $100 LEGO Gift Card? 
 

To enter to win, please leave me a comment answering the following question:

How do you think LEGO DUPLO Read & Build could help your child learn to read?

Visit LEGO.com to see other Read & Build sets and order online. Check out BlogHer.com to find other reviews and more ways you can enter to win.
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This sweepstakes runs from 7/11 – 8/19/12.