Bigjigs Toys FSC® Certified Rainbow Abacus - Eco Wooden Abacus for Kids & Toddlers, 32 Food-Grade Silicone Beads, Early Development & Activity Toys, Quality Counting Toys

This abacus arrives in a branded cardboard box and the packaging was plastic free which is a positive, however other than the box the object wasn’t particularly padded and I thought could have done with some tissue paper to protected the wood. The abacus itself measures 4.5cm x 28cm in footprint with a height of 21cm and features x4 sets of differently coloured silicone beads on a wooden base. The rainbow abacus is very well made and finished. There are x8 soft touch silicone beads on each of the x4 rows and are navy blue, yellow, pink and light blue in colour. The 32 beads are food grade silicone with a matt finish and the base is made from FSC certified wood. Along with the grey plasticised metal arches which the beads move around, it does feel very premium and well designed. The only downside is that dust does tend to stick to the silicone beads a bit and they rub a little when moving on the wire. The toy conforms to the appropriate standards for safety with non-toxic paints and lacquers and there are no sharp areas which could cause injury. This abacus set is great for children that are 12+ months of age and perfect for both play and early development like learning to count as well as beginning to learn basic maths skills such as subtraction and addition. It is also perfect for developing fine motor skills and co-ordination. Styled in a rainbow shape not only is this a great toy and educational aid, but aesthetically it is a lovely object that looks beautiful in a young child’s bedroom. This UK based business obviously have experience creating premium quality toys and priced at £19.99 at the time of reviewing, I feel this is good for the quality of product you get and it would make a lovely 1st birthday gift – I would definitely recommend.

Kent-based Bigjigs Toys have nearly 40 years' experience in toymaking and they're a family business. This Rainbow Abacus looks particularly good and, suitable for age 12+ months, it would make a great first birthday present - that will also look good on display in the nursery when playtime's over. Not only are you getting that bit extra in terms of design, sustainability and responsible manufacturing are important to Bigjigs. The wood used in this abacus is ethically sourced from FSC certified forests. I really appreciate the fact that safety appears to be a prime consideration too. It's sometimes difficult to know how safe products aimed at young children are - in terms of not just their construction but what kind of paints are used. With this abacus, there are no sharp edges, the 32 soft, beads in 4 different shades are made from food grade silicone, non-toxic paints and lacquers are used and the toy conforms to EN71 Toy Safety Standards. It's perfect for developing fine motor skills and hand/eye co-ordination. As toddlers grow, it can be used for counting games and the different coloured beads form patterns dependent on where they're arranged on the frame. A lovely item, I'd recommend this. .

The abacus is an old piece of equipment, google tells me "The abacus has been in existence in China since the second century BCE, although the oldest counting boards have been found in fourth century BCE Rome." So this thing has stood the test of time and handing it to my 3 year old proved why, she immediately was able to move the beads and count along with it, so the benefits to the developing mind is there to see. I like this one as the beads are soft, and the rainbow design is different - but at £20 I think it is about £5 more than what I think is a fair price so for that reason I'm awarding it with 4 stars

This is a beautiful product and well presented. The box/ packaging is nice too which makes it lovely for a present. The beads are silicone and the rest is wooden - durable and colourful. My 2 negatives : Firstly, the price - £20 seems too steep for this product and I’d pay a maximum of £15. Secondly, why are there only 8 beads on each arch? I would’ve thought 10 would be more appropriate to help with number bonds to 10?? And our place value system is all based on 10? Anyway it looks nice and is nice to play with.

A really lovely abacus which is perfect for children. Comes well presented in a cardboard box and wrapped in tissue paper to protect it. The abacus is a good size with a wooden base, metal arch and soft silicone beads. The base is completely smoothly to touch, no rough edges or areas anywhere, with rounded corners. The arch is well attached to the base the beads are a soft silicone which is easy enough to pick up and move over the metal frame. With its neutral colours and design, its perfect for both boys and girls. A great way of learning and encourage counting, aswell as help develop fine motor skills, observation and concentration. Durable and functional. Really well made, perfect to with stand hands on play.