MELISSA & DOUG Caterpillar Gears Toddler Toy

Turn the gears slowly and watch each interlocking segment move the next, or see how fast your child can make the caterpillar "crawl" on the wooden base.
This rainbow-coloured gear toy is hands-on fun at any speed!
With their bulky, notched shape, the colourful gears are easy for children to fit onto the colour-coordinated pegs . . . then rotate, remove and rearrange.
Toddlers will be fascinated by the colours and movement of this charming toy.

Discover Countless Ways To Play

(1) COLOR RECOGNITION: Ask the child to name the colours of the gears and then to remove a specific coloured gear from the toy board. Repeat with the remaining gears. Point to and name the colored pegs on the toy board. Help the child position each gear on the matching coloured peg, naming the colours aloud.
(2) COUNTING: Count aloud as the child grasps and removes all the gears. Point to and count the pegs on the toy board. Ask the child to make different length caterpillars, counting aloud.
(3) VISUAL MEMORY: Place 3 gears on the toy board and ask the child to name the colours of the gears from left to right. Hide the caterpillar and ask the child to recall the colors in the correct order. Repeat the activity using an increasing amount of gears for added difficulty.
(4) OPPOSITES: Remove all the gears from the toy board except the two on the ends. Using one gear, demonstrate how gears can be turned clock-wise/counterclockwise, or fast/slow. Encourage the child to repeat the action with the other gear.
(5) STENCIL ART: Have the child trace the gears on a piece of paper. Have them create complex designs by tracing overlapping gears or elaborate machines by tracing gears that touch.
(6) MOTOR SKILLS: Remove 3 gears from the toy board and place them in a row touching each other. Have the child turn the outer gears to make the middle one move. Add more gears for increased difficulty.