Get ready for school with Orchard Toys

Play is an essential part of children’s learning and development and the more fun they’re having, the more likely they are to retain knowledge. With Orchard Toys games chances are, children will have no idea they’re learning something new, or brushing up on a skill, whilst they are busy playing!

Orchard Toys offer a range of games and puzzles for all ages from 18 months+. The games progress in difficulty as children grow and develop, from pre-schoolers learning about turn-taking, to new school starters getting to grips with simple spellings and numeracy. Whether it’s practising numbers or letters, or developing memory and matching skills, they’ll be entertained and having fun.

‘Learning Made Fun’ is the ethos which is at the heart of everything Orchard Toys do, ensuring their games and jigsaws strike the perfect balance of education and play. They work closely with educational advisors, teachers and children when designing their games and jigsaws, ensuring each one is age appropriate and educationally sound – and also has the all-important child appeal factor. Only when it meets these standards does an Orchard Toys game earn their Teacher Tested stamp of approval. It’s no wonder their games are loved by teachers, parents and children!

Giving children a good foundation in numeracy and literacy is crucial and something parents can easily help with at home. Numbers and counting can become part of everyday life: for example, one for me, and one for you when sharing out snacks or counting the numbers as you climb up the stairs. This can be reinforced with fun number games. Reading – letters, words and spelling – is at the heart of all learning and is key to unlocking all other subject areas. Games can provide a relaxed way to help children practise spelling and reading.

Orchard Toys Top 10 educational games for Back to School

A variety of games for children of different ages and abilities, with varying levels of difficulty and gameplay mean younger and older siblings can get involved too, so children can play and learn together.

Catch and Count 3 Years+

A simple and engaging counting game with a fun fish theme – watch out for the sharks.

Alphabet Lotto 3-6 Years

Introduce children to the letters of the alphabet using pictures, letters and words – there are four different ways to play, building in difficulty to allow the game to grow with the child.

Big Alphabet Jigsaw Puzzle 3-6 Years

This giant, colourful puzzle promotes learning and discussion through its quirky illustrations which match to the correct letter. Big Alphabet also includes a full-size poster of the jigsaw and a learning guide to encourage discussion and extend learning.

Big Number Jigsaw Puzzle 3-6 Years

Encourage number recognition and counting skills from 1-20. This fun number jigsaw is full of characters and objects for children to count and discuss. Big Number Jigsaw also includes a full-size poster of the jigsaw and a learning guide on the back of the box to encourage discussion and extend learning.

First Times Tables 5-8 Years

This introduces children to the fundamentals of multiplication and equips parents with the tools to be able to teach their child. It highlights the concept of grouping and sequencing numbers, progressing on to a fun pancake-flipping game where children will practise their 2, 5 and 10 times tables.

Times Tables Heroes 6-9 Years

One of the most important things parents can encourage children to practise at home is multiplication. Times Tables Heroes is filled with fun and is a great way to encourage Key Stage 2 children to practise their times tables from 2 to 12. Once children have a good understanding of multiplication, they’ll find it much easier to solve challenging maths problems.

Match and Spell 4 Years+

Support children through reception and Year 1 with letter recognition, teaching phonetic word building and matching of pictures and words. There are two levels of play to extend learning and allow players of different abilities to play together. The game is designed for both guided and independent learning.

Match and Spell Next Steps 5 years +

Develop more advanced reading and literacy skills with Match and Spell Next Steps. Suitable for slightly older children, Next Steps encourages children to practise using both sounds and blends.

Magic Spelling 5-7 Years

Combines spelling practise with magic! With two levels of difficulty this spellbinding game encourages word building and letter recall as children begin to spell more challenging words. The magic viewer and rub-and-reveal cards mean that spelling practise will be filled with fun.

Magic Maths 5-7 Years

Designed specifically for Key Stage 1 maths, it encourages children to practise basic addition, subtraction and multiplication. Players take turns to solve sums and fill their boards with yucky ingredients – to check their answers they use the magical rub-and-reveal cards!

For more information on Orchard Toys, visit: www.orchardtoys.com