Pete's Expert Summary
My human, in their infinite... let's call it *optimism*, has presented me with a tub of what they believe are "educational toys." It's a collection of 72 small, brightly colored rubber effigies of various insects, apparently intended for tiny, clumsy humans to learn "math," which I believe is the art of arranging things in boring lines. However, the sheer quantity is intriguing, and the list of victims—spider, dragonfly, caterpillar—is a respectable one. The soft, rubbery texture suggests a satisfying skitter-and-pounce potential across the hardwood floors. While the "learning" aspect is an insult to my intelligence, the potential for creating a glorious, multi-colored mess of "prey" under every piece of furniture is undeniable. It might just be worth waking up for.
Key Features
- These creepy crawly counters turn learning early math concepts into fun adventures
- Master early math standards such as grouping, sorting, patterning, classifying objects, and counting
- Set of 72 counters in six colors includes grasshopper, bumblebee, beetle, spider, dragonfly, and caterpillar; all packaged in a reusable plastic tub
- Tactilely-inviting, soft, rubber bug counters encourage hands-on learning. Counters can be combined with other counter sets for endless playing possibilities! Ideal for ages 3+
- GIVE THE GIFT OF LEARNING: Whether you’re shopping for holidays, birthdays, or just because, toys from Learning Resources help you discover new learning fun every time you give a gift! Ideal gift for Halloween, Christmas, Stocking Stuffers, Easter Baskets or even for Homeschool.
A Tale from Pete the Cat
The ceremony began on the living room rug. My human, with the reverence of a high priestess initiating a novice, popped the lid off the clear plastic tub. The sound was a dull *thump*, and the scent that wafted out was one of sterile, uninteresting plastic. She spilled the contents—a garish tide of red beetles, blue dragonflies, and yellow spiders—onto the floor. She then began to arrange them, a solemn ritual of her own devising. "One grasshopper," she'd murmur, "two grasshoppers..." It was a horrifying spectacle of enforced order, an affront to the beautiful chaos I so carefully cultivate in this household. I observed from the arm of the sofa, my tail giving a slow, judgmental thump-thump-thump against the upholstery. This was not play. This was administration. The bugs lay in their neat, colorful rows, an army of plastic drones awaiting commands I had no intention of giving. My human looked at me, her face full of that hopeful expression that usually precedes a trip to the V-E-T. "Want to see, Pete?" she asked, sliding a purple caterpillar in my direction. It stopped a foot from my paws, inert and foolish. I gave her a look that communicated, witheringly, that I was not a simpleton to be entertained by a stationary piece of rubber. But then, she turned her back to answer her phone, her "work." Her tedious ritual was left unfinished, the bug battalions frozen mid-deployment. An opportunity. I descended from my perch, not with a playful pounce, but with the silent gravity of a syndicate boss arriving to inspect a flawed operation. I nudged the purple caterpillar with my nose. It was soft, yielding. I hooked it with a single, perfectly extended claw and flicked it. It tumbled end over end, landing silently by the leg of the coffee table. So much better. This wasn't a counter; it was a message. One by one, I began my work of "reorganization." A red beetle was dispatched under the sofa. A green grasshopper was hooked and skittered across the floor until it vanished into the dark cavern beneath the entertainment center. The neat rows dissolved into a delightful disarray. This, I decided, was their true purpose. They were not for counting. They were for hiding. They were a secret currency, a hidden treasure to be distributed throughout my kingdom. Each bug tucked away was a promise of a future discovery, a private joke at my human's expense. The product was flawed in its intended purpose, but as a tool for a long-term campaign of domestic mischief? Exquisite. Absolutely worthy.
