Learning Resources Rock 'n Gem Surprise, Sorting, Matching & Counting Skills Activity Set, Early STEM, 19 Pieces, Ages 3+

This Rock ’n Gem Surprise set has been a fantastic addition to our playtime! My child loves using the play hammer and chisel to crack open the reusable geodes and discover the colorful gems inside. It’s a fun way to introduce sorting, matching, and counting skills, as each gem comes in different shapes and colors. The set also offers a gentle introduction to geology concepts without the mess of real rocks and geodes. The included drawstring bag makes cleanup and storage a breeze. Highly recommend this engaging and educational toy for young learners!

The Learning Resources Rock 'n Gem Surprise Activity Set is a fantastic learning tool for young children. It’s engaging, colorful, and provides a hands-on way for kids to develop sorting, matching, and counting skills. My 2.5-year-old daughter loves it, and I can see how it helps her build important cognitive abilities while having fun.Pros:Bright and Engaging Design:The vibrant colors and shiny "gem" pieces immediately capture a child’s attention. The different shapes and sizes of the gems make sorting and matching activities exciting and visually stimulating.Educational and Developmental:This set is great for teaching early math skills like counting, sorting, and comparing. It also introduces patterns and sequencing in a fun and interactive way.Durable and Safe Materials:The pieces are made from sturdy, high-quality plastic that feels durable and safe for little hands. There are no sharp edges, and the gems are large enough to prevent choking hazards.Versatile Learning Opportunities:In addition to sorting and counting, we’ve used this set for imaginative play. My daughter loves pretending she’s a treasure hunter or jeweler, which adds an extra layer of creative fun.Compact and Easy to Store:With just 19 pieces, the set is easy to store and doesn’t take up much space. It’s also lightweight, making it perfect for travel or playdates.Cons:Limited Number of Pieces:While the 19 pieces are sufficient for basic activities, adding a few more gems or additional shapes would increase the variety and extend playtime.Slightly Simple for Older Kids:For children closer to the upper age range (5+), the activities might feel too basic. However, you can introduce more advanced concepts like simple addition or subtraction to keep it challenging.This activity set has quickly become a favorite in our home. My daughter enjoys sorting the gems by color and shape, and I’ve noticed her improving her counting skills. We also play matching games, which keep her entertained and focused. It’s a great toy for independent play as well as parent-child interaction.

This toy is a hit! Great quality, we love all things Learning Resources. Our son loves using the tools to crack open the rocks and get the gems out. It comes with a bag to store everything in! It's a great toy for fine motor skills, practicing colors, and shapes! We love this!

3 year old loved using the tools and was enamored by the gems! Good for learning motor skills and practicing colors and shapes. It's a bit tricky to close the geodes again, which may need adult supervision. Great gift!

Super cute for my 3 yr old daughter. Easy to figure out for them but entertains them for hours. They come with “gems” but you can put other fun small items in them with no problem. Very durable for more aggressive kids. Super great gift for boys or girls.

Great kids game to work on problem-solving.

Bought these for my 2 year olds birthday and he LOVES them! His occupational therapist uses them so I knew I couldn’t go wrong. But seriously, such a cute toy and keeps my son actually entertained. The gems are small so you definitely have to keep an eye on smaller toddlers, but I’m sure that’s why the age says 3+. They’re very durable and great quality. My son loves the vibrant colors and shapes.

Update 12/26: Christmas has come and gone, and this set has got PLENTY of play! It was a huge hit for my son, who is extremely picky about his toys. He has sat and played with this for hours, usually 30 to 45 minutes at a time. He loves using the tools, and prefers to identify the shapes rather than colors right now, but he still keeps them matched up correctly. I highly recommend this awesome and incredibly fun toy. You and your child both will have a blast playing with this set!I bought this set as a Christmas gift so it has not yet been played with, but I already know my (almost) 4 year old is going to have a blast with it! There are so many ways we'll be able to play with this, while educating him. Since he is not going to preschool, at-home education is very important to us, and fun props are always welcome! Every piece in this set is large and chunky, making it easy for hands of all sizes to manipulate the pieces, however, using the pick to open the geodes helps with fine motor skills. Each gem's color matches the inside of a geode so it's great for color matching. Could work as a memory/matching game, and could work for teaching about actual geodes, too! So much potential for learning, in such a fun way! Everything seems to be made extremely well, the colors are perfect and vibrant, and the little bag for storage is very much appreciated! Of all the Christmas presents we've bought this year, this one has got to be my favorite.