My mother bought my daughter some “Baby Einstein Discovery Cards” the last time we went to visit her. The “Baby Einstein: Numbers and Shapes Discovery Cards” to be specific.

At first glance they looked unimpressive and boring to me, but my sister who has two daughters remarked at how nice they were - the pictures were clear and colorful, the cards were laminated, and the subjects were appropriate to my daughter’s age.

I took note of my sister’s remarks towards the cards as she has an uncanny knack for recognizing good products, as well as an impressive understanding of children and what they find interesting and engaging.

I guess the mental note I made didn’t sink in too well! Maybe it was all the running around during our visit, but I managed to forget the cards. Nevertheless, “Mimi” mailed the cards to us the following week and everyday since then my daughter digs them out of “Toy Mountain” and insists we go through them.

Honestly, I think these cards are good for us both. It gives her a structured, lighthearted little lesson in shapes, colors, numbers and objects. For me, it provides an interesting perspective on my daughter’s current, and rapidly evolving, comprehension of these concepts.

Its easy to rejoice at how quickly she picks up on things these days and assume that she understands colors and numbers because she can them repeat them after me. As we go through the cards, I remember that she’s very much still a toddler. I smile, glad to be a part of this wonderful stage in her life, and she smiles back. :-)

So yes, I plan on buying more of these cards for my little one! Kudos, Baby Einstein!