Playing is learning, and this wooden lacing game Number Dragon by Haba is a great example of that. While little hands bring the dragon to life by lacing, many things happen at once: fingers become more agile, eyes learn to track, colors are named, and numbers suddenly gain meaning.
The numbered wooden beads turn this dragon into a colorful counting exercise up to 10. If you string it neatly in order, a rainbow almost spontaneously emerges, seamlessly transitioning from head to tail. But it's perfectly fine to do it differently. A dragon with quirky number jumps or unexpected colors? Absolutely, because that's where imagination begins.
What we really like about this is the balance between guidance and freedom. Children get support through the numbers, but at the same time, all the freedom to create their own story. And in the meantime, fine motor skills develop almost unnoticed, stitch by stitch.
As we've come to expect from Haba, everything feels sturdy and well-thought-out. Durable wooden toys that can take a beating.