The Melissa and Doug Primary Lacing beads is a great toy for toddlers. It promotes hand-eye coordination, fine motor, and visual perception skills. We used this toy to help Hannah learn her colors, as well as begin sorting by color.
With six bright colors and five different shapes there are a fair number of pieces to keep track of, but we divided it into two sets (red, yellow, blue and orange, green, purple) each with it's own string. Not only did this make it more manageable, but also it's like getting two toys in one! Perfect for separate play areas or multiple children.
The box says 3+, but the beads are so large that Hannah began playing with this toy at 18 months.
Great value, Durable, Educational, and Fun. Seriously, I have no complaints.
Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/HgEphh
My in depth video review of this toy: