My Honest Review of the School of Seven Bins Series - Is it Worth the Investment?

I picked up this series of books for my son after a friend recommended it, and I have to admit I was curious. She'd been using them with her 4-year-old daughter since the girl was just a year old, and swore by how quickly her daughter had developed with them.

My son was exactly a year old at the time, and I just had to get them. So, the entire huge box costs 1200 rubles, and you can buy it in any children's store. I bought it at 'Children's World'. The box is pretty heavy, and it comes with 12 books. But to be honest, you can't really call them books - they're more like activity notebooks.

I also got a diploma for completing the school, but I've put it aside for now - we haven't finished it yet.

I couldn't find a list of the books in order, but after flipping through them all, it all fell into place. I'll be writing about them in no particular order, and each parent can decide for themselves how to teach their child. Some of the books are really easy for kids, while others are harder... Each book comes with a cardboard insert that you have to tear out and then cut and glue according to the instructions. They all have cardboard covers, but the pages themselves are just regular paper, which isn't very reliable for a 1-2 year old.

So, let's start with the first book - 'Whose voice is this?'

The book is full of animal pictures, and you have to name them and imitate their voices. There are also cards with the animals on them, so the child learns to recognize them too. I liked it, and my son actually learned something from it. But you can do the same thing with regular toys. Another minus is that the cards are really thin, and my son chewed them up within a week.The second book is 'Who is this, what is this?'

This book lets you cut out individual objects from the insert and stick them into empty spaces in the picture. My son liked it. But the objects are so small!The third book is 'Happy-Sad'.

I showed my 1.4-year-old this book to teach them about contrast and opposites, but it didn't really grab their attention. They could identify the dirty and clean pig, but it didn't seem to make an impact.Fourth book 'Whose Tail is This?'

This book is completely crazy! My kid didn't get it at all - they can't even assemble puzzles yet, and these ones are pretty small. Maybe around 2 years old, they'll get it, but not now.Fifth book 'Walks Around the City'

This one's about showing kids everyday city objects, but it's way more effective to show them in real life. My kid sort of got it, but I agree with you - it's a lot more engaging to see it all in person. We see all these things on the street every day while we're out walking. The colorful insert suggests making a carousel, which is kind of cool, but my kid managed to rip it apart on the same day, so there's no photo.Sixth book 'My Home'

The principle is the same as 'Walks Around the City', but with everyday life objects. My review is the same - it's way more engaging to show them in real life, since you have all the objects right there. The colorful insert suggests making a whole house, but the process of gluing it together is more interesting for mom...Seventh book 'Plastic Snowman'

I'm not sure about giving my kid playdough at this age, to be honest. I'm worried they'll end up with a mouthful before I can stop them. That being said, the idea is really cool, but I think it's more suited for older kids.The Eighth Book: 'In the Village and at the Dacha'

I mean, what's more relatable than that? But I'd give it a higher rating because not every kid has a village to explore.Colorful tabs? More like a nightmare... each picture is a 2-3 page spread.

The Ninth Book: 'Big-Little'

It's pretty self-explanatory from the title, but the pictures also teach shape and color. However, I'm not sure how you'd explain a circle to a kid using a picture... a ball would be way more effective.

The Tenth Book: 'Finger Painting'

I really liked the idea of this one. My kid (even at 1.4 years old) loved it, and I was covered in paint too! It's great for tactile development, and we used regular honey-colored watercolor paint. The only downside is that the book is disposable, but you could always recreate the pictures yourself.The Eleventh Book: 'My First Dictionary'

I've been trying to teach my kid about different types of animals, breeds, and even vehicles. But it's hilarious how they think all fish are the same, and flowers are just generic colors. However, there are some interesting ones, like vegetables - carrots and onions. I guess this one's not suitable for this age group.The twelfth book, 'Shape - Color'

This book offers a fun way to learn by using a story about Chicken Little. You can cut out the missing items from the insert. I have to say, the size of these items is pretty ridiculous. I'm not sure if the author was serious about using them for real.So, after reviewing each book individually, I've got some thoughts:Many books are quite similar, with the same tasks repeated in multiple books.Books are more interesting for boys, with lots of pictures of vehicles.There are too many tasks that are confusing for kids. I'm not sure if a 2-year-old would even understand them.The cardstock is of poor quality - it's flimsy and prone to tearing.These books are more suitable for lazy parents. It's better to teach kids about real-life objects, like balls and vegetables, rather than just showing them pictures.There are some interesting tasks, but they're not unique and can be easily replicated by searching online.Overall, I think this series has some good ideas, but it's not without its flaws. The books are a bit too similar, and some of the tasks are just plain confusing. But hey, every kid is different, and what works for one might not work for another. If you're looking for a fun way to teach your kid about different things, this series might be worth a shot. Just don't expect too much from it.