If you are looking for something fun to give those little hands to do, then check out this product from Eboo. Five lacing cards are included in a sturdy box, each with the picture of a different child on each card. The lacing holes outline the children, with 24-30 holes per card. There are also five colorful laces that are easy to thread into the holes. The five different children are wearing their country's national dress; one is wearing the traditional necklace and robe from the Masai tribe in Kenya, while another is wearing a kimono. While the country is not listed on the card, it would be a fun project to explore national dress and with your child, and figure out which country each card represents. The cards are laminated on both sides, making them a very durable product.

These lacing cards are a great way to develop fine motor skills and would be appropriate for ages 5 and up. My daughter enjoyed lacing and unlacing these while her older siblings were doing their bookwork. We would talk about what the different children were wearing and the country and climate they live in. This would be a great gift for a younger child--ideal for a long car ride or to play with while older siblings are doing school.

Product review by Charlotte Gochnauer, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, February 2011