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I love spending quality time with my daughter, but have to admit that at times, I'm not quite sure how to play with her.  Since I'm not the most adept at playing toddler games, I really appreciate any toy that helps me learn and play with Riley in a manner that she also finds entertaining.  Ideally, I want to spend quality time with her while she has fun AND learns a great deal in the process. Play This Way Every Day is a company founded by a pediatrician with four children, who found a way to help parents interact with their children while they learn and develop at the same time.  What a win-win situation!  The name of this game is called the U-Play Mat.  I had the chance to review the entire U-Play Mat Professional Edition and you have a chance to win one here too!  Keep reading to learn all about it!

The U-Play Mat was developed by Dr. Jen, a pediatrician with four children, who wanted to design a fun and engaging speech and language development toy for toddlers and preschoolers.  The unique U-shaped mat, which is 4 feet wide by 3 feet deep, literally surrounds your child with 15 see-through plastic pockets.

These pockets are made especially for the U-Play flashcards which are inserted into the pockets.  Now, your child can instantly have access and see all 15 of the flashcards without having to move on top of the mat.  Once your flashcards are inserted, the fun and the learning begins!

There are so many different educational games you can play with your child using the U-Play Mat and the corresponding sets of flashcards.  The idea here is to bond with your child and boost their self-esteem through praise, eye contact and overall social interaction.

Currently, there are eight different sets of flashcards which contain 15 pairs of objects in each deck.  Typically, the 15 different items are placed in the 15 pockets of the U-Play Mat, and the other 15 cards are kept with the adult.  Now the adult can play one of the following games with the child:

• What Things Are - Example: Touch the dog; Find the pants, etc.
• What Things Are (Without a Hint) - Example: What is this? What do you see?
• Matching - Example: Show me the match; Find the card like this one, etc.
• Same - Example: Are these two cards the same?
• Different - Example: Are these two cards different?
• Yes/No - Example: Do you want the dog? Is this an apple?
• Who, What, Where, When, Why Questions - Example: What color is it? When do you eat dinner?
• Using More Words - Example: Have the child use as many words as they can to describe one card
• Making Connections - Example: Find all the animals; Find all of the food, etc.
• Following Directions - Example: Pick up the apple and the banana and give them to me

As you can see, just one set of flashcards can be used so many different ways to both educate and entertain your child!

As soon as Riley saw the U-Mat, she jumped right in the middle of the U and waited to see what I was doing with the flashcards.  We had such a great time playing with the animals deck of cards, for Riley just loved showing me what she knew.  I have to admit that I really enjoyed playing with the U-Mat too, for Riley and I laughed together and shared some quality time together.

If you are looking for a wonderfully engaging toy, which just happens to be educational and fun for both parent and child, then look no further than the U-Play Mat Professional Edition.  I highly recommend the unique u-shaped mat and eight different decks of cards for a daily session of quality time and learning.  This toy will definitely grow right along with your child and can be used for interactive entertainment for years to come!

Disclosure:  I received the U-Play Mat Professional Edition from Play This Way Every Day in order to facilitate my review. No other compensation was received. This product review is based on my own personal experiences with this item and is completely honest and objective.