Shape Sorter: 2 Platinum + Gold, Loved By Parents 2024

A toddler sits on the floor, turning a yellow cube in both hands. She tries the square block against the round hole, frowns, and turns the block a quarter. On the third attempt it drops through. She looks up, delighted with herself.

That small moment of problem-solving is what judges at the Loved By Parents Awards 2024 recognised when they looked at the Shape Sorter. It is made from FSC-certified timber and tested to UKCA and CE standards, so the piece going into a child's hand is built to be handled, dropped and mouthed.

It sits among our educational toys for toddlers, a part of the range we have made and refined over many years. Jaques of London has been a family firm since 1795, and a first shape sorter is one of those honest, simple toys that rewards a child for trying again.

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Three awards in one year

In 2024, the Shape Sorter was recognised three times at the Loved By Parents Awards. It received Platinum in the Best Activity Toy 1-3 Years category, and Platinum again in the Best Wooden Toy 1-3 Years category.

It also received Gold in the Best Educational Toy category. Three recognitions in a single year, across three different kinds of judging, for one toy that costs £24.99.

Awards are a matter of judging rather than safety testing; the two are separate processes. What the judging tells you is that the toy earned its place against others in the same categories, assessed by the panel's own criteria.

It is one of several Jaques toys recognised in recent years. You can read more about those results in our round-up of Jaques of London award winning toys 2023 2026, which sets the Shape Sorter alongside the wider range.

Parents have their own view. The Shape Sorter holds an average rating of 4.8 out of 5 from 311 verified Reviews.io customer reviews, as of 15 October 2026. That figure sits comfortably beside the awards without needing to borrow from them.

If you are weighing up where a shape sorter fits among other first toys, our guide to award winning wooden toys for toddlers uk covers the broader picture. The Shape Sorter is also listed in our wooden toys if you want to browse the family it belongs to.

What a shape sorter teaches a toddler

A shape sorter looks like a single task, but a toddler is working on several things at once. The first is matching: seeing that a triangle block belongs to a triangle hole and nowhere else.

The second is rotation. A square block will not drop through if it arrives at the wrong angle, so the child learns to turn it, test it, and turn it again. That is early spatial reasoning, built through trial rather than instruction.

There is fine motor work too. Gripping a block, lining it up and releasing it at the right moment asks a lot of small fingers, and the practice carries over into holding a spoon, a crayon or a cup.

Colour and vocabulary come along for free. A parent naming the shapes and colours as they play gives the child words to attach to objects they can feel in their hands.

Then there is persistence. A shape that will not fit is a small problem to be solved, and solving it brings a reward the child can see and hear. That loop of effort and success is quietly valuable.

A clock face adds the same thinking in a new form. Our Kids Clock pairs shape sorting with early time-telling, so the matching skill carries into number and sequence.

For a gentler first step, the Rainbow Shape Puzzles at £10.99 work on the same matching idea laid flat on a board, which some younger children find easier to begin with before they tackle a cube.

When to introduce a shape sorter

Most children are ready for a shape sorter somewhere between twelve months and three years, which is why the Loved By Parents categories the toy won are set at 1-3 years.

Before that, a child may simply enjoy holding the blocks, stacking them or posting them into any gap they can find. That is useful play in its own right, and there is no need to rush the matching.

Around the first birthday, many children begin to notice that shapes have edges and that some fit where others do not. This is the moment a shape sorter starts to earn its keep.

If your child is still very young, start by handing over one block at a time rather than tipping them all out. Fewer choices make the first successes easier to reach.

For an easier entry point, a flat puzzle can come first. The Rainbow Shape Puzzles let a child match a shape without also having to post it, which removes one step from the task.

When the cube itself becomes straightforward, there is no need to retire it. Children return to a well-made toy for the pleasure of doing it quickly, and later to sort by colour or to count the blocks.

If you want to see where a sorter sits among other first toys, browse our children toys. Our guide to the best wooden shape sorters uk 2026 compares a few styles so you can match the toy to the stage.

Why wooden shapes beat plastic ones in small hands

A wooden block has weight and texture that a plastic one does not. A toddler feels the grain, the edge and the heft, and that extra information helps them work out which way the shape should go.

Wood also sounds different. The quiet knock of a block dropping into place gives honest feedback, where a hollow plastic rattle tells the child less about what they have done.

There is durability to consider. A wooden shape sorter is made to survive being dropped, chewed and stacked, and it tends to be handed down rather than thrown away. The timber in ours is FSC-certified, so the wood is traceable to responsibly managed forests.

We have written more about how those materials are chosen in our note on award winning sustainable wooden toys uk, which explains the thinking behind the range.

Wooden toys also age well on a shelf. A set that looks good in a family room is more likely to be left out and played with, rather than put away and forgotten.

None of this means plastic has no place. But for a toy a child grips, mouths and returns to for years, wood holds its own in the hand and over time.

The same reasoning runs through our wooden toys and through our board games, where honest materials and solid construction matter just as much for older children as they do for toddlers.

Who the Loved By Parents Awards are for

The Loved By Parents Awards gather opinion and judging from the people who use children's products day to day, alongside an expert panel. They cover a wide span of categories, from feeding and travel to toys and learning.

For a parent choosing a first toy, that kind of recognition is a useful shortlist rather than a guarantee. It shows which products a panel rated highly against others in the same category and age group.

The Shape Sorter's three results in 2024 fell across activity, wooden toys and education, which is a fair reflection of what the toy is asked to do at home.

It helps to read awards for what they are. A Platinum or Gold placing is a judging outcome; it is not a safety test, and the two should not be confused. Safety is handled separately through UKCA and CE testing.

Taken together with everyday feedback, the awards and the toy's 4.8 out of 5 rating from 311 verified reviews point in the same direction without either doing the other's job.

If you would like the full account of the three 2024 results, we have set it out in our post on the Shape Sorter's two Platinums and a Gold at Loved By Parents 2024.

And if you simply want to see the toy itself, the Shape Sorter sits at the heart of our educational toys for toddlers, ready for a child's first attempt.

What parents say about the Shape Sorter

4.8 out of 5 from 311 verified Reviews.io reviews (as of 15 October 2026). These are real buyers, quoted word for word.

“Beautifully wrapped and delivered had a slight smudge on it so I contacted customer service it was replaced and delivered within days excellent customer service thank you Each block has the shape written on it so as well as shape shape detection and colours parents will know what to call the more unusual shapes!!!!?”

★★★★★ Debbie, verified buyer, 2025-01-30

“I bought this for my 14-month grandson and immediately the beautifully packaged parcel was unwrapped (which is lovely!), he was entranced with the shapes and the box. I have bought other Montessori toys for him, all of which are played with and explored every day. They are great favourites!”

★★★★★ Stacey H., verified buyer, 2024-03-27

“Lovely quality toy. The corners of the box are quite sharp so for our 8 month old who still has a tendency to topple we had to make sure he didn't fall on it so much more suitable as it says in your description for one year old when they are more stable”

★★★★★ Anne, verified buyer, 2023-01-24

“This is the second shape sorter I've bought they are beautifully made and each shape has writing on them telling you what shape they are had to buy another as my great grandson took the other home with him highly recommend”

★★★★★ Janet F., verified buyer, 2024-05-29

Read every review of the Shape Sorter

Frequently Asked Questions About Wooden Shape Sorter

What awards has the Jaques Shape Sorter won?

The Jaques of London Shape Sorter won three awards at the Loved By Parents Awards 2024: Platinum in the Best Activity Toy 1–3 Years category, Platinum in the Best Wooden Toy 1–3 Years category, and Gold in the Best Educational Toy category. Jaques of London is a family business founded in London in 1795, and accolades like these reflect the quality the brand has maintained across generations.

What age is a shape sorter for?

Shape sorters are typically suited to children aged one to three years. The Jaques of London Shape Sorter was recognised at the Loved By Parents Awards 2024 in the Best Activity Toy 1–3 Years and Best Wooden Toy 1–3 Years categories, reflecting its suitability across that developmental range. Younger toddlers begin exploring shapes with adult guidance, whilst children closer to three can often complete the activity independently.

What skills does a shape sorter develop?

A shape sorter supports several areas of early development. Matching shapes to corresponding holes builds problem-solving and spatial reasoning. The physical act of grasping, rotating and posting pieces strengthens fine motor control and hand–eye coordination. Children also begin to recognise and name shapes and colours, supporting early language development. The Jaques of London Shape Sorter won Gold in the Best Educational Toy category at the Loved By Parents Awards 2024, recognising its educational value.

Is a wooden shape sorter good for a 1 year old?

Yes. A wooden shape sorter is well suited to a one-year-old, offering a sturdy, tactile play experience that supports early motor skills and problem-solving. The Jaques of London Shape Sorter won Platinum in the Best Wooden Toy 1–3 Years category and Platinum in the Best Activity Toy 1–3 Years category at the Loved By Parents Awards 2024, with the age range beginning at one year. At this stage, a child benefits from adult encouragement to explore shape matching.

What are the Loved By Parents Awards?

The Loved By Parents Awards are an annual awards programme in the UK that recognises children's products across a wide range of categories. Products are assessed and awarded Gold or Platinum recognition within specific categories. The awards cover toys, nursery products and more, with categories tailored to age groups and product types. The Jaques of London Shape Sorter received three awards at the Loved By Parents Awards 2024, including two Platinums and a Gold.

What is the best educational toy for a 1 year old?

The Jaques of London Shape Sorter won Gold in the Best Educational Toy category at the Loved By Parents Awards 2024. It encourages early problem-solving, spatial awareness, fine motor development and shape recognition — all relevant skills for children from one year upwards. It also received Platinum in the Best Activity Toy 1–3 Years and Best Wooden Toy 1–3 Years categories at the same awards. Jaques of London has been crafting quality toys since 1795.

How do you teach a toddler to use a shape sorter?

Start by introducing one shape at a time, naming it and guiding your toddler's hand to find the matching hole. Demonstrate posting the shape slowly so they can observe the motion. Encourage them to try independently, offering gentle guidance rather than doing it for them. Celebrate each success to build confidence. As their spatial awareness improves, introduce more shapes. Keeping sessions short and playful helps maintain engagement. A well-made wooden shape sorter, like the Jaques of London Shape Sorter, provides satisfying tactile feedback that supports learning.

Is a shape sorter a good first birthday present?

A shape sorter is a popular and practical first birthday gift. It is age-appropriate from one year, offers open-ended play that grows with the child, and supports motor skills, problem-solving and early shape recognition. The Jaques of London Shape Sorter won Platinum in the Best Activity Toy 1–3 Years and Best Wooden Toy 1–3 Years categories at the Loved By Parents Awards 2024, and holds an average rating of 4.8 out of 5 from 311 verified customer reviews. Founded in 1795, Jaques of London brings considerable heritage to its toy design.

Sources

Every award on this page links to the organiser's own results page. Checked 2026-10-14.

• Loved By Parents Awards 2024 Winners (Loved By Parents Awards)
• Shape Sorter product page, Jaques of London
• Verified customer reviews: Reviews.io, Jaques of London store (live feed, 15 October 2026)