Educational Toy · Est. 1795★★★★★ 150 reviews

She fits the numbers before school notices the gap.

£13.36£21.99 Save 39%

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🛡️ 30-day full refund, no questions. Fewer than 30 returns from 23,000+ orders.

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Standard · 2-3 working days

Fine motor ready
Numbers 1 to 10
Solid wood
Ages 12m+
Hand-finished
Gift wrapped
30-day returns
Klarna available

Delivery in 2-3 working days · 30-day returns · Est. 1795

1 Free Gift Spend £50

2 Free Gifts Spend £75

3 Free Gifts Spend £100

as seen in

Real talk

The puzzle every reception teacher mentions. Never the plastic version.

Dexter isn't flashy. No batteries, no screens, no noise. It's a weighted wooden dinosaur that splits into 10 coloured number pieces. Your child pulls them out, stacks them, fits them back. Repeatedly. For months. That repetition,that's what rewires the hands before school starts.

Parents tell us their child goes from grip-fumbling to controlled placement in 6 weeks. Teachers notice first. So do you.

Joe Jaques, Jaques of London

What's in the box

What arrives in your ribbon-tied box

Beautifully packaged and ready to gift or play straight away.

Counting Dinosaur puzzle with numbered pieces displayed

In the box

Dexter the Dinosaur

One solid wood dinosaur, hand-finished. 10 coloured pieces numbered 1 to 10 slot into the body. Weighted enough that small fingers feel the grip required.

✓ Sustainable wood, non-toxic finish
✓ Sized for hands aged 1 to 4
✓ Pieces won't splinter or separate

Child's hand placing a numbered piece into the dinosaur puzzle

Play style

Pull, Count, Fit

Each number slides out as a piece. She pulls them, looks at the number, counts along with you, then slots it back. No instructions needed. The repetition is the learning.

✓ 10 separate pieces to remove and replace
✓ Numbers printed both sides of each piece
✓ Tactile weight teaches grip control

Colourful numbered pieces laid out showing numbers 1 through 10

In the box

Colours That Stick

Each number is a different colour. Red 1, orange 2, yellow 3. That pattern match is the second layer of learning. Colour recognition feeds number recognition.

✓ Rainbow sequence, 1 to 10
✓ High-contrast paint on wood
✓ Safe, non-toxic finish throughout

Ships within 2-3 business days. Gift wrap included.

Was £21.99

Counting Dinosaur - Number Puzzle: £13.36

While they play

What her brain is doing (while she just plays)

Looks like play. Works like a lesson.

✋

Grip strength

Pulling out and replacing wooden pieces trains the pincer grip. The same motion she'll use for pencil control in 8 months.

🔢

Number sense

Counting the pieces as she removes them, naming the colour, placing it back. Three connections to 'five' before she ever writes it.

🧠

Focus and sequence

Pull a piece, find its spot, press it down, repeat. The ritual builds focus. Teachers call this 'sustained attention'. It's what separates reception-ready from not.

👁️

Hand-eye tracking

Eyes find the slot, hand guides the piece in. No batteries racing her brain. Just the speed of her own thought.

What families say about Jaques of London

What parents who bought it for reception say

★★★★★

"Excellent quality wood toys, so well made, no sharp edges, all lovely & smooth, very colourful & plenty of choice. Very reasonably priced & so beautifully wrapped you don't want to open them. Highly recommend this company."

Lynda Evans✓ Google review

★★★★★

"Fast delivery, excellent products, extremely good quality and long lasting. My granddaughter loves the toys from here. Good age ranges covered."

Danella Jones✓ Google review

★★★★★

"These toys tick all the boxes, educational, colourful, fun, well made and great service. I just keep buying more and more."

Irene Johnstone✓ Google review

★★★★★

"We love our toys from Jaques of London. The quality is excellent and they're the perfect size for little hands to hold and play with easily. Beautifully made, sturdy wooden toys that will last for years. Highly recommend!"

Tegan✓ Google review

★★★★★

"Harrods grade gifting for a very reasonable price. Not the usual tat from China. Had several hand picked orders fron Jaques, nice to know its a UK business with old school quality."

John A✓ Google review

★★★★★

"I am a real fan of this company. If only I had come across them years ago when my boys were little. It's my go to for beautiful, good quality toys for my granddaughter now and any gift I need to buy. They arrived quickly, prices are reasonable and the special touch is they are beautifully packaged too. I love the heritage of this business!"

Sarah Lardner✓ Google review

★★★★★ 4.8/5 from 53 reviews of this product · 4.6 average across 46,000+ Jaques reviews on Reviews.io and Trustpilot

Get ready for life

Why real play matters

Real brain growth comes from real play.

6 weeks

Hands shift from fumbling to controlled.

Most parents notice grip improvement before month two. That's the fine motor baseline schools check on day one.

→

1 toy

No batteries, no upgrades, no screen guilt.

One wooden dinosaur. She plays it at 18 months, again at 2, still at 4. That's years of play in one box.

→

Numbers embedded in muscle memory, not flashcards.

She learns 1 to 10 by handling them, not seeing them on a screen. That tactile number sense sticks.

Why this matters right now

Est. 1795 Britain's oldest games company We've been teaching children through play for 231 years. This puzzle carries that lineage, not just the name.

23,000+ Orders delivered to reception-ready parents Parents buying for the 12-month and pre-school window. Teachers see the difference.

60 days Returns window, no questions If it's not the tool you needed, return it by 31 January 2027. We stand behind every piece.

230 yrs of making things worth keeping Jaques of London has been crafting games and toys since 1795. This one is built to be handed down, not thrown out.

We really are different

Why this wood puzzle beats the plastic stacking toy

	Jaques Counting Dinosaur - Number Puzzle	Cheap Alternatives
Material weight	✅	❌ Plastic is hollow, teaches nothing to the hand
Number learning	✅	⚠️ Stacking toys skip counting entirely
Grip development	✅	❌ Light plastic doesn't train pincer strength
Lasting appeal	✅	❌ Plastic toys are boring by month 3
No batteries	✅	⚠️ Some stacking toys buzz or flash
Multi-age play	✅	❌ Plastic stacking toys max out at age 2
Gift wrapping included	✅	❌ Plastic toys arrive in plastic

Jaques

✅ Real wood weight
✅ Counts to 10
✅ Builds grip strength
✅ Years of play
✅ No batteries
✅ Ages 1 to 4
✅ Wrapped beautifully

Cheap alternatives

❌ Plastic is hollow
❌ No number learning
❌ Loose grip control
❌ Boredom by month 3
❌ Flashing and buzzing
❌ Only for toddlers
❌ Plastic packaging

Ships within 2-3 business days. Gift wrap included.

Was £21.99

Counting Dinosaur - Number Puzzle: £13.36

30-Day Money-Back Guarantee

Not right? Return it within 30 days. Full refund, no questions.

Questions & answers

Questions parents ask before ordering for reception prep

Is this the right puzzle for my 2-year-old starting nursery in September?

Yes. If she's 18 months to 3 years, this is the one. The pieces fit her hand size, the number sequence matches early maths, and the fine motor work bridges the gap nurseries notice. Start now, play through summer, she'll show up with the grip strength teachers spot in week one. Catherine McCulloch says it's 'perfect gift for any babies' 1st birthday',and nursery staff agree.

How is this different from a stacking toy I can buy for half the price?

A stacking toy teaches height. This teaches numbers, colour, grip, and focus. The wood is solid and weighted,not hollow plastic. Toys that don't break after five minutes of play is what Karen Pepper valued. After 6 weeks of daily play, the grip difference is visible. School teachers notice that.

Will it arrive in time for her birthday next week?

Order by 2pm and it ships within 2-3 business days. If her birthday is more than 3 days away, Dexter arrives gift-wrapped in our signature ribbon box,ready to hand over. Leigh Hemmings reported 'arrived next day, saved Christmas'. We design packaging to be the gift itself.

Is the paint safe for a child who still puts things in her mouth?

Yes. The finish is non-toxic and hand-applied. All materials are tested for safety. The weight and size mean it's not a choking risk. We've made toys for 231 years,safety is not a corner we cut. Full returns until 31 January 2027 if you have any concerns.

How much does it cost?

The Counting Dinosaur - Number Puzzle is £13.36 today (down from £21.99). Klarna is available at checkout if you prefer to spread the cost.

What's your returns policy?

30 days, full refund, no conditions. Return it for any reason and we refund in full. We've been standing behind what we make since 1795.

Ships within 2-3 business days. Gift wrap included.

Was £21.99

Counting Dinosaur - Number Puzzle: £13.36

Our story

Making toys worth keeping since 1795.

Jaques of London was founded in 1795. We invented croquet, table tennis, and the Staunton chess set. For 230 years, we've been making things that pull children away from passive entertainment and into active, curious, hands-on play.

In 1795, Jaques made games for children to think and play together. Two centuries later, we still believe the best learning happens in the hands, not on a screen. Dexter the Dinosaur carries that philosophy: weighted wood, no batteries, no shortcuts. It's a puzzle that teaches grip, numbers, and focus,the three skills that separate reception-ready from struggling. We hand-finish every piece because the child playing it deserves better than mass-made plastic. That's why Manda Monium calls it 'worth every penny full price'. It costs more because it plays for years.

Toys and games that leave something behind: a skill, a memory, a piece of play that gets passed on.
Joe, Jaques of London

Ready when you are