See it in actionDemo video · how the Astronaut - Boy is played with

Astronaut - Boy

Name: First Friends Astronaut – Boy
Brand: Tolo
SKU: 76100

A First Friends Astronaut figure with a visor that opens and closes over the face. The head, arms and legs click into different poses and the tummy squeaks when pressed. Children lift and lower the visor, move the limbs and squeeze for a sound, then talk about what an astronaut does, turning simple handling into storytelling and new vocabulary. At home it plays in the living room; in a nursery or classroom it is made for group play.

Item number 76100 · EAN 0019287761009

Key features

Opening visor

The helmet visor opens and closes to reveal the astronaut's face.

Squeaking tummy

Press the tummy and it squeaks, encouraging repeated cause-and-effect play.

Clicking joints

Head, arms and legs click through a variety of poses.

Safe for teething

Suitable for babies who mouth and chew their toys.

Learning & development

Fine motor skills

Opening the visor and clicking the limbs into position builds finger control.

Cause and effect

Squeezing the tummy produces a squeak the child learns to repeat.

Imaginative play

Children act out space travel and invent adventures for their astronaut.

Language development

Talking about the astronaut's job and equipment introduces new words.

Playguide

How to play and learn

Written by Tolo for parents and early-years staff: what to do with the toy, and what the child is learning while doing it.

1–5 YEARS

1Introduce your baby to the First Friends character(s).

2Let your child explore the toy and find out which features move and make a sound - if necessary assist and show them all the moving, clicking parts.

3If the character does a job, explain what that job is, and what the character does e.g. ‘She's a diver, she goes underwater to look at the fish or to find sunken treasure!’, ‘He's a pilot - he flies aeroplanes so that people can go to other places’

4Encourage your child to handle and move the character into different positions.

5Encourage your child to join in with you and imitate the sounds you might hear as the characters do their jobs, e.g. the sound of the engine as the racing car driver zooms along in his car.

6Ask your child simple questions such as 'can you make the head move?'

7Praise your child for any attempt made to join in with making sounds and moving the parts.

8Encourage your child to talk about their new friend.

18 MONTHS +

9Talk about your child's First Friend character(s) - mentioning its different characteristics such as colour, clothes, etc.

10Talk with your child about the character's job - e.g. what does a diver do? What sort of things might a diver see underwater?

11Introduce vocabulary such as ‘sitting’ ‘running’ ‘driving’ etc according to the different actions the character can demonstrate as you play.

12Ask your child questions about the character and encourage your child to ask questions back!

13If the opportunity arises, show your child the real-life version of their First Friend's character and talk about the similarities between the two.

14Encourage lots of pretend play with the characters, helping to devise scenarios if necessary but also letting your child take the lead with their ideas as much as possible.