Sometimes, the animals, people, or objects are actually sewn to the house.  I imagine this is so the pieces don’t get lost.  I would cut them right off, so that children can really explore all of the possibilities that this manipulative has to offer.

Remember to use spatial language when playing with these toys.  Ask about putting the animals “inside” or “on top” of the house.  Look up the signs for these words so you can encourage those as well.  Encourage all sorts of language by labeling the objects and situating them near or around the house.

The Bucket Sorter provides moments of fun activity for even the youngest babies. The buckets are usually  made of see-through plastic, so the children can see what is inside.  The lid usually has holes cut out in the shapes of the pieces that are meant to be put inside.  For very young children, it is the adult who sorts the shapes for the infant, and the infant who observes the action.  Later, mobile infants will crawl over and remove the lid and then empty the shapes out.  The shapes then become missiles that can be thrown around the room and then gathered back up again. It is very difficult for an infant or toddler to actually get the shapes back in through the cut-out holes in the lid but they will work hard and try until frustration sets in.