Our 4-year-old is eager to homeschool this year when the older girls go back-to-school (they attend a university model school - two days on-campus and three days of homeschool).
To make the process more hands-on, I will be making good use of the classic alphabet and numbers puzzles by Hape. They have huge kid-appeal, but are equally design-friendly so you don't have to keep them hidden away in the playroom. Rich colors on a simple wood base ensure that the design is compatible with most any room's decor.
The same can be said for the well-constructed abacus. A wonderful tool for teaching counting!
* All photos are the property of Metropolitan Mama.
Those do look like some quality (learning) toys. I even noticed one on their website that we were given as a gift & enjoyed for a time.
Incidentally, I've always had a longing for an abacus. I'm totally justified in snagging one as an educational tool on our next IKEA run, right? ;)