Reviews (4)

Nice picture making for an easier puzzle
My 2 year old daughter has this puzzle and thinks its wonderful.

Unlike many puzzles, with just one character on it, the picture is brilliant having lots of different trains, etc on it. It is easy to fit togehter, with parts of a different character or scene on every piece. She can easily put Thomas, the sheds, Harold, etc together thus eventually making the whole puzzle.

This is by far her favourite puzzle. For one, it's Thomas! And for 2, it's well-made and 'easy' to work out how to put together.

Most Beloved Toy
My son who just turned 4 years old in December received this for Christmas. I'm amazed at the beauty and durability of the pieces. He put it together about three times (with help) the first time we opened it! I never seen him so excited about a toy and to my greater surprise--a puzzle! Each time he placed a new piece in (sometimes with my assistance and sometimes not), he'd ask me to turn around and then ask me to look. When I looked I praised him for his accomplishment and he squealed with excitement. He literally jumped up and down almost after each piece was placed! He told me this was his favorite gift for Christmas and believe me he had quite a few more that were more expensive. I'll be buying more Thomas puzzles from this company in the near future as I'm very impressed.

Easy enough for young kids to solve by themselves
My son and I have been doing puzzles together since he was two, but most of the puzzles that claim to be for kids are too complicated or have pieces that are a little too small for him to work with; so he usually "helps" me by talking with me as I do the puzzle and occasionally placing a piece. He likes this big Thomas puzzle because, at age 4, he can do it all by himself. The pieces are big, which not only makes it easier to grasp and manipulate, but easier to comprehend the shape and the picture pattern as well. Of course, he likes that it is Thomas, and he even likes the "cool" box it comes in.

So this puzzle has a lot of replay value, because whenever we start a puzzle session, he will eventually move to this one to show mommy and me that he can do it all by himself, and that makes him feel good.

Big, bright puzzle
My son has enjoyed this puzzle since he was 3! It features a bright picture of his favorite engines. The pieces are large and easy to handle- perfect for a younger child who loves puzzles. It has been great for spacial learning. My son would put this together, again and again. He is almost 5 now and still plays with this. The pieces have lasted for almost 2 years and still look new! (They are a heavy cardboard.) ... Read more

Reviews (34)

Very durable and educational
This is a wonderful puzzle that is both fun and educational. The puzzle is made of thick, quality plywood and very durable. It has taken quite a bit of abuse from my 19 mo. old daughter. She tries to carry it from room to room and like most toddlers, thinks that if she presses the peices in each slot hard enough, it will eventually fit, hehe. Despite this abuse it has held up nicely. The colors have not faded and the puzzles pieces are big and easy for small hands to handle. The large knobs on each piece are especially nice for small hands. There are also pictures of similarly shaped objects beneath each shape to help reinforce it. Overall, a great toy that I think will withstand most any childs daily play.

Terrific play value
I love wooden puzzles because they are relatively inexpensive (compared with most toys) and because I feel like my children are learning while they're playing. I have three children -- and many puzzles -- and this is one of the best. I bought it for my youngest (now 32 mos) for her second birthday and it's a huge hit. The puzzle pieces are very thick and durable, and the large wooden knobs are the perfect size for tiny hands (and there's absolutely no chance they'll come off). The colorful pictures under each shape really keep my daughter's interest, especially when she was younger and loved to play peek-a-boo using the pieces and the pictures. Now, she loves identifying each picture so it's great a great vocabulary building tool too.

In short, don't hesitate to buy this toy. :)

Excellent puzzle, but who lives in a pentagon house?
This is a great puzzle, it's very durable, the handles are big and great for little hands. My daughter loves to take the pieces out and bang them together like cymbals. Under each shape is a picture of something of that shape, you know stop sign under the octagon, etc. However, there is a house under the pentagon and it drives me nuts - whose house is pentagon shaped!?!!?

great learning tool
I purchased this puzzle for my daughter at 17 months old. I like the fact that she can handle the pieces in her little hands. It is made very well.

Cost $4.99 at toys-r-us store.
I bought this yesterday from a toys r us store for $4.99 plus tax. $19.99 is a total rip off for this. My son does love it and it is a great toy to buy for your child but this price is not justified unless you live on a mountain top and have it delivered to your door. All the wooden puzzles by Melissa and Doug are $4.99 at toys r us and target. So either both stores in my area are mispricing them or online is over charging for the same thing. ... Read more

Editorial Review

One of the first steps in learning to read is being able torecognize and label symbols. While your baby may not be naming theentire alphabet by the time he's 1 year old, this interlocking setcertainly offers a firm foundation for future reading. Each12-by-12-inch piece contains an easy-to-grasp, pullout letter of thealphabet; there are 50 pieces in all. Parents may need to help youngtoddlers with assembling the floor mat, since it requires more detailedpuzzle-fitting skills. But children as young as 1 year old can learn tofit the letters into the slots by themselves. This also makes acomfortable tumbling mat or a nicely cushioned play area. The set comesin a clear vinyl storage case with a zip closure. --HannahReynolds ... Read more

Features

• Good base for future reading skills
• 50-piece floor puzzle
• Toddlers may need some guidance from adults when assembling
• Comes with a clear vinyl storage case

Reviews (8)

All For Fun
I love this mat! I got this for my 9 month old daughter and she immediately took to it. She loved the vibrant colors and the fact that she can pull out the letters, within a couple of days she found out that she could pull the whole mat appart (a lot of work for the parent...but all comepletely worth it). Friends have pulled it appart and have used it as a hop-scotch board and built things out of it. The foam is a little flimsy though, so I would recomend watching children when they are teething and figuring out the capabilities of their teeth. But over all I love this and have recomended it to many people.

If you have hardwood floors, buy this
We have hardwood floors, which are nice, but when you have a baby who wants to be on the floor, it's hard on everyone. So, we went out and bought this. It's much better than the floor, but it's not carpeting. They're pretty durable - my son has taken all of the letters and the numbers out and put them back and they don't seem to be very worn yet! (He's 18 months and we've had it for at least 12 months.) For a long time, that was one of the things he enjoyed doing the most, taking the letters out, walking around with them, and chewing on them. He would also put them back in later, but not as often as he would take them out. I didn't really worry much about the small pieces - the small circles for the inside of the eight, six, zero, b's, etc - since we're with him when he plays with this. But if you are, you can simply take them out and put them away for later. Of course, that means that your child will be able to pull out the letters and numbers more easily, but that's part of the fun. (Little ones have a hard time getting much of a gripe on the letters and numbers when they're pushed flush with the blocks.) Also, I think that it's nice to have the alphabet out and some numbers. My one complaint is that the one we got, when it's put together has six vertical stripes through all the letters, but then the numbers don't continue it. I guess I wish ours was more random, which some are.

Missing pieces, manufacturer website doesn't exist
Love the ABC mat concept and the vivid colors! The mat's letter "I" was missing. Tried to pull up D&S Products International's website, ... and it just came up a general directory page called Retroglo Directory Page. I searched for Fun Foam Letters Mat and it came up amazon.com and ToysRus. Said that the product is no longer stocked or has been discontinued. Did a Google Search and found no D&S Products International or RetroGlo--only sourceguides came up when I even plugged in the address of D&S. ... I read other products reviews of this mat and others are missing borders and letters as I am.

Great mat for all ages
I actually purchased the 62 piece mat for my 7 month old twin girls' playroom. They are now 9 months old and even though the package recommends ages 3 and up they throughly enjoy rolling around on the mat. Now that they are crawling they seem to prefer crawling on the mat instead of the carpet, I think because they move faster. I did remove (and store away) all of the smaller circles and shapes that fill in holes in the letters for fear one of the girls might choke, but other than that I think it is a safe toy for babies. They pull up and chew on the letters and border pieces, and have never actually made a mark. Everytime they pull up a letter and play with it, I tell them what the letter is and give examples of words that start with that letter so hopefully it is an educational toy as well. My 18 month old niece loves coming over and always heads straight for the mat, she pulls the letters up and likes to rearange the sequence of the squares. I think my girls will enjoy this mat for many years to come.

Great play mat for children learning to sit and crawl
My 8 month old twin daughter's love this mat. I don't have much living room space and the little space I had was hardwood floored. I've tried laying sheets, using playmats and they all move with each move they make. They end up with scrapes from crawling and extended pain from falling to lay on their back. So, I remembered seeing this and the 62 piece in the store at one time. I decided to purchase the 62 piece one. They pay more attention to me putting it together than playing with their numorous toys. They also like to look at the many colors and try to take the letters out. I must mention that this product is not for TEETHERS!!! You need to keep an eye on your child so that they don't try to take a bite out of the foam. My twins haven't done it yet and I pray they don't. Great investment as a play mat! ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Well made toy
I am impressed with the way these puzzles were made. I was looking for wooden puzzels and these have painted on pictures, not decals. I am not worried about my daughter ruining them. I am a little disappointed as others have said with certain aspects. I didn't read the reviews before I bought this one. I will be more careful next time. I just bought it for the good price. One puzzle does not have pegs. None of mine have the pictures under the pieces, only the words. My daughter doesn't mind as she can't read; however, I think that the pictures would better facilitate her learning and the pegs would make it easier to use.

Great Toy
I bought this toy for my 2 year old daughter and she just loved all four puzzles. These puzzles also served a valuable purpose in that my daughter thought she was playing, but she was actually learning the different animals, foods, transportations, and so forth. She has never got bored with these puzzles . . . and these were all she had!!

this toy has a big flaw
I wanted the learning experience of puzzles for my 2 year old, but there is one big flaw in this toy, the pictures dont appear under each piece, so once they are all out of place, my toddler cant find a way to put them back. I was very dissaponted by this, I dont like putting it together myself, its way too complicated for a child. She is not interested in these puzzles at all, I feel l«ve wasted my money.

Very helpful learning tool
My son (18 months old) seems to enjoy playing with these puzzles. My only complaint would be that the description stated that underneath each puzzle piece the picture of what was to go in that area was to appear but that is not the case. Other than that they seem to be very durable.

He Loves These Puzzles
My 20 month old was overjoyed when he saw these puzzles and loves to play with them. However, only 3 out of the 4 puzzles have the pegs attached and only two have pictures underneath for easy identification. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

My son loves this puzzle
My son received this for his 1st birthday and loves it. It has been a great teaching tool too. I ask him where is the duck and he picks up the duck piece, he is even getting pretty good at putting the pieces back in place - in only a month.

Heirloom Quality Puzzle
Lights, Camera, Interaction! makes beautiful products and this puzzle is no exception. The wood makes it durable and attractive, the pictures under the pieces make it appropriate for babies as young as 12 months, and the knobs are easy for small hands to manage. The pieces are cut to fit perfectly, so that they slide into place easily once the child has aligned it correctly.

My 12 month old baby is beginning to enjoy this, and my three year old still plays with it too. I can't recommend the toys and puzzles made by this company, also known as Melissa and Doug, highly enough. They are all excellent quality and provide fun learning opportunities for kids.

Excellent puzzle
My 20 month old is so proud of herself as she puts the pieces in the correct place, and it helps her practice all the names and sounds as well. Very good quality. Highly recommended.

Best learning puzzle for toddler
My daughter is 1 1/2 years old and is able to find where all the animals go. The knobs make it easy for her pick up the pieces and try to put them where they belong. We also have fun naming the animals and sounds they make. I recommend this puzzle for 12 - 24 month olds as the best one I've seen yet.

Worth the money
This puzzle is definitely worth the money. I checked around and this is the same price as at a specialty store store near me, however Amazon has more variety. These puzzles are great and well worth the money. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

This puzzle is awesome!
I bought this puzzle for Christmas for my two-year old niece. Not only did she learn how to put it together, but she loved it so much she would sleep with it at night! It has counting, colors, left, right, and a puzzle to boot.

The only negative was it arrived with a broken peg. A little super glue and it was as good as new. I would keep a close eye out for those pieces to break off as they would be choking hazards for little ones.

Peg Puzzle with Purpose
Toddlers are facinated by the peg puzzle, which allow for them to easily manipulate pieces. This puzzle has been a great gift providing a quiet and educational opportunity. This very durable puzzle with bright colors easily encourages play that leads to understanding left and right.

A seeker of clever puzzles for young hands and minds
I have two years old bright twins that are into puzzles. They are a little too young for most floor puzzles and too bored with the common stand-along pieces puzzles. This puzzle is an excellent transition to a higher level puzzle solving. The pieces interact together to form a bigger image. There is a built in logic to their interaction my kids love to explore. The add-on values such as colors and numbers in the pictures under the pieces are very useful. I wish I could find more puzzles like this one. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Great Dinosaur Floor Puzzle!!
I purchased the Dinosaur Floor Puzzle for my 3.5 year old son. He does extremely well with puzzles and was concerned that it might be too easy. Though the pieces are large, it is still a little difficult because most of the dinosaurs are similar in color with the same background. It pushes to really study the pieces and decide where they go. I highly recommend this puzzle and look forward to buying more in the future!

Stimulate your child's brain with puzzles!
My 3 year old son enjoys his 24 piece grocery store puzzles and was able to spend a good 15-20 minutes assembling them, at first with help from mommy and then by himself. I thought it was time to try a more difficult puzzle- this was a good next step. He and I put this one together- he is not ready for it on his own, but it is not so difficult that he gets frustrated if we work together. As another reviewer pointed out, this is a good puzzle to teach 2 important puzzle skills that 24 piece puzzles don't quite get at: #1: to look at the box as a reference and #2: to start by making the outside border and then filling in the middle. The quality is outstanding- it blows grocery store puzzles out of the water. The colors are beautiful, but lots of similar shades of brown and green which make it slightly more difficult. My son is wanting to know the names of the different dinosaurs now. If you want to sit down and help your toddler with this puzzle at first it is a great one to get! We love this company and their products!!!

Awesome puzzle for kids interested in dinosaurs.
We bought this as a gift for our two-year old nephew, and he absolutely loved it! Like many little boys, likes anything dinosaur, and he also enjoys puzzles, so this was perfect. The pieces are very sturdy and can certainly survive some toddler abuse. The puzzle can be used again and again, but the finished work is so attractive that it also makes a cool wall hanging for a kid's bedroom--it looks great in my nephew's room! Highly recommended.

I can't say enough!
We bought this for our two-year-old dinosaur fanatic for Christmas. I was afraid it would be too difficult for him, but after doing it with him a couple of times, he can do it on his own. It holds his attention for the twenty to thirty minutes it takes for him to complete it. We've since bought him three other puzzles from this manufacturer. They're extremely durable.

Challenging, but lots of fun
My son got this puzzle when he was three. He absolutely loved it and still does at four. It wasn't quite as easy as many of the floor puzzles, which usually have simpler pictures (stylistically). I think that's part of why he liked it. The first time he put it together took him about 20 minutes of concentrated 'work'. After that, he was able to put it together in about 2 mintues, but loves to stomp around it and pretend that he is one of the dinosaurs in the puzzle.

This has been a great one. Lots of fun and very, very durable (it goes together probably every other day around here). I highly recommend it. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

An Awesome T-Rex
My four year old grandson has had this puzzle for two years and has probably assembled it over 100 times! He still loves it more than any other puzzle we've given him, probably because it's in the shape of a T-Rex. I highly recommend it for any dinosaur loving child.

dinosaur shaped large floor puzzle, very good quality
Typical of this manufacturer, the cardboard pieces are strong and durable. The graphics are a high quality printing. Without abnormal abuse this puzzle will last for many years.

The puzzle is shaped like a Tyrannosaurus Rex. It is large. Will be loved by dinosaur fanatics like my son!

I highly recommend all carboard and wooden peg puzzles by Lights, Camera, Interaction for their durability and high quality. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Giant puzzle fun!
My 2-1/2-year-old son has learned so much from this simple puzzle: lessons in looking at and focusing on what's before him, comparison (between box and pieces), sequence (what comes next?), patience, and following through to complete a task (who can leave a puzzle unfinished?). Now he can do the whole thing himself, which makes him feel so proud!

The pieces are nice and large, and because they're much thicker than most cardboard puzzles, they're also quite durable. He puts it together at least once a day, and when he sees the same puzzle at a friend's house, he wants to do it there, too. The price was a pleasant surprise - it's worth far more than [the price].

The start of a wonderful relationship with puzzles!
My daughter (now 28 months) has loved this puzzle for over 1 year! She first loved seeing the excellent barn/farm animal picture come together like magic when she was young. Then she enjoyed putting the pieces we gave her in the spots we'd show her. Now she knows to look at the picture on the box for help, separate all the edge and middle pieces and can put it together pretty much on her own. (Although she loves an audience when putting puzzles together!) We now own six large floor puzzles, although this one is still the favorite. The alphabet train puzzle is a close second and is great for helping my daughter learn the alphabet visually in order. We sing the alphabet song from the beginning each time so she can figure out which letter piece comes next. These puzzles are really fun and are excellent quality. Also, this barn picture comes in a large knob wooden version as well, which my 8 month old son is beginning to enjoy! I highly recommend these puzzles for any child just under a year old and up to probably age 5 or 6. (The neighbor's kids play with them just as happily and they are 5 and 7.) I'm sure my daughter's love of puzzles began with this barn puzzle.

Great Puzzle!
We bought this for my 5 year old when she was 2 and she still loves this puzzle. All of her cousins do the puzzle when they come over and now her younger sister loves it too. It has held up well for all the use it has gotten!

Priceless Learning Tools & Fun Too!
My 3 yr. old daughter is autistic. This is the 7th Melissa & Doug puzzle we have bought. Thanks to these puzzles, she has developed her attention span and motor skills as well as her speech! She never gets bored with them and she has developed several different techniqes for putting them together. As other parents of autistic children know, reaching their children is not an easy task. These puzzles are wonderful therapy tools and children love them. These puzzles are so great for special needs kids, we have even bought some to give to the children's autism interventionist to help others as they have done for us.

A great puzzle
I purchased this puzzle to use with a class of Kindergarteners. They love it! We just finished a farm theme and this puzzle obviously fit perfectly. The kids would work in a small group of three or four and put the puzzle together. Some kids also decided they wanted to put the puzzle together by themselves. One plus is that the pieces are extra thick. This puzzle has been used A LOT, and it is still in great condition. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Excellent Puzzle!
My three year old loves this puzzle and it has helped her learn her letters. We even play games with it - kind of like "I spy" for the next letter. The peices are large and easy for her to assemble. Well worth the investment.

Grab this puzzle!
This has got to be one of the best puzzles or tools to teach the alphabet. My little one just received this for his birthday and has put it together all by himself already (he's 3)! It teaches great motor dexterity as well as the alphabet and 26 animals. He loves to make all their sounds as he goes along. It stretches clear across the kitchen floor and it's a bunch of fun for the cat too! My son is getting a big jump on the alphabet with this puzzle and it's just a great investment. Here's a little hint though. Don't wait until the last minute to get it for Christmas. I tried last year and it was sold out for 2 months! Get it now and don't be disappointed!

Lots of fun
I bought this puzzle for my 2 yr old daughter for Christmas and she loves it. She doesn't know her letters yet, but she can find all 'passengers' on the train and we say the letter for the piece that she is looking for. Now, she is starting to know what letters we are looking for. This is a step up from the alphabet song and leading into letter recognition. The pieces are thick and durable. She stands on them and there is no wear and tear. This is a great toy for any preschooler! Wonderful 'hands-on' toy!

Can't go wrong with this one!
My 3 year old daughter is autistic and I read another person's Amazon review. The review recommended it for working with autistic children. These puzzles are outstanding in quality and "entertainment with a purpose". This puzzle is so much fun and holds my daughter's interest. It has helped her motor skills to figure out how the pieces fit and manuever them into place. She loves to sort and to search through the pieces, hide and seek style, to get the one that comes next. She used to not be able to sit and finish anything. This has increased her attention span and we love it! Buy it!

Wonderful Floor Puzzle
I just got this puzzle and the animal barn puzzle today. They are wonderful. I bought them because of the nice reviews I read here. When I got it, I am still surprised in their thickness and size. My daughter is still too young for them, but I am sure she will love them when the time comes. ... Read more

Editorial Review

This is a challenge that is sure to please future firefighters. This bold and colorful floor puzzle contains 24 jumbo extra-thick cardboard pieces that snap easily into place to create a high quality, yet simple picture of a fire truck ready for the alarm. This large, imaginative puzzle with an easy-clean surface has a finished layout of approximately 4 feet long. --Deb Oroszlan ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Big Enough For Two
Both of my kids (4 ½ and 22 Mos.)love fire trucks so this puzzle was a big hit. The large size (4 feet long) makes it a good size for use on a coffee table. t is also large enough that several kids can work on it without banging into each other.

The design is clear with strong colors and nice details (look for the dalmatian in the window). The pieces are durable for cardboard (my kids walk across the puzzle constantly and it has not been damaged).

My only fault with the puzzle is it is so popular I can never get it put away for more than a few minutes. Once taken apart, the kids want to put it together again.

Great puzzle
I bought this puzzle for my 2 1/2 year old son. He loves to point out everything on the puzzle. he is getting really good at putting it together.

The pieces are very large and thick so hard to bend.

DURABLE PUZZLE
It's great to see puzzles are becoming more and more durable. This one certainly can withstand toddler handling. Bright, colorful pieces. Great family fun too. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Super Value
This is a super value. It includes the four most popular puzzles that children like to play with most. This is a good way to teach children new words to things and to think logically.

Every child should own the best wooden puzzles, and this deal is very hard to beat.

Hours of Fun
I do not have the whole set, I have the number puzzle. However, I have often WISHED I had an alphabet one as well because the number puzzle is both fantastically educational and really fun. It was my daughter's most played with toy from the ages of 15 to 19 months. She learned all of her numbers from this puzzle, and how to turn pieces to fit them in (they fit a little loose so it doesn't have to be just right to go in). She would play by herself with this puzzle for long periods. It was the first thing she asked for in the morning and that is what she would do while I made breakfast. The pieces are very robust and have withstood an enormous amount of sucking and chewing without deteriorating. (The tops of the numbers are sealed in somehow with a shiny coating.) My daughter now adores both numbers and puzzles, and is far ahead of where she should be with both, largely because of her experience with this puzzle. It may look incredibly low-tech, but it has big, easy to handle pieces in bright colours and the pieces are things you hear about every day like 1-2-3. It's hard to beat. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

We LOVE this PUZZLE!
This puzzle has lived through three children! All of them have enjoyed playing, and learning with this toy. It is very durable, and easy to use. The letters fit in their places with ease. Good for little fingers, and bigger ones as well. The pictures behind the letters are clear, and easy to interpret. I highly recommend this puzzle! Your children will enjoy learning their ABCs with this toy.

Great Puzzle
I got this puzzle and the big knob geometric puzzle for my 21 month old twin daughters because their other 3 piece puzzles were no longer challenging, but they really liked them. This puzzle is good quality but not excellent quality. The letters do not have knobs, but they are not hard to get out because the places where they go are shallow. As a result, the letters fall out easily if the puzzle is tipped (which means cleaning them up a lot). The letters have pictures under them for each letter, though I would have chosen different words for some of them. My girls already knew all their letters before I bought this puzzle, but it is great for reinforcing them!! They can pick up a letter and name it. You can also do colors as well, though there are only 4 colors. If they chew on the letters, the colored coating will scratch off. It is great for fine motor skill as well and hand eye coordination -- trying to get the letters in the right way. I would recommend this puzzle. My girls have really enjoyed it.

Very Educational.....NOT DURABLE
My son received this puzzle as a gift when he was just 26 months. He loved it so much and played with it all the time. He knew all his letters when he received this toy, but it helped to reiforce them. Unfortunatley, even though this is a very educational toy, it has some big problems. The letters in the puzzle appear to be painted on, they are not! The letters have a sticker GLUED on, not painted as it appears in the picture. Needless to say after little hands play with them for a while, the sticker peels off and you are left with a bare piece of wood. Next, the wood is of very poor quality and has some jagged edges. The last point is not all pieces fit very well in their spot. It is such a shame because the concept is great and it is very educational just very, very poorly made. I would recommend taking a look at the puzzle in Toys r us first or any Imaginarium store to get a good look at the quality. Personally, we had to dispose of this puzzle and bought the Alphabet Art Puzzle from Lights Camera Interaction. Much Better.

Loved the puzzle!
At 18 months, my son knew his alphabet thanks to this puzzle. We have 4 other puzzles from this manufacturer and this is his favorite. He loves puzzles and quickly masters them so we keep buying them. We also let him watch Wheel of Fortune and he calls out letters as Vanna turns them. He spells out letters on books, cereal boxes and tee shirts. These real life examples demonstrates that he can distinguish the puzzle from the real world. We play mind challenging games with our son daily!

FIVE STARS PRODUCT !!
This puzzle is made of wood and the letters are very colorful that attracts my tot's attention. I brought it only 2 days ago and I start teaching him the alphabet. He already learned 2 letters as I am teaching him a letter a day. The beautiful part is you can use the letters independently without the board. Also, after removing a letter , you'll see a picture of an item which started with that letter. very educational ! Excellent teaching tool!! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Great Puzzle!
For a pre-schooler needing to work on problem-solving skills, this puzzle was excellent! Not too big or too small, and the Noah's Ark theme was perfect. We had a blast pointing out all the different animals and making their sounds. The puzzle has held up well, and we'll continue to have fun with it.

Great fun, great quality at a great price!!
I got this puzzle for my daughter's Easter basket and she loves it! What realy sold me was the great quality of this puzzle. The pieces are all well cut out--no peeling paper or edges and they all fit perfectly. My daughter is three and a half and I help her with the puzzle until she gets good enough to do it on her own. She wants to break it up and start over as soon as she has finished it. The Noah's Ark artwork is beautiful--highly detailed and very interesting to look at.

I will keep Ravensbuger in mind for future puzzle purchases. ... Read more

Reviews (30)

Not Well Designed
I bought this toy because my daughter is really into sorting shapes right now. She has several shape sorters that work really well. This one, however, is not well designed. First of all, the lid cannot be fastened to stay down. When your child needs to turn it over to put in the different shapes they all fall out. Secondly, once you have a couple of shapes in the box they block the way for the others to go in. I have always loved Melissa and Doug toys up to this point but I would love to get my money back for this one.

This toy is frustrating, the lid does not stay on!
I bought this for my son and how the lid is made it does not stay on so that you may turn it to put the different shapes in. Also, when putting shapes in, it gets so full that other shapes will not fit in with out a fight. I would highly recommend tupperware's shape sorter before I would ever buy this one.

Challenging Shape Sorter, Great Toy, Manage the Frustration!
My 22 month old daughter plays with this toy, but there are 2 major sources of frustration.

1) The lid doesn't stay on well - whenever you try to put a shape into the side with the lid, the lid flips over. An older child could probably figure out that you have to hold the lid (or just drop the shape neatly into the hole without touching the lid) - but a younger toddler just isn't going to get that. It is very frustrating. Other people have pointed it out as well - perhaps the designers will respond in version 2. It's needlessly frustrating.

2) Some of the shapes are very similar /complicated - it is frustrating for a young toddler. BUT!!!! my daughter is slightly younger than the recommended age, and, it is a learning toy - it isn't supposed to be immediately easy. Just know that for younger toddlers, you should play with them and help them select the right hole.

A bit of guided play is called for while they are learning and it will increase fun/decrease frustration. My daughter has learned some of the shapes on her own, and is getting 'closer' on some of the others, but I frequently play with her and talk to her about the shapes and help her find where they go.

All in all, it is a good toy. We have several Melissa & Doug toys, and have been pleased with them all. They are safe, high quality, and nice looking. And you can never have too many small, brightly colored pieces of wood underfoot. :)

SAFETY IN TOYS
THE WOODEN CABINET FOR THE BLOCKS IS HARD WOOD WITH SHARP CORNERS. IF IT WAS MADE OUT OF DURABLE PLASTIC, WITH CURVED CORNERS ITS WOULD BE SAFER AND JUST AS DURABLE.

So-so
I read these reviews before I bought this toy so I knew that the lid didn't stay on and I bought it anyway. Another problem about this is that the shapes don't all fit in the toy easily. You have to shake the toy (and hold the lid) to move the other shapes out of the way for the other ones to fit in properly. I would look for a different shape sorter if I were buying a new one. It IS very durable though. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Friendly farm animals surround the barn and tractor in this handcraftedwooden puzzle. This is a terrific puzzle for the very young--it is made of sturdy wood,and each of the nine pieces features a grip knob to help maneuver the pieces into place.Each piece is approximately 1.5 by 3 inches and fits easily into its own hole; the identicalpicture in the hole makes finding "where it goes" easy. The farm animals pictured includea duck with chicks, a sheep, a horse, a cow, a rooster with hen and chicks, a pig withpiglets, and a goat. --Richard Farr ... Read more

Reviews (12)

High-Quality Starter Puzzle
This is a high-quality starter puzzle that depicts a traditional barnyard scene. Under the pieces are a cow, horse, dog, cat, pigs, sheep, ducks, and a farmer sleeping beneath a haystack. It's a great choice for one-year old and up because the pegs make the pieces easy to manipulate, and the varied shapes adds a bit more difficulty. Overall, though, this is definitely an easy puzzle.

I also appreciate the way that the animals are depicted in a realistic fashion--they look like real animals instead of the fake caricatures that you sometimes find with children's toys.

In general, I think it's nice to have a collection of puzzles with varied features...some with pegs, some wood, some foam, some inter-locking pieces, some that feature colors, shapes, animals, vehicles, etc. This puzzle is definitely tops for depicting a farm-yard scene.

Toddler Confidence-Booster
I searched high and low for high-quality wooden puzzles and found them with Lights, Camera, Interaction. My 21-month old son loves this puzzle and is so proud to show me where the dogs, ducks, or farmer is "hiding". The pictures are well-drawn and colorful, and the wood is sturdy. I believe this will be one of those toys that my son will be able to share with his children someday.

very good
Why can't this be shipped to countries other than US.Is there any Indian agents for this.If not I would like to be . send your feed back
regards
sudha

Loved it
I bought this and four other peg puzzles for our son and they were a great success. Our 10 month old loves playing with them. He can pull out the pieces, but cannot put them back yet. He likes the colours and imagery. They do wear a bit on the edges, especially when put in the mouth. But other than that we love them.

Puzzle Mania
I bought this and the geometric shapes puzzles for my daughter when she was 14 months old. Although she figured out how to complete them after a couple of weeks, she still finds amusement in dumping out the pieces and replacing them, now at 17 months. It is great stimulation for mathematical part of her brain and puzzles are now her favorite toys. The realistic pictures of the farm animals are educational and the pieces are odd shaped and challenging. I would suggest lowering the recommended age because I saw how quickly my 14-month-old enjoyed it. ... Read more