Editorial Review

A train you can ride on? That moves by itself? It's hard to imagine any child not being excited by this prospect. The Santa Fe Train offers an amusement park experience in your own house. Assembly is a snap, literally. The track pieces click together with no problem, and it's so obvious how to assemble the train, you almost don't need the manual. If you feel prepared to take it on, this train set can make for a spectacular birthday or holiday present. In the interests of instant gratification, however, be sure to charge up the battery the night before. Some other considerations for parents: This toy takes up a lot of space: at a bare minimum, 12 square feet. It may have limited replay value, since you can go around and around a track only so many times, even if you are 4 years old. And it requires a bit of maintenance in that you must keep the battery charged up. --David Stoesz ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Easily off balance
I read all the wonderful reviews and decided to get this train for my 2 year old for his birthday. Product is well crated, assembly simple. I am not sure whether the charger is operating as instructions suggest (green light is always on rather than signalling when battery is charged). Maybe that battery has never gone low when I charge.

My primary problem with the train though is that my child has fallen off of it 3 times. Now to ride it I have to stand in the middle of the track and spin around and around with him to spot him (i.e catch him or prevent him from falling). If he leans SLIGHTLY to the outside, (like turning to see his mom) the train de-rails or falls off the track side ways on to him.

I don't know how all the others had such positive experiences. My hope is my son will gain skill in keping the train on the track and will find it interesting, but any kid that comes to visit, we will have to 'spot'. I guess the educational value of this train for my son is learning to balance on a badly designed moving toy that has a narrow base and has a constantly shifting center of gravity (due to turning on track).

Bottom line - my kid prefers the $6 mega-blocks truck he got to this (...)train.

Great for little boys!!
Received this for xmas 2003, and my just 2 year old and 4 year old sons love this! They spend hours riding around. I've only used it so far on the track, so not sure about use without it. I'm buying a second battery because they ride it for hours and have a fit when I have to recharge it. They received tons of gifts from Santa, and this is by far the most used and loved. I would recommed this to anyone with small children. My 2 year old walked around holding the button down until he felt comfortable riding on it. LOVE THIS TRAIN, and only wish I could ride on it!!!

EVERY LITTLE BOYS' DREAM
THIS TRAIN I NEVER THOUGHT COULD BE SO USEFUL. NOT ONLY FOR MY SON, BUT FOR ME IT WAS A RELIEF. HE WOULD SPEND A LOT OF TIME RIDING IT WHILE I WAS BUSY DOING STUFF AROUND THE HOUSE. THE BATTERY IS VERY DURABLE. THE ONLY PROBLEM IS THE SPACE ISSUE BECAUSE I LIVE IN AN APARTMENT AND THE FIRST THING YOU SEE WHEN YOU OPEN THE DOOR IS THE TRAIN BECAUSE IT'S BETWEEN THE LIVING ROOM AND DINING AREA. OTHER THAN THAT IT'S A LOT OF FUN.

have owned it for 2 years, and it *IS* a fun ride on.
Bought it for his first birthday, My son is not very timid, so he was fine with it -- but we held him while going round and round on the track -- he just loves it!. He would use it like a walker himself too, pushing the the black button for little spurts of movement and walking along side.
The track does take up a lot of room, so since we have hardwood floors, I've put the track in storage in the garage for now, and it works great, except of course that at 18 months, while my son can now ride securely by himself and climb off with no problems, he still cant turn it once he gets stuck in the furniture etc. I think the track will get fished out shortly since he loves to play for 30 to 45 minutes at a time riding on it and as an SAHM I'd prefer not to stay right by him to rescue him every other minute when he is otherwise so happy playing. He has now figured out which button does what just fine! Its wonderful that you have to hold it down to move. There is no question of it not stopping when baby wants it to stop and him not knowing how to throw a switch or something. He likes to give blocks and stuff a ride in the back too.
Its very easy to assemble, and having the battery secure is very important to me since my son has excellent fine motor skills and gets into EVERYTHING! So while that means five minutes everytime we want to charge the batteries, its no big deal for the safety plus. It seems durable and has stood up to lots of 2-4 year old visitors well too!

Update after 2 yrs and my now 3 yr old -- he still loves it! It has moved on out to the patio and yard, with a tarp for bad weather. He's finally figured out how to manouver it minus tracks too.
Pros: Great fun when other kids are around. Teaches taking turns and sharing. Very safe battery compartment. It gets played with only 10-15 min at a time, so I have to recharge maybe once a month, and have replaced the sound effects battery only once after a year.
Cons: Derails an awful lot especially the trailer, takes up a ton of room with the track. trailer lid snapped off with some rough handling. No Steering possible without the track(maybe need a large strong build to manouver) I would invest in this for a 12 - 18 mo old child, but unless its a small build child, they will have outgrown both interest and size(45 lb limit) by 3 or 4 yrs old. It has been a hit ride-on toy, and much cuter than other battery ride-ons. All the kids make a bee line for it when they head out, and are very disappointed if I've failed to charge it. A charge still lasts for about 2 hrs straight of play.

Sally's Train Ride
I had this train shipped to my neice up in Juneau, Alaska. Apparently it was the highlight of her 2.5 year-old day. Every kid should have this train...whistle, engine and bell sounds are real sounding and WOW...what a cool toy. ... Read more

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 (1)

Simple Pattern Blocks
Nice bright, simple patterns for my 2½ yr old to follow, and the cutout of shape makes it easy to place the thick wooden pieces. We're teaching her shapes and color recognition and this is a great teaching tool, and she really feels proud when she finishes each one (there's a pattern on each side of the wood board.) She even helps clean up afterward, made easy with the wood storage box. Can't say enough about the educational value and great quality of this set. I think we have just about all of Melissa & Doug's products! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Great Toy & Lots Of Fun!!!
I bought this for my child 6 months ago at the age of 16 months. She LOVES it and continues to play with it daily. I highly recommend this toy for children who love watching the wiggles and dancing to music.

Burn Some Calories!
The Wiggles Dance mat has everything a parent wants in a game... and everything a kid could want!- loud bouncy music from their favorite T.V. show for the kid, kid getting exercise for mom, bright colors and fun pictures for kid, educational and stimulating for mom. The Wiggles Dance mat is great fun and young kids will love bouncing around to the music... for about ten minutes. The only problem with this product is that young children who have low attention spans don't like using it for a long period of time because lets face it... jumping around gets rather boring after a while! It is lost of fun though and a great rainy day activity that will get your kids up off the couch. It is a great toy for two or three kids and they'll have a blast! This is a great gift idea for any Wiggles fan and tons of fun for parties and play dates.

Dancing with The Wiggles
We're a Wiggles Family here !!
I have a 4 year old and a 2 year old and they LOVE to dance with the Wiggles & sing. They enjoy the dance mat and so do I. The smiles I see on my girls faces are priceless.

Thanks again to the Wiggles for all the smiles & laughter!!
Keep the Wiggles toys and new products coming TRU !!! Still waitng for the Capt Feathersword doll TRU!!!

It is not Greg Singing!!!
While this toy has a great premise and is fun for my son to play with, everytime he starts playing with it he asks me "where is Greg Mommy?". This is because the person singing the songs on the toy is not Greg but someone else. I think that it is important to note that before buying this toy. Now this toy is fun and entertaining for my son, it would have been far better if it was performed by the wiggles. This toy is slightly disappointing because of that. ... Read more

Editorial Review

With all the high-tech electronic toys available for kids today, it would seem that the basics would be long forgotten. However, often the classic toys are the ones children want to play with the most. This classic block set includes 50 solid wood 1-inch-square blocks that are ideal for stacking or building. Two sides of each block feature carved letters or numbers in bright primary colors for teaching the alphabet or counting during play. The other four sides feature stamped letters, numbers, or pictures for additional practice in identification. Blocks come in a hard plastic storage case with a cord handle for easily transporting to Grandma’s house. This block set will most likely become the most used toy in the playroom. --Cristina Vaamonde ... Read more

Reviews (9)

ABC Block Review
I think the blocks are cute and my 20 month old is enjoying building with them, but I was very disappointed that there were only 50 blocks in the set. Why call them "ABC/123 Blocks". The title is very misleading. He is enjoying the small size, as they fit well in his little hands. But I have to order more so we have enough to REALLY build with them. As far as being educational, I don't think blocks, or any other such toy, are necessarily geared for education. I think they stimulate the mind in a creative direction, and help with fine motor coordination, and color recognition. Bottom line - he's having fun with them, and that's great!

Not too shabby
What a great little block set! My son, now a year old, received these as a holiday gift, and absolutely adores them. They are much smaller than the originals, but fit in his little hands better, and are easy for him to pick up and carry.

It doesn't bother me that the block letters don't match the subsequent pictures displayed on each cube; I like the freestyle approach. I also don't plan for him to play with these for the rest of his life; I figure by the time he's really learning his letters and sounds he'll have moved on to more challenging toys. So my current expectation for these little blocks is being met.

He loves to stack them (and knock them back down again), clang them together, skip them across the hardwood floors, suck on them (haven't noticed any problem with the wood or paint either), and fill pots and pans with them. He loves to put them in the clear case as well, and to dump them back out again.

Overall, for the ten bucks this is a great basic toy that my son has gotten a lot of mileage from already. I have noticed a big improvement in his gross and fine motor skills already, as he's already stacking them six high and sometimes able to pick up two at a time.

I'd recommend this toy to anyone with a child a year or so and older. I think the 2 year minimum age is a bit old, actually, and have encountered no safety problems whatsoever in giving them to my 1 year old.

Not my idea of fostering language developement
Although these blocks are durable and have the traditional die-cut letters, I am very disappointed in the oversight of what I perceive to be an elementary necessity. The problem with this blocks is that although they have letters and pictures on each block, is that the pictures do not correspond to the letter on the block. I think that it is important for use for years to come to not only have a basic fun and building value, but to be able to foster language development when the time comes. I have a problem with the letter "P" block having a picture of a bee on it, how am I supposed to explain that when the question arises? If you are only going to be using these blocks for a young child and not keep them to teach them as they age, then they serve that purpose, but if you are like me and want them for longevity, then pass on this set.

Not for chewers-- wood too soft!
Although the recommended age is 2 years, I confirmed with the manufacturer that this age recommendation is for the child's interest/educational sake and not safety related. My ten month old loved the blocks and immediately bagan examining each one, as well as tasting them as everything goes in her month at this age. Within minutes, I noticed she had something in her mouth that she was chewing on. The blocks are made from such soft wood that with a little saliva she was able to scrape wood (and ink) off with her teeth! The ink on the side of the block was already smearing with a little saliva, and as I said she was able to scrape off the wood-- enough to chew on! Needless to say, the toy was taken away from her (much to her dismay). I was very disappointed with the quality of this classic styled old fashioned toy.

Nice blocks but way too small
I just received the blocks and although they are nice they are very,very small- only about 1 inch square. I can't believe how tiny they are!!! I didn't even know they made blocks that small, lol. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Great Learning Toy
Great for teaching the concept of 10's, adding, subtracting - in a fun way! Highly recommend.

Great Value
There are 10 wooden beads which slide across each of the 10 metal rods of the toy. The colors are bright and the frame is thick and durable. As should be expected, there are no instructions included with the abacus. ... 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 (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

Reviews (1)

Great for homes and classrooms!
As a teacher and a parent, I highly recommend this item. It's perfect for the classroom because it doesn't take up a ton of space, yet it holds twelve puzzles. It's also pretty inexpensive for a storage case, not to mention that the class actually likes to put the puzzles away with this case!

I'm buying one for my house, as well. It has tipped ends that won't scratch my hardwoods, which makes my husband happy, and it means that I can buy a couple of more puzzles because they store so easily, and more puzzles, of course, please my children. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

An average puzzle with above average pieces...
As far as puzzles go, the Farm Fuzzy Puzzle is average at best. With only four pieces, there is very little challenge for older kids (15 months +). But those 4 pieces are what makes is so special. As they title says, they're fuzzy! In my daughter's mind, fuzzy=fun. She loves petting the pig, chick, sheep and cow. She likes rubbing them against me and her dad. Because they feel "real", she tend to play with them more as individual toys instead of puzzle pieces.

What this puzzle lacks in supplying educational or long-lasting play, it makes up for in fostering imaginative, creative fun.

Love Melissa & Doug puzzles!!
I have not been dissappointed with ANY of Melissa & Doug puzzle...we have 7 now. This is the first for our youngest and I look forward to playing with the fuzzy farm pieces with him. A durable, safe edged puzzle that is colorful but not scary for little ones. My hat is off to Melissa & Doug once again.

cute puzzle to learn with
Our son received this as a gift for Easter this past year. He isn't much on puzzles but this one really caught on. He likes the fuzzy animals I think the best, but he has become quite good at putting them in their proper places. It's also been a good tool to teach him the animals and to *nicely* pet the animals. His favorite is the little duck as it ends up in is crib quite often. Very cute puzzle with the extra added bonus of the peices being soft. Puzzle and pieces are made of wood (except the fuzzy coats) so it holds up well and the price is reasonable.

Excellent First Puzzle
I got this for my daughter just before her first birthday, and she loved it--I think probably because the fuzzy pieces are as much like toys as anything else. They are among the first farm animals that children learn the names of, and she enjoyed repeating their names and making their sounds. The other puzzles she got were just puzzles, but it was as though this one had a personality that made it a toy as well. I don't think it's a good puzzle for an older toddler, but at one year most children's "shape-fitting" skills are pretty limited. I think a puzzle with a few, simple pieces that can double as toys is a great first puzzle for the 12-month old set.

don't know why he had no interest
My son is and always has been a puzzle nut, and he loved storybooks with animals, and storybooks with texture, and storybooks with textured animals, so this seemed like a natural puzzle to get him. It was the one puzzle he never had any interest in playing with. I thought it was really odd, but his occupational therapist, who had the same puzzle, said she'd experienced the same thing--for some reasons the kids she worked with just HATED this puzzle but would play with other fuzzy puzzles. Go figure. I think it's darling. Maybe the fact that the animals don't have pegs so it's harder to remove them factors in somewhat? ... Read more

Reviews (6)

hours of independant play
My daughter loves this book so much. It is made so much better than a lot of wooden toys that fall apart at the edges. I do recomend that your child be over their "everything in the mouth" phase as the pictures on the pieces will wear off easily. Also, I wish this book had a simple latch to keep it shut without the pieces falling out.

One of the best toys ever!
My daughter (1 1/2) received this puzzle book as a gift and she loves it! Of all the puzzles we own this is the one she is drawn to time and time again. It is a great toy because she can occupy herself for at least 20 minutes or I can sit and play with her. I love that the puzzle pieces are just her hand size and slightly magnetized. The illustrations are also bright and colorful. I just bought this puzzle for my nephew too because it is such a great gift. The only reason I rated it 4 on durability is because the edges are slightly starting to wear, but considering that she plays with it several times a day everyday, I think it has worn well. I definately recommend this puzzle for kids this age.

One of son's new favorites
My son received this for Christmas. He has chosen to read this book before bedtime each night since Christmas. He likes if I take out the pieces on each page and then he puts the pieces in correctly as I read each description.

Fantastic!
I purchased this book for my son who has Autism. This book is FANTASTIC. It has great learning value, great for dexterity (putting the pieces in) and great for teaching him to follow instructions and steps! This is one of the best purchases I have made, and it keeps his attention!

ONE OF MY DAUGHTER'S FAVORITES
My daughter received this toy at 12 months and loves it! She is now 18 months and plays with it almost everyday. You can use it in so many ways for your child to learn and have fun. We use it as a puzzle, fun magnets for the refrigerator, reading/learning words, as well as play mix and match games. Her vocabulary has grown tremendously with use of this book. There are a lot of pieces though and a few have been lost over the months...who knows where a toddler hides things! I would definintely recommend this book. In fact,I am buying several to give away as christmas gifts! ... Read more