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

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

Editorial Review

Like well-illustrated books, Tell-A-Story offers worlds forchildren to enter. In this game, 50 picture cards teach memory, reading,and storytelling skills as children invent stories to match thepictures. Whenever a player collects five cards with the same character,he or she arranges the cards to create and tell a story. Parents mayneed to help little ones lay out the cards, but once they're launched,kids will want to return to the same story over and over again.--Lynne Sampson ... Read more

Reviews (1)

hours of fun for my 3 year old
I got this puzzle for my daughter for her third birthday and she just loves the bright colors and the vivid images of the bugs and flowers. The first time it was completed she was so amazed by how pretty it looked and insisted on using it as a napping pad! Each piece is distinct enough to tell apart, and the adjacent pieces usually share some common feature (such as a bright-colored pedal or a wing of a dragonfly), so that even though she is challenged, she can complete it by herself after some time. In that sense the puzzle is great for fostering patience and building confidence. It's been two months and she still plays with it. Recently I brought it to my office and now we can both have our "quiet time" when she visits. ... 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

Reviews (4)

what a great learning puzzle
My 4 year old nephew just loves this puzzle! It's the best! The large pieces make it easy for him to manueuver.

Great Puzzle
We got this puzzle for our 3 kids last Christmas. It is big, bright, sturdy and very educational...even for me! Of course the first thing we noticed was the picture of the Twin Towers over New York. (Not sure if they are still making them like that)This is something I will keep forever, and that my kids will continue learning from for years to come.

Really sturdy & fun
My four-year-old has been obsessed with this puzzle.

The geographical pictures give grownups things to talk about (e.g., "There's the Golden Gate; you've seen that." or "Do you remember where the corn grows?"). Also, the pieces are extremely sturdy & flat so it locks together easily. This reduces the frustration factor.

Who Can Find A State
This puzzle is a great way to introduce your little ones to the good old USA.My granddaughters love to see who can find the states the fastest. You lay out the puzzle, and let your kids learn the states. Even your young childen will soon learn where the state goes, and its name. What a great way for children to learn what they will be required to learn in the 4th and 5th grade. ... Read more

Editorial Review

So many children's games require an adult to help out or setthings up. Not this one. The Snail's Pace Race is a simple game thatproceeds at a child's pace. Everything is based on colors, including thedice, without a printed word in sight. Players roll the dice to seewhich two of the colorful wooden snails they'll move forward one spaceon the board. No matter how many children play, all six snails enter therace. The goal is to guess which snail will be the first--or thelast--to cross the finish line. --Lynne Sampson ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Surprising fun
I bought this game because my youngest (3 yrs old) was feeling left out of the games her older siblings were playing. Well, she love it and my 5 and 8 year old loved it too. Since, the outcome is dice dependent, sometime the youngest can win over her older siblings and she likes that. Also, though a little junvenile for the older kids, they like playing a game that everyone can play.Very simple, but it is engaging. I recommend making a 'big deal' out of racing snails, it adds to the drama. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Baby animals from foals to fish are the stars of this wooden pegpuzzle. Each baby animal can be lifted out of the natural wood frameusing a small red peg embedded in each puzzle piece. The same laminatedpictures that appear on the pieces are illustrated on the puzzle board,making it easy for younger preschoolers to match the animal pairs. Thepuzzle has rounded edges and the pieces are smoothly sanded. Becausethis high-quality toy is made to last, several generations of childrenwill enjoy playing with it. --Marcie Bovetz ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Great Puzzle
We bought this for our daughter when she was about 18 months old. She is three years old now and still plays with it. She loves animals, so it is her favorite puzzle. It's also very durable. The picture of each animal is located at the bottom of the puzzle so when the child removes the piece, he or she can match the pictures together to put the puzzle back together. Our daughter is starting to like puzzles with more pieces now, so I'm not sure if she will still be interested in it by age 5 like the recommendation suggests. I think ages 18 months-4 years old might be more accurate.

My daughter loves these!
My daughter got a few of these Melissa & Doug peg puzzles for Christmas, she is now 16 months old and has mastered all of them by now so I keep buying new ones, I love that she loves to sit down and do them, It is so wonderful to sit and help her and watch her learn! I think these are wonderful! She gets so excited to play with her puzzles!

not fun
I purchases this toy for my daughter last christmas, she has never even played with it once. I found out that she much more prefers woodboard puzzles that she can put together.

Great Puzzle
I bought this for my 22 month old daughter and from the moment I unwrapped it she didn't stop playing with it for 3 days. The pictures underneath the pieces are great for learning to match the piece to the puzzle. She also gets to learn what the animals are called. It's fun and a learning tool. The board and pieces are very sturdy and the quality of pictures are great. This toy stays out of the toy box and she puts it together atleast once everyday. I highly recommend.

MY Daughter Loves It
(But that doesn't mean that every child will.) I'm sorry it just irritates me how sometimes parents think that all kids are like THEIR kids.
I got this for my daughter when she was 21 months.She doesn't show any signs of tiring 2 months later. And she was able to easily put it together the first day. I don't think that once it is "solved" that loses educational or entertainment value. It seems like a few reviewers think that their 1-2 year olds need the challenge of a 1,000 piece jigsaw! Like it has to be frustrating to be fun...
Of course it helps if you play with your child, they stay more interested.
My daughter loves animals and knew the dog already but I was amazed by how quickly she mastered identifying the others when I quized her.
I actually think it's good for them to have something that they do well - it gives them a chance to show off for you!
I also suggest that you rotate toys - if they constantly have masses of toys around they usually don't appreciate them as much as when they play with ones they haven't seen for a few days.

Bottom Line: Beautiful, Sturdy Puzzle. I never want to buy any puzzles that aren't from Lights, Camera, Interaction! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Great Bonding time with Younger kids
I bought this for my 3 yr old who LOVES puzzles. The pieces are big enough for her to grab and manuever. The pictures are bright and easy enough for her to figure out where the next piece goes. NOT ONLY THAT but it includes static stickers so she can play pretend with the characters. Great gift. I recommend to parents with children 3 and up!!

This is a really fun toy
This is a really great toy for kids!!! My son has 1 and he loves it. I have an auction of something he got for chrismas and didn't want. Check this out!!! http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3122049981 ... Read more

Editorial Review

This 8.5-by-12-inch natural wood puzzle has a laminated pictureof a fully rigged fire truck, along with a faithful dalmatian, waitingfor the next alarm. There are nine large puzzle pieces in this set, eachwith an attached red peg to make it easier for little hands to lift thepieces out of the frame. The same picture that is on the pieces isillustrated on the board, making it easy for little ones to match pieceswhen reassembling the puzzle. The puzzle pieces can also be reassembledoutside the frame. --Marcie Bovetz ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Survived Destruct-o boy!
Soon after my sons 2nd birthday, I searched for puzzles that would challenge him more than the 1-piece, 1-hole type. What I found was stimulating for my little guy, and it gave us countless hours of one of one time together. The "Fire Truck Peg Puzzle" is different from other peg puzzles that have one piece per opening. This puzzle has one large opening, and no separations. The puzzle encourages young children to think, yet at the same time have fun, because it includes the same picture beneath the pieces. It requires more concentration than the stage-1 type of puzzle, and it was exactly what William needed.

I found this age group learns, and retain more information from realistic pictures, or photographs of everyday things, rather than animated illustrations. The manufacturer of this toy understands that, and although the Fire Truck is a rendered drawing, it closely resembles its real-life counterpart. The puzzle is designed well. By that, I mean the division of the pieces is perfectly presented. In addition, each piece includes a red peg so the puzzle is easy to work.

William has enjoyed this puzzle from the time I eyed it in the store. In fact, he's not ready to give it up, and why should he. He turns 3 next month, so he's had 8 good months with the "Fire Truck Peg Puzzle" and will probably continue to "work it" a while longer. It's held up well considering my sons destruct-o moods, and will probably carry on for the next generation's play and abuse. 2-years and up.

Happy Playing,

Mary

great puzzle for toddlers
This is a great little puzzle for the truck loving toddler set. This was my daughter's first puzzle that involved pieces that can move around (i.e. that don't fit into a single slot). It only has 9 pieces and 7 of them are edge pieces so it is perfect for a kid figuring out the rules of this kind of puzzle. The picture underneath helps so it is challenging but not frustrating for a kid who already can do the slot puzzles. My daughter used it as a springboard and within a month of getting this had moved on to the the 23 piece Jumbo Firetruck Puzzle. Because of this, I think it is pretty clear that the recommended age range (2-5) is wrong. She got it when she was 19 months old, did it a lot for a month, then enjoyed doing it occasionally for a couple more months. At 23 months she has grown out of it. Even taking into account differences between kids, the upper age limit for this puzzle is probably 3.

Great puzzle!
A definite must for the firetruck lover in your family. This keeps my toddler busy for quite awhile and he even talks to it! Very, very cute and durable too - it takes quite a slamming and hasn't even chipped.

Great puzzle!
This is a great puzzle for the little fireman in your life. It is very durable and quite fun for my little one - he grabbed it off the shelf in the store so obviously, I had to get it. Don't pass this one by - it definitely is well worth the money.

great puzzle
This puzzle is my son's favorite. A great gift for a boy who enjoys puzzles and fire trucks. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Great combination of a train and a puzzle.
My almost 2 year old daughter received this for Christmas this year (1 month ago).

She loves to play with it as a train - she lets her stuffed animals ride it and even tries to ride it herself.

As a puzzle, she has mastered the 'take it apart' aspect, and is learning to put it back together. It is a well designed puzzle that will be challenging for younger toddlers - some of the reasons that you'd choose block X over block Y are subtle - but it is still a serviceable train most ways you can put it together, although it might look odd.

It is very durable and safe. My daughter has sat upon it, stood on it, and dropped it on a wooden floor. So far it is still completely intact. Nothing has chipped or come loose.

This is another great Melissa and Doug product that will be enjoyed for many years, provided we can avoid losing the pieces. Toddlers can play with it on a simple level - it is a train - or a more complex level as a puzzle.

The Stacking Train is HEAPS of fun!
At first, I wondered if the Stacking Train was ever going to entertain my son. You see the cars slide off the linking dowels, if pushed down too hard. Well, at least when traveling on carpet, which is the main playing surface in our home. What's more, the order in which the blocks stack onto the cars is essential for movement. The blocks don't have to stack in perfect order, but certain blocks must be stacked in the appropriate places, otherwise the wheels cannot rotate. My husband and I noticed how aggravated Will became when he first started playing with the Stacking Train; thus, we intervened as the toy frustrated him so. Once he became familiar with the puzzle, (2 weeks later) he began to enjoy playing with it. The Stacking Train soon became a favorite, and now, 7-months later, it still amuses him for 30 minutes or more a day.

I have found that sometimes the age recommendation on toys is not always accurate. This plaything is appropriately labeled for 2 and up, and will probably continue to entertain my son for another 6 months or more. As a side note, the stacking order is quite complex for little minds. Although this does not take away from the fun-factor, it can add to the level of frustration. This mommy had to go on-line to see the stacking sequence so she could teach her son.

The Stacking Train is a well-built puzzle! It has been tossed around, stepped on, and even chewed upon, yet keeps on rolling. There are NO sharp edges on this toy, but we have had a few minor mishaps when my son, who plays rough, has pulled the dowels off the cars. We glued them back with wood glue, and the following day this choo choo is back to rolling around on the floor. Recently, my son lost one of the blue dowels, which links the cars together. I called the customer service number, found on the bottom of the toy, and the company replaced the entire train for nothing. Now that's excellent customer service! Overall, I recommend the Stacking Train as it's engaged my son for hours on end, plus the educational values are significant.

Other Points of Interest:
· No batteries required
· There are NO safety concerns with this plaything, i.e. strangling, smothering, cutting, or swallowing
· Gender neutral plaything
· No assembly
· Lifetime guarantee

Happy Playing,
Mary

reaches for train again and again
My child loves this wooden train set.
She started playing with this at 21 months
and still loves it at 24 months.
Great job guys!!!

Great durable toy
My son ended up getting 2 sets of these trains. I can't tell you how much he loves them. The first set he got as a gift last year when he was 10 months old. He got a second set as a gift a month ago (at 20 mos) and we were going to return it, but he became so excited when he saw them, we let him keep it. I am so glad we did, he has combined the trains, can now sort the blocks by color, "parks" the trains and takes them everywhere. Our Parent Teacher Educator commented that he plays really well by himself, ESPECIALLY with the trains. They look simple, but they are great for children to develop imaginitive play.

Brandon loved this toy
I first saw in the store I didn't buy it because the 2 age was older than my 16 month old, but then he played with it at his cousin's house. I couldn't get him to let go!

He loves this train at 17 months, he plays with it everyday, he takes the blocks off and puts them back on. He also is learning his colors.

Great toy! We have quite a lot of Mellisa and Doug products in our house! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great Puzzles
We bought this puzzle for my then 2 year old as he had mastered the barn puzzle (which is also amazing). There are monkeys, tigers, butterflies, and numerous other jungle animals. I had to look up several of the animals as I was not sure of what they were. This was a good educational experience for both me and my son. This puzzle is durable as are all of the M&D floor puzzles. It has been stepped on and thrown across the room by a highly rambunctions child. I have had this puzzle for over a year, and it looks great. I rotate this puzzle with the other Melissa and Doug floor puzzzles that we have. I recommend any of their floor puzzles as they are great quality and have easy to handle pieces for kids. They are a great opportunity to teach about different subjects and teach new words to children. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Just one glitch...
I bought this puzzle because I thought it would be terrific, and for the most part it is. However, there's one thing that bothers me: many of the lower case letters are too similar! The a, p, d, q are virtually interchangable...very difficult for a small child to differentiate. If you can show the little one the very subtle difference between the letters it'd be fine..but for some children this would be very frustrating and NOT fun. Just a little caution. Otherwise, the puzzle is well-made and great!

Great learning tool for letter recognition
This is quite inexpensive for all you get. I love that this is a combination of upper and lower case letters.

This puzzle can be made the traditional way or it can be used as a moveable alphabet. A moveable alphabet is a name for little letters that kids can manipulate on their own. Moveable alphabets are used in Montessori schools and other schools. After buying an expensive moveable alphabet of only lowercase letters (that is all that is available from that other manufacturer) I realized I could have bought multiple sets of this puzzle and use them in the same way. A moveable alphabet is used in freeform activities with your child to teach letter recognition. It is a tactile exercise as the child is holding the letter and moving it, rather than it being a little mark of ink on a page. You or the child can also form words with the letters and sound them out and read them as a way to supplement teaching reading. (Multiple puzzles would be needed so that there are more than one letter each.) My children hold up the letters and ask me which it is and we play games like that, that either they or I invent.

This puzzle is very durable as are all the other wood puzzles from this company.

The only downside is that organization is key if you want to not lose any of the pieces. This is too large for the puzzle holder that this company sells. Also beware the L's and I's are quite small and definately are choking hazard sized..so if you have little ones, take care to keep this out of their reach.

I think this is an inexpensive learning tool that every child should own. Please buy this for your child or give it as a gift to other children.

The puzzle doesn't have fancy graphics or bells and whistles to entertain. Games could be made up by the parent working alongside the child to make this interesting.

Great opportunities
In this puzzle and in reality, there are strong similarities in
a, p, q, b, and d. This puzzle gives great opportunities for fine tuning similarities differences skills. Since you only have one of each letter, trace or print the following. p p q p then b d b b and so forth. Let children practice noticing the differences and similarities. Learning Abilities Books is a cool website with free information about similarities and differences training. That's where I got this idea. You might want to buy more than one of this cool puzzle.

Bam-Bam Loves Wooden Letters
My son os NOT gentle with toys and he's clumsy to boot but this toy has survived admirably.

Lights, Camera, Interaction makes wonderfully well-built toys with quality finish work and appealing colors. This alphabet set is no exception. It has the decided benefit of having upper- and lower-case letters. Little did I realize this benefit until my son was "interviewed" for pre-school. Because he could distinguish both sets he will now get to work with a classroom aid on pre-reading skills.

One caution: My son was never one to put toys in his mouth so I got him this toy WAY before he'll turn 3. While the letters aren't inordinately small, parents should call Lights, Camera, Interaction to get the dimensions of the smallest letters to ensure the toy is appropriate for their child. An ounce of prevention, you know.....

Great puzzle
It is so wonderful to have an alphabet puzzle that pairs lower and uppercase letters. Great for kids who need a little more challenge. They learn to associate letters with "baby" ones. Wonderful! So many toys underestimate preschoolers' abilities with overly simple formats. This one is just right for young puzzle lovers. ... Read more