Editorial Review

Home to evil Lord Dragomont, this massive fortress sports a huge dragon's head centered above a set of swinging gates. Lights flash and alerts sound when the dragon's mouth opens. Turning a knob on the back makes "hot lava" flow to the right of the stone entryway steps. Further to the side rest two stone platforms, one above the other, equipped with a trap door that opens when a secret spot is hit. The toy's quality is decent but not mind-blowing. It comes with a 26-minute cartoon video, Fortress of the Dragon; also included are action figures of Lord Dragomont, a small red lizard, and a winged red dragon that shoots a missile out of its chest. (You just press a button above its tail.) Required are three AA batteries, sold separately. --Andy Boynton ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Our favorite toy
My 2 year old son was first introduced to this toy at our Montessori class...he was hooked immediately!!! It was easy for him to figure out how to put the pieces together and attach the gears (he loved being able to do all of this himself as opposed to other gear toys where most of the building is already done for you) He sat and happily played with this fantastic toy for almost an hour before we had to leave. The learning possibilities of this toy are immmense as is the "fun value". With no "bells and whistles" this toy ranks very high on our list of toys due to the fact that our son has complete creative control...it's all up to him. All in all, it's a fantastic toy that we highly recomend.

Almost perfect...
My son received this toy for Christmas, and we gave one to our niece. The verdict is that it is almost, but not quite, perfect.

The toy is a set of interlocking squares of various colors that are perforated to hold a four-pronged hub that can support one of four sizes of gears. Everything is made of a durable plastic that has some flex to it. You can create systems of gears that spin around and even construct things like gearboxes. (The cover of the box--shown above--will give you a simple idea of what can be done.) There is a manual aimed at parents that helps them teach their child how gears work, too--a nice touch.

The quality of the toy is high: the colorful stickers for the gears are plastic coated, the injection-molded pieces are free from excess plastic, and the pieces fit together solidly. It's everything you would want from a European-made toy. (Quercetti, the manufacturer, is based in Italy and the toy is actually made there.)

It's a mesmerizing little toy and its variability is virtually endless. There are other kits in the Gear line that include such things as universal joints and 3-D parts, so it is highly expandable, even as your child ages.

My quibble? Our three year old niece adores the toy, but our three year old son only plays with it in fits. Truth be told, I play with it more than my son does. So as with anything, your mileage may vary.

It's nice that toys like this one are still being made. There's a lot of learning that can occur with it, too. Factor in the expandability and how can you go wrong?

Now if only I could get my son to join me more while I'm playing with it!

Bit tough for little hands to put together, but beautiful...
The base pieces of this toy are a bit stiff for my kids' little hands to put together. Also, the pegs that hold the gears onto the base are a bit tricky, but will build good fine motor skills if not discarded in frustration. I was just as entranced by this toy as they were as we played with it together for the first time. The brightly colored decals are trippy and fun. And learning that gears transfer energy they supply to move other gears of various sizes "on down the line" is... priceless. *grin*

we can go earlier
My daughter has always been drawn to visual spatial toys and loves playing with gears. She started getting independent with this around 3 years of age. I love the Discovery toy version as well.

Kaleido Gears Review
Originally purchased for our 5 year-old granddaughter, this toy is a little above her developmental stage, and apparently above her grandparents as well! She and we became frustrated in trying to fit the white gear connectors to the gear pieces, and then attaching the coupled piece onto the frame. Our 8 and 11 year-old granddaughters, however, love it and fight over playing with it! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Lincoln Logs is a classic toy that originated in 1916 and has been around for multiple generations—it may even have been a favorite of kids' great-grandparents. While the original sets built several variations of a log cabin, the current Lincoln Logs are sold as models to make specific buildings. However, kids can still use their creativity to construct buildings of their own design. This 150-piece set features logs and accessories to build the largest ranch in the west--the Big L Ranch. The tub contains 125 wood logs, three roofs, a chimney, three gates, a ladder, a barrel, five windows, two doors and frames, a rope, a trough, a flag, two horses, a steer, one cowboy figure, and one cowgirl figure. The logs are still made of real wood although all roofs, action figures, and accessories are made of plastic. The kit comes with a colorful instruction book that most older kids should be able to follow on their own; younger children may need some parental assistance. Kids can collect other Lincoln Logs models (sold separately) to set up an entire western frontier town. --Cristina Vaamonde ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A Lot of Work but Worth It
This dollhouse has shown that a lot of imagination and thought went into this piece. The only draw back is that it is VERY labor-intensive, but worth the effort. Older children MAY be able to put it together, but I would recommend they have adult assistance. One adult could put it together in one day - maybe a day and a half. The base and first level alone have around 100 parts so patience would be the best thing to have plenty of.

PLAYMOBIL IS A TOY THAT WILL LAST FOR YEARS
my 12Year old daughter started with Playmobil 8 years ago,are playmate she had whom was a boy introduced her to it.Thru the years we have bought so many pieces that I lost track,the doll house and all the funuture,the castle and all the funiture,the adventure set,that was her first,and is no longer being made,the cabins the animals,the pirate ship,yes a girl wanted the pirate ship,and the lagoon.Playmobil is one toy she always went back to playing with.She will play for hours on hours role playing.I thought we were done with toys,she is at the age of boys and makeup.So I went in and separted and put all the pieces back toghter,2 days of work and found out that I like it too.I really enjoyed all the craftmanship that goes into each piece.We have a room full of Playmobil,and I am going to keep buying it,because it somehting,a hobbie that my daughter and I can do together.Playmobil is a good learning tool to let kids use thier minds insted of watching tv,or playing the video games,and computer.
LET YOUR CHILD IMAGINE.And you might learn too.

PLEASE PAY ATTENTION TO AGE SUGGESTION!
Santa Claus brought this for my 2.5 year old daughter. She was too little! She did love to play with it, but the parts were too small (we never installed half of them) and hard for little fingers to manipulate. We thought it would "grow with her," but it really would have been better to wait! She is 4 now, and we may get it out again. If you are looking for a dollhouse for a younger child, try something simple like the Fisher-Price one, and but this one for a later birthday or Christmas.

more than a decade of fun
I was given this dollhouse for christmas when I was 11 years old. I remember helping to set it up on christmas morning. I have wonderful memories of this dollhouse and all the fun little accessories I have collected for it over the years. Even the ones that didn't necessarily fit in the same era (pirates and vikings). Because all the Playmobil sets are set at the same scale, I had hours of fun for several years, creating different senarios for each doll.
Last month I brought this dollhouse out of storage, and though I'm missing a few pieces, I set it up, and it looks just as beautiful as it did the day I opened it.
I am a huge fan of Playmobil. The pieces fit together logically and sturdily (with an exception of the roof), and what's more, when it's properly taken care of, it lasts!
I highly recommend this product!

Beautiful and Amazingly Detailed
I worked in a toy store over the holidays and fell in love with this Playmobil Victorian Dollhouse. That toy store offers free assembly, and I got to do lots of assembling, so trust me when I tell you two things: 1)Although the assembly is not difficult, it is involved, and it will take you 5 hours if you are doing it alone, so budget enough time for that, and 2)Glue the large roof pieces together. This will increase the storage space that the disassembled dollhouse will require in several years when your children are through with it, but it will make it much, much sturdier. The roof is the only thing that isn't incredibly sturdy, and it's fine with a touch of glue.

The detail on this house is amazing. The windows all open. The flowerboxes and garden urns have flowers with individual stems and heads, so your child can design and redesign the flower arrangements. Doors swing open on hinges. Flooring appears to have tiles or floorboards. And the staircases can either be installed or not, depending on whether your child would prefer more room or a more realistic house.

There is a companion item that you can buy that will add another floor to the bottom of the house, making it a three-floor house all together. Also, there are many sets of furniture available--all of which have all the details that matter to kids: the drawers open, the doors open, there is cutlery to go in the kitchen drawers, etc..

We have friends whose daughters have this house. They love it and have played with it for hours on end. Their older girl only stopped playing with it when she was about 12 years old! All in all, this is a wonderful, fanciful product that will be passed down from child to child for sure. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

LA
It's fun when you have a big imagiation, but I like the toys with more action.

Perfect for little boys with imaginations.
We gave the Large King's Castle to our 4 year old grandson for Christmas - assembled of course! He LOVES it!!! But DO allow yourself plenty of DAYS to assemble it. It is not difficult to assemble but, I would suggest the packagers get a better system for packaging the parts rather than the helter skelter packaging. I suggest all the parts to STEP 1 be packaged together, STEP 2 parts together, etc. Half the challenge was finding the parts to each step. Also, assemble it on a large board of some sort - a train board or low table. This toy lends itself to a great deal of imagination and creativity. He also received the pirates ship. What fun - the pirates invaded the castle and put all the knights in the dungeons and, of course, made off with the treasure chest. Despite the time it took us to assemble it, it was worth it.

playmobil is GREAT
I bought this castle for my ten year old son when he was four. He still plays with it. We have the baron battle tower, the western fort, the big pirate ship, and countless other small accessory sets. Yes, it is a delicate toy, and has to be played with carefully, somewhat like Lego sets, but the important thing is that it is probably the only toys that you buy for Christmas or birthdays, that your child will still be playing with a year later! Every winter, all of the playmobil gets set up and played with all winter long. My fifteen year old son is a "builder" and loves to put together all of this stuff. We have bought countless hotwheels, action figures, which we still buy, but playmobil and lego top them all for maintaining a childs interest and creativity. The fun part for me has always been to set up these huge sets with my boys the day after Christmas after the company has gone. Believe me, the price is worth it when it is a favorite with your child. This year my ten year old wants all the Viking stuff. Merry Christmas!

Great Creative Play!!!!! We Love Playmobil!!!!
I bought this set along with others for my boys two years ago. My husband complained about how long it took him to put it together---but the kids loved it! Unfortunately, it stayed together for a short time and then it ended up in pieces in the block drawer. But I will tell you---even though it is not put together in its intended form, my boys have been building and rebuilding forts, castles and dungeons. It is by far their favorite thing to do! It was frustrating to me to see it taken apart--but I have come to appreciate the fact that they will spend literally hours at a time building. Their creations look much more authentic than their lego buildings and they are not only building/designing structures...but they are role-playing and acting out as knights and pirates!!!!! What fun! Lots of little pieces---but they are pieces worth having.

This is a Surefire Hit!
I first realized the potential for Playmobil toys when my husband and I bought our 4 year old son a single Playmobil pirate figure (the "Admiral"). We thought he would like it because he was very into pirates. We had no idea that he would spend literally hours playing with this pirate and the ten or so miniture accessories (sword, hat, feather pen, etc.) that came with it. So, we went out on a limb and paid the steep price... for this castle for our son for Christmas. I couldn't be more pleased. This castle and accessories have already given more hours of enjoyment than if we were to have spent the same amount buying several less expensive toys. I am now a HUGE playmobil fan. When you put this castle together you know that it is QUALITY workmanship and construction. Every piece snaps into place... He plays with this castle every day, and his imagination has no limits. One cautionary note, the accessories to the Playmobil toys are very small--this is for some reason very attractive to every child who comes over to play--and for this reason we have our castle and all the figures we have gotten on a "train table". This is very nice because it keeps everything in one place and it makes it very easy for my son to manuever around the castle. Another note, if you have a son who likes to really be destructive/rough with toys, you may be pulling your hair out. I find this out every time other kids come over and play with the castle. While it stays together very well, it is made so that you can pull it apart if you want to reconfigure it. (This is obviously too advanced for a younger child, so we don't do this.) That means that if the kids hit it or pull it hard it will come apart---not to shambles, but enough to give you a headache. Also, if you do want to give this gift assembled (eg Christmas morning) give yourself a good 3 hours to put it together. There are literally hundreds of pieces to the castle. I had a good time doing it but would not have had nearly as much fun if it had been 3am. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

An Awesome Set!!!
Wow, what can I say about this lego set. It is amazing! It has a new type of steering, which has never before been seen in/on a lego set. It also has eight wheels that are each huge. This set is HUGE, with 600+ pieces. I really enjoyed making this set and playing the the pieces to make other sets from my imagination. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Activity table 4 in 1
I bought this table for my 3 year old to play legos with and none of the legos stay attached to the table....wouldn't buy it again - i have a greeen lego plate that works much better and was a heck of a lot cheaper. A durable table but haven't gotten much use out of it except to store stuff on top of.

Great Table!
My son loves to play with his trains and cars on top of the table. It was easy to put together. If you are using for legos it's not easy to access under the board tops. When he wants his legos we have to pull them all out first then put the lego top on. It would be better to have storage underneath.

kidscraft 4 in 1 activity table
Just bought the table for my 4 y.o. son and I love it. The size is great, not as bulky as the bigger ones. On the board with the city streets I glued down the brio tracks just like they do at toysrus. When assembling it I also glued all the joints for extra reinforcement. For [$$$], I think it's a great buy--and after after 4 children, at this point, I can tell a good toy when I see one.
Thanks, "Mother of 4 from Boston"

Good for the money but not for LEGOS
I bought this for my son for Christmas. The sales person told me this would work with his LEGO blocks. The only problem I have found is that the board has too much flex to it and the LEGOS pop off real easy. If you are looking for a table to use LEGOS on I do not think this is the best deal. The price is great but what fun is it if you can't use your LEGOS?

A good value
I bought this table for my 2 children 2 and 5 because of the versatility of the table and the built in storage. It was much cheaper than other Lego tables and I thought the extra boards be an added bonus. My children rarely play with it. The boards are so big and heavy, they can't lift them out so they have to ask for help to switch between Legos, chalkboard and the town scene. Also since the boards need to be lifted up in order to get to the storage, they can't reach anything I store inside of it. I ended up putting bins underneath so they can reach the accessories. The scene on the town, scratched VERY easily. We have some huge gashes in the scene and since it hasn't been played with much, I wasn't impressed. Overall though it's a very sturdy table and a great price. Maybe your kids will be more interested than mine were. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Magnets spur imagination in this building set from leading arts and crafts maker RoseArt. Fun and sharply designed, the set contains a series of brightly colored triangles, squares, and bars equipped with opposite polarity magnets at the tips. Small steel balls enable you to lock the pieces tightly together and assemble them into nearly innumerable arrangements. (RoseArt promises more than 500 possibilities, and provides a booklet suggesting some, including a miniature Eiffel Tower.) The set has 100 pieces and offers wonderful creative opportunities for kids. --Andy Boynton ... 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 (2)

the best
i really like it . durabilty is good.

Bring home a piece of Empire Strikes Back Hoth battle.
This is a cool set to have if you have some other star wars sets.The best set to buy is AT-AT.So you can recreate the Hoth battle.Lego has already made an older version of this set but its hard to find.If you are buying this to play with then get it.I would have to say the Original version is better for collectibility.I have both and the old one falls apart easiely.This new set comes with a grappling hook and different colored pieces.It is also more like the ship from the movie.I reccomend this to any lego or star wars fan. ... Read more

Editorial Review

As any parent knows, a strong, durable, easily cleaned piece of furniture canbe an incredibly valuable thing. This friendly plastic picnic table and bench set fromLittle Tikes fits the bill. With bright, friendly colors, it's big enough to fit up to foursmallish kids for a quick snack or art project. When you're done, it collapses flat for easystorage. It's light enough and flat enough to throw in the hatchback or minvan or tuckunder the couch. Since it's plastic, stains wash away easily. Although it comes in onepiece, assembly can be a bit tricky and is best left to grownups. --John Moe ... Read more

Reviews (46)

what a score!!
I bought this table based on the positive reviews it received and its very reasonable price. I am so pleased with it. It folds into a very flat space, and it takes a little muscle to pop the latches into place when unfolding--but that it what makes it so safe, sturdy and durable. The table is a PERFECT size for babies ready to leave the high chair. The attached bench seat prevents falls. The letter prior complaining of the lack of durability needs to realize this table is not made for 40 lb children to use as a trampoline, rather for young toddlers to eat, do activities, and climb on. It's only a ... table, and very, very well worth it. Best of all, my daughter LOVES this table!! Because of this the table earns a 4 star educational rating--she uses it enthusiastically for her educational activities, and to learn how to behave at her own little dinner table.

I have several of these for home and daycare
With 5 kids too little to sit at the table and now too big for their highchairs, this is a great thing! I can put 4 kids at each one and they have a place to eat (especially outside where I don't want them sitting in the dirt)

I've also got some of these at the daycare I own. With the preschoolers and older toddlers, they put use these for the kids to eat on

Get the larger version
Buy the larger version of this table. It has so much more leg room for when the kids get bigger and is SO worth the extra money!! Durability is excellent! Super easy to clean.

very handy little table, esp. if you have no room!!!!!!
We love this table, It gets used every day for many purposes. My son who was 2 when he got it for a gift, because we couldn't get him to sit in his highchair or a booster to eat. It was very frustrating. This table solved my problem. Our son now eats all his food at this table, colors, and races his cars on it. It folds down to next to nothing and can slide right under a couch. ( which we never do! ) Yes, it is also handy for the road. You can take it anywhere it fits right into a trunk of a compact car. We use it every holiday at my moms un-kid friendly house, to keep the kids busy for food and fun. I think it cleans up easy, I read a review that thought that the crayons stained it. Well no problems like that have occured for me. It has been marked with, pasta sauce, crayons, markers and even pens. It still looks like new. It cleans up with any kitchen cleaner such as 409 or fantastic. Just let it sit for a minute. If it still is stained, then use a softer scrubbing sponge. That should take care of the problem. Top sum it up I love this product and gets a ton of use. I will be buying one for my niece's 2nd birthday in a few weeks. Thank You!

PERFECT table!
We saw this table and had to run out and get it! Our son became very interested in coloring and puzzles and truly loves his own table. It's perfect for him and he is 1 1/2. He climbs right in it and sits. He just loves it! We appreciate it being one piece as my husband was afraid my son would be falling out of a small chair all the time. The little benches are very nice and the table area is nice for any type of activity...and it is easily cleaned. Just PERFECT....and so cute! ... Read more

Editorial Review

You might never stop building once you get your hands on the 50-model building set from K'NEX. This super value set includes pieces to build over 50 moving machines, creatures, and rides, plus a bonus battery-powered motor to set the models in motion. A 225-page instruction manual features step-by-step instructions for three levels of building: friendly, moderate, and greater, depending on your child’s age and skill level. The color-coded rod-and-connector system and visual instructions make construction simple while teaching hand-eye coordination and planning skills, as kids build everything from a sea turtle to a racing car. The set's sturdy components can also be combined creatively to form unique original structures and designs, and are compatible with other K'NEX systems. When it's time to put them away, all the pieces fit nicely into the 17-by-12-by-6-inch blue plastic box with handle. Requires two AA batteries (not included) to operate the motor. --N. Mered ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Most played with toy we own
My 7 year old son got this set for Christmas last year, and with all the toys we have for our 5 kids, this K'nex set gets the most use. He built with it every day for months, and still builds something new about every week with it. He has built about every model in the book and he is getting better at building his own ideas. We've gotten a lot of the models on video tape, and he loves to show his grandparents the new ones. I loved the sea turtle that "walked" across the floor, and he builds amusement park rides and puts little people in them. This thing keeps him busy for hours at a time, and he's getting another tub of them for his birthday. His little brother wants one for his birthday this year. The motor is very cool, and he figures out how to use it with the models that don't call for it. Since Christmas, he has only broken 2 pieces, so I thought that was pretty good. Highly recommended!

I love K'NEX
I have had a KNEX set for 10 years or so. My daughter has always been envious of mine, and I don't let the kids play with it. She received money for christmas and bought this set. She has had a lot of fun putting together the models, however there are a couple of models in the book that there aren't quite enough pieces to build. If this were the only set in the house, it would be very disappointing to get as far as she did, then have to disassemble and start with another project. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Six chutes, plus six curves, plus nine tubes, plus three bases, plus six marbles equals a plethora of architectural possibilities. Galt's Marble Run is a sturdy, simply-put-together set in primary colors that's perfect for the beginning builder. Kids love to watch the marbles roll down the chutes, disappear into the tubes, and reappear on the curves a few inches lower. Since it can be configured any number of ways, it's a great discovery and exploration tool, providing instant feedback in the cause-and-effect department. And it's easy to take it apart and start over, too! --Julie Ubben ... Read more

Reviews (6)

This would be fun and educational but Galt messed up
My children used an older version of this type of marble game and went bonkers over it. The toy we used was a friends. My wife bought Galt's version and I am ready to toss it into the garbage can. I just hope the retailer will accept a return. The problem is that Galt's materials engineers cut back on the connector strength and the pieces do not stick together well. All it takes to knock this toy down is a minor bump. My kids were totally frustrated and so was I. This was not an issue with the toy my friend had.

Galt, you saved a few pennies on plastic on each set you built but you created a useless toy. Two thumbs down!!!!!!

Liked it
I really like this toy, but would highly suggest getting maybe 2 sets. There are only 30 pieces, and the set it pretty small. Otherwise great toy.

I Still (Secretly) Enjoy This
I'm not certain that the product I own is the exact one advertised because my parents bought me the toy when I was four or five and that was well before the 90's. Anyhow, the set I had was quite similar, or at least the same concept. I have to admit, no toy thrilled me quite the way my marble run did. I spent hours building unique structures for rolling my marbles down. I'm not exactly sure what the appeal was, but it was very neat to build something yourself, drop the marble in at the top and then watch and listen to it roll all the way down. I guess it's appealing in the same way that those wacky gumball machines at malls are. Anyhow, it was a great toy, entertained me for hours, and seems to be timeless. Significantly more educational than watching television or playing video games and far more satisfying.

Didn't think the kids would like it, but EVERY kid loves it!
This was a gift from somebody to our (then) 2-year old son. I didn't think he would like it. I thought it would be just another toy that was taking up space. But he immediately loved it. He still plays with it two years later, and now his two-year old sister plays with it, too. And every child who visits our house gravitates to this toy. There is just something fascinating for kids about configuring the chutes and watching marbles roll down. Highly recommended.

Fabulous Fun!
I got this set for my son when he was four. I would put most of it together and he'd play with it for hours. Now, he's seven and enjoys building his own 'run.' It keeps him busy for hours and hours as he builds, rebuilds and improves his 'run.' The plastic is sturdy, and this toy engages him both physically and mentally. It has stood the test of time in our home and I highly recommend it! ... 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