Editorial Review

Honk! Honk! It's gridlock and the little red car can't move.The player is a traffic cop in the Rush Hour Traffic Jam Puzzle wherethe objective is to get the red car off the road. To play, pick one of40 challenge cards; solutions are printed on the back of each card.Then set up the cars and buses in a specified pattern on the6-inch-square road grid. Move the vehicles one by one (obey those trafficlaws!) until the red car can escape the traffic jam. There are fourlevels of difficulty. Kids can alternate turns with another player orjust "play in traffic" alone. The game from Binary Arts received anational award from Mensa and is used in elementary school mathclasses. The design includes clear instructions printed on the sturdybox, which can be used both as a playing tray and for storage. The gamecards stow away in a drawer in the road grid. This is a 1999 Parents'Choice recommended toy. --Marcie Bovetz ... Read more

Reviews (89)

Hours of Fun Fun Fun
This is a great puzzle. Since it is a game only one can play at a time, my nieces, ages 6 and 8 and my nephew age 11 took turns getting the red car out of the traffic jams. They even enjoyed watching each other find the solution to each "jam". Incidently the 6 year old is almost through solving the "Advanced" puzzles and I am about to buy both additional card packs. Kids and adults will love this game.

Great "toy"
Add us to the host of folks who love this puzzle toy. I generally consult Amazon ratings before purchasing new items and any item that has this many positive ratings always catches my attention. And it lives up to the promise. My almost 7 year-old son is ADHD and I was AMAZED at the way this toy captured his attention. I expected him to become quickly frustrated and give up. But after a few successes, he was hooked. I coached him a little bit at first (and then I was hooked too!) and before I knew it, he was solving puzzles by himself and doing a better job than me! He did the first 20 in one sitting. I was amazed as I watched him begin understanding which cars had to be where in order for him to get the red car out, then he started working out his plan to get there. You have to think ahead to be successful and he was doing it!

His persistence and concentration surprised me, so if your child is having any problems sitting and concentrating on a task, don't be afraid of this toy! But, alas, as with many ADHD kids, he's also been tested as gifted, so he's already run through the first 3 levels and is now nearly done with the expert level - solving puzzles that I can't do! I have to wait until he goes to bed to even get a chance to play! There's 40 cards in the first pack. The beginning levels are pretty easy to remember the solutions, but as you go higher in difficulty, you could probably do the puzzles more than once and still be challenged. But do be prepared to buy the 2, 3, and 4 Gift Pack (a great deal for $12 on Amazon)

I LOVE the fact that you store the cards right in the bottom of the tray. However,I wish that they would put a more permanent kind of cover on the tray. Also, you cannot replace the cover when you are in the middle of a puzzle, the cars have to be in the tray in a certain way in order for the cover to fit properly. But those are extremely minor drawbacks considering the hours of entertainment my son and I have gotten.

grate!!!
I love this game and so do my familly from ages 6 - 35. you will enjoy playing this game alone at home. the greate part is that even once youv memorized this toy and all the levels (wich you will.) you can buy more cards! it is a grate present for anyone not too lazy to think a bit. everyone has their own level. Also other games such as the one croosing the river from this manufacturer are fantastic! really worth the money!

GREAT GIFT IDEA
We just got this game today and we were all instantly addicted! My 7 year old loved the challenge of the game, didn't get frustrated at all, and wouldn't even think of giving up on trying to solve the puzzles! This is a great gift idea for birthday parties, as it's inexpensive and parents will appreciate the educational value of this puzzle game.

Greatest Game Ever!
I am in the Gifted program in school and it is a lot of fun! I play this everyday. It is very challenging but an awesome game! I would reccomend it to anyone! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Finally something that will keep my ADHD son occupied!
It has been a constant battle to find something my 11 year old will play with by himself other than video games. We bought this yesterday, and he has already played with it for several hours! He likes building the ideas in the book and also making his own creations. The recommended age listed here is 6-10 years, but on the packing of the box the ages are 7-14 years. There are 3 skill levels - Friendly Challenge, Moderate Challenge, and Greater Challenge. The instruction book has 4 Friendly models, 9 Moderate models, and 17 Greater models. At 11 years old, the Friendly models are a little too easy for him, and the Greater models are a bit challenging without adult help (I'm sure he'll get better at it in no time though), but the Moderate models are perfect for him. He has an incredibly short attention span, but he has been content to work on this longer than he ever has with anything else, so I hope this will spill over into other areas of his life, especially school.

Kids and Parents both will love these!!!!!
My children are 9 and 7. We have had K'nex for 3 years now and my kids are still playing with them!!! Whenever my neices and nephews come over the first toys out are the K'nex. These toys are great for both boys and girls. They spark children's imagination and keep them busy for hours. I honestly was skeptical when I first bought them. I thought they would be like a puzzle, use them once and then toss them aside. Boy was I wrong. Whenever my boys go shopping with me they have to look at the new K'nex to see what they don't have. I highly recommend them. But please be wary when you have babies. The pieces are small and a baby can choke on them. Other than that they are a great family bonding toy. Parents, you can even play with them too. They are highly addictive.

TERRIFIC TOY
THIS IS THE BEST TOY MY 8 & 10 YEAR OLDS GOT FOR CHRISTMAS. THEY HAVE PLAYED WITH IT FOR HOURS -TOGETHER! THE PIECES AND INSTRUCTIONS ARE EASY TO USE AND VERY ADAPTABLE. WE ALSO BOUGHT A MOTERIZED SET THAT CAN BE USED WITH THE LARGER SET TO MAKE MOTERIZED TOYS. THE BOX SERVES AS A STURDY PLACE TO STORE THE PIECES- A PLUS FOR ME SINCE PUTTING IT AWAY IS EASIER FOR THE KIDS.
BUY THESE TOYS! ... 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 (16)

Fun for the entire family!
We bought this for my 6 year old daughter for Christmas and everyone enjoyed it! I was amazed how well she did moving through the easy to more advanced levels. Her enthusiasm was contagious and everyone began trying to do the puzzles. My daughter felt a strong sense of accomplishment when she actually did better than many of the adults! It is a durable, compact, challenging puzzle that is so enjoyable that you will get hooked! In fact, I am looking for additional cards to continue the fun!
This is definitely a 5 star game that has educational value and is also appealing to kids.

A game help children learn to use their minds!
I bought this game for my 5 yr old. She loves it and is challenged by the game. Even some of her older cousins enjoyed playing with it over the holidays.

great toy
We bought this toy for our 3.5 year old son, because he really loved it when he saw it in the store. He's been at it all the time after he got it and needed only minimal instructions to start playing. We really appreciated the fact that the difficulty levels were so appropriately designed. My son simply moved from one level to another with great enthusiasm and would never quit playing the game on his own.

Fun & Educational
I've never played Rush Hour, but the Junior version was a big hit with my 5 and 8 year old kids (and me!) this Christmas. It has 4 levels of difficulty: beginner, intermediate, advanced, and expert, with 10 cards in each level. You pick a card and set up the grid with vehicles as depicted on the card. The object is to get your ice cream truck through the traffic and exit the grid.

The rules are: no moving cars sideways. You have to move them forward or backward based on the direction the vehicles are facing. The beginner cards typically require each vehicle be moved only once before you are able to get the ice cream truck through the traffic. With the advanced cards, you may have to move vehicles a few times as you strategically plan your escape.

This game is not only fun, but helps with organization (setting up the grid) and planning (figuring out how to get your ice cream truck out of a jam). It also gives the kids a sense of accomplishment as they move on to the more difficult cards.

I highly recommend it and we plan on buying the adult version soon!

Great whole family fun!
After reading about Rush Hour, Jr. on this website, I decided to get it for my sons, age 7 and 4. They are both a year older now, and still enjoy it. My oldest is now ready for the "adult" version but the more difficult puzzles of the Jr. game still provide some challenge. An unexpected benefit from this "game" is that my sons love to watch each other play and offer encouragement and sometimes advice, and neither gets discouraged when he gets stuck--how great is it to see that?

It also travels really well, we take it in the car for our frequent long trips and take it on the boat to play during snack time.

Parents--I definitely recommend both Rush Hour versions and the booster cards. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Great Educational Toy!
I bought this for my son's 5th Birthday and he loves it! He wants to put it together every single day and is getting better and better at recognizing the states' names and their geographical locations. Next up...the capitals! I recommend this to all parents concerned that their children aren't learning US geography as they should. And I confess that this puzzle has certainly helped refresh my memory of the states and their capitals, too.

Kid-approved "sneaky education"
This puzzle is my 2 1/2 year old son's absolute favorite. He does it on his own, and is starting to know the state names. He will do it over and over and over again, and thinks it's great fun. I think it's a great way to help him learn! It's kind of nice when a learning tool has to be pried out of my child's hands....

If I had one complaint, it would be that Alaska is on the bottom left corner of the puzzle; it would have been nice if they'd made the puzzle larger so they could stick Alaska in roughly the right place. Not a big deal, though.

A GREAT educational toy!
My 3 year old son spotted this puzzle while we went browsing in the store. He wanted it SO badly even though it was rated for older children. Within 3 days of playing with this puzzle, he quickly mastered all 50 states, knew exactly where they all go at a moment's notice. Then in a few days, he is able to clearly identify and pronounce each state accurately. He can read a little bit, and I had to show him North and South so he could place the Dakotas in their places. We had moved to Arizona from California a few months earlier, so he understood that his "small house" was in CA and that we now live in AZ. Two weeks after playing this puzzle, we went to California to visit our old friends and favorite places. Upon returning home, he demonstrated he really understood the map even more and even knows Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean and several cities. Because he has 2 other USA maps, he has said several times that "Michigan is a mistake! They forgot to cut out Upper Peninsula (Upper Michigann)"!!!! I was originally from Michigan and know that Michigan has 2 parts. What I'd like to see in this puzzle is 50 individual pieces, even though they may be small and that their cutouts reflect more accurate shapes (maybe make the states a bit bigger!). My parents still have the wooden puzzle from late 1960's with all 50 pieces. Now, where can I find wooden maps of other places: Europe, Africa, South America, and Asia, showing pictures of the countries, along with capital cities and other information? My son is already learning a few countries in Europe and is so eager and so ready to absorb more information in geography! We play the USA map puzzle practically every evening before he goes to bed! He's already map-literate far ahead of his peers and even amazed his summer camp teacher! Who says a 3 year old can't learn geography?! ;-)

A good start
I would have liked more information to be included on the puzzle. Each piece is cut out in the shape of the state and has the state capital printed underneath. I think they could have taken this a step further adding key information about that state such as it's nickname, state flower or other educational information. It is a good way to get very young children to learn their state capitals and the shape and geography of the U.S.

A puzzle for both young and old!
Our 4-year-old loves puzzles, and we were looking for something fun and educational that would challenge her but intrigue her at the same time. This is what we were looking for! Not only will this puzzle last through our daughter, but it should last through her brother and any siblings who come along in the future. She loves the pictures on the pieces and is very proud when she gets done. As a homeschooling family, we are glad to find toys like this that are of good educational value but are also fun, durable, and classic. You can't go wrong with this puzzle! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

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

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

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

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

Reviews (13)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Editorial Review

The aMAZEing Labyrinth uses a clever board design to create aseries of ever-changing mazes that one to four players must movethrough. The object of the game is for each player to collect asquickly as possible all seven treasures depicted on their individualtreasure cards. To add to the challenge, players know what the nexttreasure is only after they find the one before it. Before each turn, amaze card is pushed into the maze in a strategic place, helping theplayer make his or her way to the prize. This means that the entiremaze shifts and changes on each turn, confounding some and helpingothers. Players will need to think ahead to choose just the right spotto shift the maze in their favor. This is an excellent game to get lostin. A simpler version can be played by younger children. --LeeStrucker ... Read more

Reviews (2)

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

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

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

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

Editorial Review

This is a strategy game with a twist--if you lose, you'relunch. You've taken your trusty Safari Rover deep into the bush; nowmaneuver it through the maze of hungry animals and get back to camp inone piece. An 8-by-7.25-inch plastic game tray forms a kind of grid foryour vehicle and the 3-D plastic animal pieces (including elephants,rhinos, and a termite mound). Draw one of 50 cards (10 of which areextra-easy, for younger players) to determine the initial board setup.Then move pieces, according to strict rules, to make your escapethrough the only exit. A cloth bag for all the game pieces is included.--Richard Farr ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Fun but bulky
Our family truly enjoys the Rush Hour game and tried this one as well - it is bigger and bulkly and convenient for travel. I alos find the puzzles to be a bit easier. The pieces don't slide as well as Rush Hour.

Good toy for everyone
I knew this game at a friend's house and love it even I was 30 already at that time. I bought several when I went back to visit my family and they all love it. When I told my mom that I would give my brother's 1st grad boy a set, she told me he won't like it since he doesn't like the brain games. But he loves it soon after my sister explain to him the rules and he enjoys to do it. My little one, almost 23 months old now, likes those animals and loves to put all of those animals to the board one by one and kind of learn the size and arrange the place. It's not only for 8 and up.

Great game; an attention grabber
I bought this for my 6 year old. She played with it for an hour the first time. It is a game she can play solo. After using the Junior cards, she went on to the beginner. She is still progressing. This is a great thinking game. I highly recommend it.

The best Rush Hour game ever!
This game is so much fun!Let me tell you a secret about this game.You can look on the back of the cards to get clues to beat the level that your playing if your stuck.So this game is so fun!

A Wonderful Way to Play Together or Challenge a Child
My 7-year-old daughter loves this activity. There are so many active toys available, but Binary Toys has the best strategic-play games around. We play together often with this toy; I find it as much fun as she does. But, she would just as soon sit at the kitchen counter playing it by herself. We take it on trips, and all the relatives enjoy it, too. Since the "solution" shown on the back of each card is straightforward to follow for an adult but not for a child, she is never tempted to turn the card over and "cheat." Instead, through trial and error, she eventually escapes the safari and moves to the next card. Having the wide range of skill level cards helps keep everyone interested. Having the handy cloth case for storage is appreciated as well. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

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

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

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

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

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

Editorial Review

This bold and colorful puzzle contains 48 extra-thick cardboard pieces that snap easily into place to create a simple, yet very imaginative scene of a fairy tale castle. An easy-clean surface keeps it looking new and safe from sticky fingers. This large, imaginative floor puzzle has a finished layout that measures approximately 2 feet high by 3 feet long. --Deb Oroszlan ... Read more

Reviews (11)

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

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

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

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

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

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