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

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 (3)

Great challenge
Wonderful puzzle, not as easy as it looks, but is not redundant because of the many details in the image. It was a real brain teaser.

To remember her as she was (pre-9/11/01)!
I wanted my kids to remember NYC as she was, thus my doling out much more than necessary for a puzzle.

In Memorial
Went looking for a jigsaw puzzle to challenge us as the evenings turn cold...and I will walk over to the (fabulous) Times Square store to purchase it. Very surprised to find the WTC towers depicted without any text alluding to 9-11. Sad. Manhattan is the island and borough (not Manhatten.) ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Good For Begginers
This puzzle is very good for beginners. 700 pieces is perfect for children 12 or up. Even more challenging for kide around 10. It allows the builder to leard what to look for in harder puzzles to come. It like other puzzles around the same challenge level don't just require the builder to think about the shape and picture, but the color of the picture, the tine, and even the style of every single line. The lines could be dashed, dotted, or both, and the builder learns to look for these things as they progress. When they finally complete the puzzle, they WILL want harder and harder puzzles. They will also feel very confident with their problemsolving skills and might jump straight for the 3000 piece puzzle of New York City. ... 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

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

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 (1)

Excellent Brian Busting Toy
The object is to get your logger from one end og the board to the other while following pretty obvious rules. 40 different cards provide a challenge for all levels. Loads of fun. ... 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

Reviews (1)

Great fun for my 2 year old
Our 2 year old little boy enjoys finding the pages that the animals go on. I get him to point to the animal I say, and make up other games with them as well. He can play with this for a long time, as he is obsessed with puzzles these days. My only beef is the paper on the magnets show wear over time. Also, I wish the dinosaur page was forest animals instead (deer, bears, foxes, etc), however, older children do seem to enjoy dinosaurs. ... Read more

Editorial Review

With five levels of play, from junior to expert, Railroad RushHour offers a challenge for kids and grownups alike. The puzzle consists of a sturdy plastic grid, 40 puzzle cards (with solutions on the back) for ages 8 and older, 10 junior challenge cards for ages 6 to 8, 17 brightly colored blocking trains, two blocking baggage platforms, a blue-and-white striped travel pouch, and "you," the little red escape locomotive. Trains are placed on the grid as indicated on each puzzle card. The object is to steer your escape locomotive through the freight yard and out the exit gate indicated. You can warm up your problem-solving skills by getting the puzzle out of the box. All aboard for fun! --Alison Golder ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Teriffic fun, great value
This game really is great. My autistic 11-year-old gets
a good mental challenge and feeling of accomplishment out of it,
and I have fun as well. My only negative comment is regarding
travel. We've taken it on many plane trips, and it's great
because it fits in a small area to play as well as store, but
it has a lot of small parts (duh! :-), and they are easy to lose
track of when travelling. So be vigilant, and find all those
train cars when putting it away! :-)

Railroad rush hour - a great game for all
This is a fabulous game for people of all ages. Even little kids can play the easy cards. The harder ones can be very engrossing for adults. My son started playing it when he was 4 years old. I have also given it to somebody as a present for their 40th birthday. I recommend it for anybody who wants a bit of a mental challenge.

More Cards Please
This is a great puzzle game. Kids learn problem solving and adults practice their own problem solving; all of this brain work is neatly disquised because they are having fun. I wish that Binary Arts would come out with more card sets for their Railroad game like they have for the Rush Hour game. I want extra puzzles! It would make it more rewarding to own.

Best Game of all Time
This game is like rush hour except a heck of a lot better. This game is so much fun. Me and my family sit around it and try to figure out the puzzles.

Trains! Trains ! and more trains!
From the creators of Rush Hour, Rush Hour2 and Rush Hour 3 comes Railroad Rush Hour, than train game. Binary has come up with yet another thinking game and another great time.

Given 40 cards, from beginner to expert, and 10 junior cards, for those under 8 years old, you'll spend hours trying to get you train out the maze and to the station.

The game includes a cloth holding sack for easy storage and travel, making this the perfect home, road or away game. Kids and parent will both enjoys the hours fun.

I like the idea of the platform blocking pieces moving in any direction, this adds the strategy. Also this gift is priced to fit any budget and makes a great gift for the hard to buy for. Congratulations Binary Arts on a job well done! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Must for Simpsons Fans
As you can tell from the picture, this puzzle is a picture of any of the Simpsons characters from the television show. Some characters appear more than once (but only a couple of them).

The illustration is really quite nice and it is fun to try and identify the characters and their episodes. Because of the scope of the show, not every character is here but there is a good chance that your favorites will be here.

My only real trouble with the puzzle was that many pieces were not cut through completely. Leave them together, the thin puzzle stock is not sturdy enough to force them apart. The front or back will peel.

Other than the problem above, the puzzle was fun to put together and its lack of large objects made almost every piece a challenge. It provided several hours of fun. ... 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