Editorial Review

Preschoolers have an endless fascination with constructionvehicles of all kinds. This wooden peg puzzle has nine laminated woodenpieces with pictures of seven different vehicles, a house underconstruction, and a collection of tools. The puzzle pieces have tiny redpegs for easy grasping. The same pictures that are on the pieces arealso laminated on the board, making it easy for little ones to placepieces when reassembling the puzzle. The wooden puzzle frame has roundedcorners and measures 8.5 by 12 inches. --Marcie Bovetz ... Read more

Reviews (4)

My son LOVES these puzzles!
These durable, well-constructed wooden puzzles are a big hit with the 18 months + crowd.I believe my son's love of trucks started with this educational puzzle.The pieces are easy for little hands to grasp with the attached pegs, the puzzle is easy yet developmentally sound for toddlers and definitely worth the money.Do yourself a favor though--get a puzzle holder if you plan on purchasing a few of these types of puzzles...

This is a very nice learning toy
We purchased this for our sons, after finally finding it @ Toys'R'Us.

The toy is beautifully hand-made -- as well as perfectly put together, however, it does chip very easily...

Being that usually a child, as young as 1 1/2 will begin using puzzles, if interested; I think they should coat the puzzle a little better to avoid the various bumps and scraps it might encounter..

Other then the slight chipping after less than a month, it is a very nice puzzle, which is actually easier for our kids to play with then the regular flat puzzles...I think it was a very good idea for motor skill improvement...

nice, smooth, durable puzzle
This is a nice puzzle, but I perfer the Jumbo Knob Puzzle Farm. The Jumbo Knob Puzzle has a knob instead of a peg and it is easier for little children to grasp.

This puzzle will do just fine though, .... The edges are smooth and the base of the puzzle is thick enough that it is not going to break. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Baby and Infant    2. Toddler    3. Activity    4. Puzzles    5. Easy Puzzles    6. Wood    7. Pegged    8. Construction Vehicles    9. Preschool    10. Learning   

Subjects:  1. Learning    2. Time    3. Toddler    4. Activity    5. Shape Sorting    6. Push and Pull Toys   

Subjects:  1. Preschool    2. Puzzles    3. Jigsaw Puzzles    4. Easy Puzzles    5. Animals    6. Dinosaurs    7. Activity   

Reviews (1)

Great game
I didn't buy this as a 2 pack. I only have the what goes together game but my son loves it. i got it for him when he was two and we still play it weekly. I'm going to order this so that I can get the shapes and colors game and plan on giving the other game to a toy drive for christmas. It's a great game to have one on one time with your child and also a game they can play alone. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Preschool    2. Games    3. Learning    4. Board Games   

Reviews (2)

Wait a little
My advice: Wait untill your child is familiar with the Manual controls, than get a battery-powered set/train.

I'm pretty much HOOKED on Thomas! This is pretty cool if your bored with the do-it-yourself thing. I advice a strong battery. You can add expansion packs too. Overall 5 stars

Can't Imagine Not Having the Battery Powered Engine
Word to the wise ... use a new battery.The engine has a hard time pulling the coal car on the hills without a strong battery.

My nephew loved playing with the train set.I purchased the figure 8 set, along with the bay bridge and some additional tracks ... and I still wanted more!He seemed to be thrilled with what he had.

He even used his Lego cars to drive on the ground over the railroad tracks.I can't wait until Christmas so I can buy him some additional sets to connect to this one. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Preschool    2. Puzzles    3. Vehicles    4. Wooden Train Sets    5. Trains    6. Train Accessories   

Subjects:  1. Preschool    2. Puzzles    3. Wood    4. Pegged    5. Learning    6. Toddler    7. Baby and Infant    8. Hand-Eye Coordination    9. Activity   

Subjects:  1. Preschool    2. Puzzles    3. Floor Puzzles    4. Jigsaw Puzzles    5. Easy Puzzles    6. Toddler    7. Activity   

Subjects:  1. Puzzles    2. Floor Puzzles    3. Learning    4. Activity    5. Blocks   

Subjects:  1. Preschool    2. Puzzles    3. Vehicles    4. Trains    5. Train Accessories   

Editorial Review

Toddlers get a tactile treat with this wooden, four-piece pet menagerie puzzle.The cheery gray tabby cat, orange dog, and white rabbit all come with soft patches of furon their backs. (Unfortunately, the wooden parrot piece was left out of the sensoryfun--it comes with no feathers.) The challenge is for children to first match the pieces with thepicture in the slots and then fit them in correctly. The puzzle shapes don't sink all the wayinto their slots, and instead stay slightly raised, so they are easy for little hands to graspand lift. The careful handcrafting is evidenced in the brightly painted pictures and cleanlysanded edges. --Hannah Reynolds ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Activity    2. Baby and Infant    3. Preschool    4. Puzzles    5. Toddler    6. Wood    7. Pegged    8. Learning   

Reviews (1)

Neat concept but too easy from the top
The idea of this box is very neat.You can put little things inside and then it is a game for the child to learn the locks and get in it.But, why bother?The two doors on the top have no latch or lock and just a little finger size notch to pull them open (see the second photo).They were easy enough to discover by my 2 year old and so he lost interest in the other locks and latches.Plus, if I were to have designed the box I would have put a divider inside to have more then on compartment since there are so many doors.I did see one similar but made by another company with a divider inside at a discovery store after I bought this one. It does state for 3 years and up so I guess I will put his away and see if he likes later.Too bad! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Learning    2. Puzzles    3. 3-D Puzzles    4. Activity    5. Wood    6. Foam Puzzles    7. Jigsaw Puzzles    8. 100-999 Pieces    9. Pegged   

Reviews (1)

Awesome teaching puzzle
I bought this for my son (age 3 1/2) about 2 weeks ago.He has played with it non-stop everyday for the 2 weeks.He really likes to take out one piece - put it back in and hear the fire engine sound.I like it as a parent beacause when you take out all the pieces you still have the picture underneath, so the children can remember where to put the pieces.It's next step up. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Preschool    2. Puzzles    3. Wood    4. Pegged    5. Learning    6. Toddler    7. Baby and Infant    8. Hand-Eye Coordination    9. Activity   

Editorial Review

This boxed set of four puzzles deserves rave reviews. Each of the 6-by-8-inchdinosaur pictures is vivid, colorful, and well-detailed, making them a pleasure to behold.(For instance, the triceratops is shown standing in front of a gorgeous cascadingwaterfall.) But more significantly, this set is a pleasure to hold--each woodenpiece is smooth, well-sanded, and has a glossy, protective coating over the picture. Infact, Waldorf educators believe in offering young children these kinds of high-quality,beautiful toys made of natural materials because they are so satisfying to touch and workwith. Don't worry about getting the pieces to different puzzles mixed up. Each piece hasa coded symbol on the back, so children can easily sort and put them in the rightcompartment. --Hannah Reynolds ... Read more

Reviews (7)

if your child loves dinosaurs...
This is a great toy!My son loved dinosaurs and puzzles, so this was the perfect toy.He would do them again and again.He was only 3 years old when he received it for his birthday and only recently stopped playing with it(he is turning 6 next month).

Fun and Durable
These are just great.Four 12-piece puzzles made out of very durable materials (see Pros below).The sturdy wooden box has four compartments under a sliding lid.Each of the four puzzles are theme related.These four are Triceratpos, Stegasaurus, Pteranodon, and Allosaurus.

Pros:
Easy but not too-easy puzzles.
Pieces fit well together.
Nice pictures.
Sturdy container.
Each puzzle has a different shape printed on the back to make sorting the puzzles easier.
Super durable.I did not realize just how durable they were until I found a piece in my dishwasher.Even after being washed the picture was fine and the wood in perfect condition.

Cons:
It may take a few moments to figure out how to fit an entire puzzle's pieces in a single compartment.
Lid does not lock closed.

My kids love these and you will too.

Great for fine motor skills and busy young minds
The company gets kudos for stamping different symbols on the back of puzzles to help adults sort the four puzzles apart. This toy is fantastic and will likely be done over and over again with plenty of wonder each time. Only complaint is that pieces sometimes stick together and eager hands may apply too much pressure. We know they will eventually break, but the price is tremendous given the amount of attention the puzzles have commanded. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Jigsaw Puzzles    2. Preschool    3. Puzzles    4. Floor Puzzles    5. Wood    6. Pegged    7. Dinosaurs    8. Learning    9. Activity   

Subjects:  1. Puzzles    2. Wood    3. Pegged    4. Learning    5. Toddler    6. Activity   

Subjects:  1. Learning    2. Time    3. Toddler    4. Activity    5. Shape Sorting    6. Push and Pull Toys   

Reviews (4)

2-yr. old daughter LOVES matching 3D dinos to photos
What a neat puzzle!My brother sent it for our daughter as a surprise and we all love the puzzle.Our 27-mo. old daughter adores dinosaurs and especially loves matching her 3D plastic dinosaurs to the pictures in this puzzle (we've left the plastic on for now so she can do this with ease).The colors are great and the dinosaurs depicted in a life-like (but not scary) manner.There are 13 different dinos pictures and they are all clearly labeled in the B&W picture that comes on a sheet on the back of the puzzle.Wonderful product.

Excellent puzzle but quality could be better
My son is nuts for this puzzle, which he got when he was 3 1/2 and is still nuts about at age 4. It's got so many different dinosaurs that it's very visually engaging. He never bothers to look at the "completed picture" to do puzzles so it didn't bother him that there isn't a color picture of what the puzzle should look like, just a black and white drawing.
However, the very first time he played with this one of the pieces split slightly and the paper came off. A few days later another piece did the same thing. They need to use a higher quality plywood. However, he's been playing with it like crazy and none of the other pieces have split.

Great toy for parent and child interaction
I got this puzzle as a gift and it is the perfect size for a 3-4 year old.I find the small puzzles too easy and the really big ones too hard.He needs help on this puzzle, but can do a majority by himself.I would recommend this to any parent who likes to sit down and have a small project to do with a child. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Pegged    2. Learning    3. Activity    4. Jigsaw Puzzles    5. Easy Puzzles    6. Dinosaurs    7. Preschool    8. Puzzles    9. Wood   

Editorial Review

Lift the pieces in this sturdy wooden puzzle to reveal the animals hiding underthe colorful farm scene. A barn, a truck, a chicken coop, a haystack, a wagon, and busheshide a collection of animals, including pigs wallowing in the mud, chickens roosting, acat perching up high in the barn, and a cow waiting to be milked, plus a horse, dogs, andducks. Assemble the puzzle again to put everyone away until the next game of peekaboo.This is a terrific puzzle for the very young--each of the approximately 1.5-by-3-inchpieces features a grip knob to help maneuver the pieces into place. --Richard Farr ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Wholesome fun for kids starting at age one!
I bought this puzzle when my firstborn was one year old and he has loved playing with it as has his little brother. There is something very appealing (and wholesome) about kids loving farm animals...even those living in the suburbs with no farm in sight.

As with all the wooden peg puzzles from this manufacturer, the quality is high and they are very durable. The key to this brand, unlike others in same price range, is that the photo is idential underneath as on the piece itself. This is key for one year olds and even two year olds to master using the puzzle. I have seen both my kids struggle when 1 or 2 with different puzzles that are blank underneath or worse, show a different scene under the piece than on the piece.

I think it is wise to start off right at age one with the wooden peg puzzles as a plaything. My kids also play with the pieces separately from just making the puzzle. After they've mastered matching the piece and fitting it in, usually when they are around 2 they can do the different puzzles that don't have the image underneath.

Doing matching exercises and fitting these pieces into their proper places aids with hand eye coordination and thinking skills. Every child should have several of these puzzles of their own to play with.

The puzzle holder by this manufacturer is very useful to store the puzzles when they are not being played with and I highly recommend that as well.

This is a great gift for any holiday!

Never too young for this puzzle
The smallest piece is about 1 1/2"x2 1/2". The pegs are not removable even by hands of adults. The company guaranteed non-toxic and child-safe(age 2-4) on the back of this toy.
The board and puzzle pieces are thick and very durable.
The pictures are colorful and cute. Children show an interest in the farm animals in their early age. I think you can teach these animals to babies and show them how to fit the piece in the spot even they can't do it themselves. My son is 24 month old, and it's too easy for him. He still play but just to show me he can do it. I recommend to children, age 12 month and maybe younger with parent's supervision to prevent from choking just in case. The younger children will need your help to play with this toy anyway.... You might be able to find a bargain.

High quality puzzle that lasts
I got this puzzle for my girl's first birthday. She loves it. It is a very high quality toy that should last forever. The animals pictures are very colorful and well painted. She still chews on everything, but has not been able to damage this puzzle in any way. The pegs really help her pick up the peices and set them down (not in the right place yet), and the pegs are not removeable like I was worried about, but are buried deep in the wood and are very safe. I highly recommend this puzzle for all children over a year old. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Puzzles    2. Easy Puzzles    3. Learning    4. Preschool    5. Animals    6. Wood    7. Pegged    8. Baby and Infant    9. Toddler    10. Activity   

Subjects:  1. Puzzles    2. Wood   

Reviews (2)

Great concept, needs refinement
I love Melissa & Doug toys and this one is a great concept.The patterns (that you copy with beads on poles) are on sturdy wood and vary in difficulty.However, there are lots of different bead shapes, and the pictures are sometimes hard to follow -- the oval bead looks a lot like the cylinder bead, blue looks like purple, etc.I found that I had to figure out what bead each picture was supposed to represent (not easy), teach that to my son (3 yrs), and THEN let him copy the patterns.

great toy, great gift
As a teacher and mom of three, I was very happy with this toy.The kids enjoy handling the chunky beads.It can easily be adapted for toddler through kindergarten.I love all the Melissa and Doug toys. They are easy to store away for a rainy day or something special to pull out when the babysitter arrives. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Learning    2. Time   

Reviews (15)

Alphabet Art Puzzle ~ I Recommend for 18-Months and Up.
In shopping for puzzles over the last few years I've noticed that the manufacture's age recommendations seem to be a bit off.When puzzles are too advanced, the simple solution is to put it up for a later date; however, when they are too simple, they're a waste of money.Unfortunately, the Alphabet Art Puzzle was one of those disappointments.

The puzzle encourages thinking, and matching, but I'm not sure it helped to teach the alphabet.In addition, some of the images are too goofy for this age group.For instance, a piece of Rope is shaped into the letter "R," but a 3-year old don't associate with such a thing.Another example of this, is the letter "Y" for Yarn.Wouldn't a Yo Yo be a better solution?The raised pieces do offer a new motor challenge from plastic knobs, but they are too shallow for the board.I can't seem to move this puzzle without dropping several pieces on the floor.My son found this frustrating as well.

What's more, I think the age recommendation needs to be adjusted.I purchased the Alphabet Art Puzzle when my son was 2-years and 4-months old.It's recommended for children 3-years and up, so I thought it would make a good choice.It didn't challenge him at all.The second time he worked it, he completed it in less than 4-minutes by himself.That said, my son has benefited from the puzzle.He likes working it, and continues to ask questions about the pictures.I recommend it for children 18-months and up, as they will find it more challenging than a 3-year old.

A really terrific puzzle!
This puzzle is one of my favorite gifts to give all the youngsters in my life.I've given it as a shower gift, a birthday present, and a Christmas present, and the kids have all loved it.It has held up very well, even with a few pretty destructive types. It's very visually engaging, and most kids can figure out what most of the pictures represent. Only a few are tricky.Overall, I highly recommend this puzzle!

Great learning tool
My now 2 year old began playing with this puzzle (which was handed down from his old brother) when he was about 12 months old.By the time he was 15 months old, he knew all his letters! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Puzzles    2. Learning    3. Alphabet    4. Preschool    5. Jigsaw Puzzles    6. Easy Puzzles    7. Shapes    8. Wood    9. Pegged    10. Activity