My 3 year old absolutely loves puzzles. He's so busy and active, but the minute a puzzle comes out he is determined and focused. I have bought many puzzles and have found Melissa and Doug makes the best puzzles, this one being no exception. Here are a few thoughts:
-Pieces: These pieces are large, sturdy and fit together well. I've found that cheaper puzzles have pieces that don't slide together easily or they come slightly bent so they come undone with barely any movement. These pieces are thicker than standard, so they slide together and stay there. With other brands sometimes my son will have the piece in the right place, but since they either are too hard to put together or don't slide together easily he'll think it's not right and put the piece back. He doesn't have that problem at all with these. The puzzle pieces are also finished with the shiny material on both sides, meaning it's not straight brown cardboard on the bottom. This is definitely a sign of a little better quality!
-Design: My son is obsessed with trucks, fire trucks are towards the top of his favorites (right after diggers and school buses). This was done very nicely. The puzzle basically has three horizontal rows, except where the wheels are, there's an extra piece deep there. It makes it easy to work on it systematically, top down, bottom up or side to side. It has some nice cues to help, such as the green stripe on the bottom, the rope in the middle pieces and the pipes on top. My son just turned 3 and can do this puzzle by himself (if I sit down with him and encourage him to continue when he gets frustrated).
-Size: For some reason have a giant puzzle definitely adds to the cool factor. It just looks awesome when it's finished!
Overall, I highly, highly recommend this puzzle. It's one that should last for a long time and definitely holds my sons attention. If you're in the market for puzzles I love these for on the go Melissa & Doug Vehicles 4-in-1 Wooden Jigsaw Puzzles in a Storage Box (48 pcs) . We take them for my son to play with when my older daughter has basketball games. I also love these Melissa & Doug African Plains Safari Wooden Jigsaw Puzzle With Storage Tray (24 pcs) puzzles. They are excellent quality and have such a handy tray to store and carry them in.
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The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) supports responsible forestry, which is a vital solution to combat climate change. Choosing FSC-certified products – whether furniture, building materials, paper, rubber, or textiles – helps protect forests, wildlife, clean water and supports the Indigenous Peoples, forest workers and communities who depend on them. Choosing FSC-certified products can also help to mitigate climate change by supporting responsible management of the world’s forests. For a better future, choose FSC.
