droolicious : puzzle

Lion Animal Puzzle By Naef

Lisa Estall — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 19:51:00 GMT

I just found out from my son's daycare teacher that he has been completing 25 piece puzzles. That means he might like this Lion Animal Puzzle by Swiss company Naef.

These cubes are durable and covered with non-toxic finishes.

See the cat Naef animal puzzle featured here at Droolicious last year. This puzzle is $98 and sold at Babygeared.com.

Droolicious Shopping Guide: Melissa & Doug Wooden Puzzles

Nicole Feliciano — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 02:30:00 GMT

Educational toys don’t have to be dull. If you need proof, set your kid down with a Melissa & Doug wooden puzzle. There’s something about the substantial feel of wood that settles kids down and encourages them to test their problem solving acumen without any tantrums.

No, it’s not all about stimulating the brain. These puzzles are also a whole lot of fun (makes sense that Melissa & Doug is celebrating 20 years in the biz). Even creepers and crawlers can get into the action with the Jumbo Knob Puzzles. Little hands can grasp onto the chunky knobs to pull the pieces out and try to jam them back in.

A classic pick is the Barnyard Animals Jumbo Knob Puzzle ($9.99). Three barnyard friends live in the red barn. Babies love the enticing colors and friendly animals. And surprise! Colorful matching pictures appear underneath each piece.

Pros: With only three extra thick pieces, it is easy to keep this set complete.
Cons: Knobs make this item hard to store.
Best for: Age 1+

Ballerina Dress-Up Mix 'n Match Peg Puzzle: Peg puzzle for toddlers. ($7.99)

Pros: Puzzle also serves as a dress up toy.
Cons: Some of the dresses are a tight fit for the slots.
Best for: Girls 2+

Vehicles Jigsaw Puzzles in a Box: Classic jigsaws in clever packaging. ($11.99)

Pros: Four wooden, 12-piece puzzles offer longer-term amusement.
Cons: 48 pieces to keep track of.
Best for: 3+

Fishing Magnetic Puzzle Game: Magnetic puzzle toy. ($9.99)

Pro: Develops fine motor skills and can be turned into a “take turns” game.
Cons: No color underneath the pieces—just plain wood.
Best for: 3+

United States of America Sound Puzzle: Announces the capital with correct placement. ($24.99)

Pros: We never could remember the capital of South Dakota (it’s Pierre)
Cons: AAA batteries not included.
Best for: 5+

Catching Butterflies is Easy: Can You Put One Together?

Heather Kuldell — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 03:04:00 GMT

Puzzles are something parents buy hoping their kids will put them together. For little kids, however, the fun lays in taking the puzzles apart. For kids three and up, the ImagiPLAY Alphabet Butterfly Puzzle offers a colorful take on a classic. Letters pepper each piece of chemical-free rubberwood, creating sturdy and safe entertainment.

Available at Wild Dill for $30.

Make Your Own Puzzle

Heather Kuldell — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 22:04:00 GMT

Whether you’re trying to occupy the kids on a lazy Saturday or you have a crew over for a birthday party, Create-a-Puzzle Kits can fill the time. Each kit comes with 12 blank, pre-cut jigsaw puzzles made of heavy cardboard that can be colored on with crayons, markers or even paint. The game makers can take their time coming up with unique images, then swap puzzles and try to put them back together.

For kids under 7 years old, select the “large piece puzzle,” which measures 4 inches by 5 and half inches and breaks down into nine pieces. For older kids, the same size puzzle breaks down into 16 pieces.

Available at Dick Blick for $5.59 for a pack of 12.

Hide n' Peek Chocolate Truffles

Cathy Hale — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 15:00:00 GMT

Featured in the February issue of Parents magazine, these chocolate truffles are not only sugar-free, but also lots of fun.

Smart Snacks Hide n' Peek Chocolates come in six different shapes and filling colors. Your child can enhance memory skills by mixing and matching pieces. Set comes in a heart-shaped storage box. A wonderful Valentine's Day treat for kiddos age 2-5. Shop Learning Resources.

I’m Puzzled by This Rug!

SunnyChanel — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 19:00:00 GMT

This ain’t just your regular Persian rug. Actually, this isn’t a rug at all. It’s a PuzzlePerser, a puzzle modular flooring creation. Now this is a great way to keep your kid busy on a rainy, wintery afternoon. This “rug” is made of 1225 pieces composed of a recyclable mixture of synthetic and natural rubber. It was created by the German designer Katrin Sonnleitner. There isn’t a price on this masterpiece but you can go here to find out more about the piece and email for price, (which is code for “this will be expensive”).

More Than Just A Giraffe Puzzle From KId-O

Chris Ford — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 21:01:00 GMT

My daughter is really into creating and recognizing patterns, and if you've got a young one in your life who is similar, you'll probably want to check this out. The "Noticing Differences - Giraffes" puzzle shows kids the subtle differences between the giraffes. So what's so special?

But the cool thing is it's no ordinary puzzle either. The backgrounds (color background and a puzzle outline) are removable which will vary the degree of difficulty.

Noticing Differences - Giraffes, $19.00 from Kid-O

Puzzimals: Hand Made Wooden Animal Puzzles

Chris Ford — Thu, 08 May 2008 11:08:00 GMT

Puzzimals are wooden puzzles of animals that are hand crafted and free-standing. Most designs have the name of the animal incorporated into them, but the best thing about them is the price.

There are hundreds of designs in just about any animal you can think of, from a rhinoceros (pictured) to a giraffe to a bobcat. You can also get most of the designs as Christmas ornaments. The crazy thing though (to me at least) is the price. Each animal is only $12.00. So for the little animal lover in your life it might make the perfect gift.

Puzzimals, each around $12.00 from the Puzzimals shop at Etsy.com

Droolworthy: Ten Thousand Villages I Love You Puzzle

Mir — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 21:06:00 GMT

There's everything to love about this wooden heart from India: Hand-crafted by artisans in India, the shesham wood puzzle is a heart when assembled and spells out a stylized "I love you" when taken apart. Simple, yet striking, it'll be a lovely nursery decoration as well as a toy as baby grows. It's $18 from Ten Thousand Villages, a certified Fair Trade dealer.

Cubikus Imago Blocks

Karen — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 12:02:00 GMT

I love this simple wooden puzzle from Cubikus Imago. $37.95 at The Wooden Wagon, it can grow with your child: younger ones will be content with solving one face of the puzzle, whereas older ones might enjoy the entire thing.

Toypography is Terrific

Mir — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 18:03:00 GMT

You have to stop whatever you're doing and go check out these Toypography letter blocks. I dare you not to be mesmerized. Each set contains blocks which can be arranged to spell out the given animal's name in both English and Japanese, plus a reasonable facsimile of the animal's outline. They start at about $77 apiece, and I daresay they're probably worth every penny.

[Hat tip: Boing Boing]

Queen of Hearts Puzzle

chrisjordan — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 20:02:00 GMT

The Queen of Hearts Jigsaw puzzle is made of 54 sturdy cardboard pieces that are stored in a castle shaped box.

Playful design is sure to captivate your 4-7 year old, while helping to improve their cognitive and fine motor skills.

Available at Oompa Toys for $15.99

Shape of an Olizoid

Mir — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 16:04:00 GMT

It's building blocks, it's a puzzle: It's the Oliblock Olizoid, 15 interlocking pieces that hang together with the help of magnets. Suitable for children 5+, it looks like something adults will enjoy playing with as well. $18 from Babygeared.