I sent my husband (aka. Mr.-These-Children-Have-Too-Many-Toys) to Jiffy Lube to get the oil changed in the car, and he came home with this puzzle. What a cool find it was!
This is a 100-piece United States map puzzle by National Geographic. It is made of rubber and is in relief, like some globes. Each state is labeled, as are the state capitols. Elevations are color coded (and bumpy), with a key to the elevations and their colors on the edge of the puzzle.
Although it is 100 pieces, the puzzle is quite small (I measure 12″ x 8.25″). After assembly, it slips right back into its box for easy storage (always a plus with puzzles, they can be hard to store and make a big mess). The rubber pieces fit together easily.
The box says that it is for ages 6 and up. My 6 year-old could probably do this by herself given a lot of time and patience, but so far we have done it together twice as a family. My 5 year-old enjoys helping and is excited when he figures out a fit.
Both my children are in awe of the fact that there are 100 PIECES!!! Wow! The topographical aspect also sparked an interesting discussion, begun by my 5 year-old, of mountains and valleys. Plus, by buying the puzzle, you are supporting National Geographic.
This is a wonderful find that the we all enjoy - adults included!
Now, what I really want to know, is how many times can a grown-up play Candyland without going completely crazy?
Toy Recommendations, educational, family games, puzzle
| 
educational toys, geography, geography toys, homeschool, maps, puzzles, relief map, Toy Recommendations, United States, US map
This clever toy is really a work of art. The manufacturer (The Orb Factory) says: “The multicolored beads represent the many beautiful colors of humanity. As you manipulate this orb, think about the possibility of world peace. The series of seven rings represent the continents and oceans.”
While I would love to imagine that this toy could induce a meditative state in my darlings as they contemplate world peace, I fear that the reality is that they just think it’s cool!
Children can manipulate this wire and bead disk into different shapes or a sphere. Kids aren’t going to take this out at home and play for hours, but it is a good diversion for travel or restaurants and it is small enough to put in your purse.
Adults can’t resist picking it up either. A creative friend of mine actually wears one as a bracelet!
I bought this for my construction-toy loving son for his 5th birthday, and so far it has been a big hit. His 6 year-old sister enjoys it too.
They make “creatures” (this set comes with several different kinds of eyes, wings, and feet), houses, roads, and other complex objects that only a 5 year-old could understand.
The pieces are plastic, but seem very durable. The colors are bright and fun. Everything fits together very easily so no help from Mom is required (a definite plus!).
Kid K’nex is designed for younger children. The pieces are larger than the ordinary K’nex sets (labeled age 5 and up). Amazon lists the recommended age for this set as 36 months - 7 years, and I would say that it is probably pretty accurate.
There are other sets available too. We might be adding to our collection on a future birthday!
We have several Selecta games, and they are all good quality, simple, nice games.
This one, “Grief Zu” in German, “Grab It” in English is fun for younger players. Adults joining in will have to slow down a little.
There are 24 wooden tiles (images are printed and lacquered on to last - not like glued on paper which peels off quickly) and four dice, each side of which depicts a very simplified, silhouette image of one of the tiles.
Players take turns throwing the dice, then all players try to be the first to find and grab the matching tiles. The player with the most tiles wins.
Adults will find this boring, but little ones really seem to enjoy it. Plus it is built to survive a lot of play.
Another great thing is that the picture tiles can be used for sorting or story-telling activities too!
Selecta, Toy Recommendations, brands, games, wood
| creative play, European toys, games, German toys, Selecta, Toy Recommendations, Toy Recommendations, wooden toys
We have an old version of the Maxim Ramp Racer that I found on Ebay about five years ago. It has only four levels and the ramps are straight with no bumps. There is just one “lane,” so only one car can be launched at a time.
My kids (girl, boy, and baby girl) have LOVED this ever since I first got it. The cars go speeding down the track and drop down onto the level below with a satisfying “click, clack.” It is really quite fascinating to watch, and listen to. My only criticism was that it would have been more fun with parallel tracks so kids could really race the little wooden cars to see who wins.
I decided to feature this toy on my blog and searched for it on Amazon only to find - the Deluxe Ramp Racer! This one has five levels, wavy tracks, and two lanes (hooray!) for real racing! I am so excited that I may have to upgrade to this version for our next family birthday.
This toy is all wood, including the cars. Ours has seen some very rough times but has never broken so I can certainly attest to its durability.
Comments (0) 
Themocracy