That's why when I saw how Lafayette Puzzle Factory has taken the classic US puzzle to the next level with the Crayola Chalkboard Floor Puzzle, I just had to see it for myself! After all, it won the Creative Child Magazine's Toy of the Year for Puzzles two years in a row! With those kind of credentials, I just knew that Riley would enjoy this floor puzzle.
First, I was very impressed at the quality of the 48 large pieces to this puzzle. They were very sturdy and didn't appear to bend easily. The chalkboard paint on the outside of the pieces also seemed durable and the colors were extremely bold and bright. Because this puzzle was so large and colorful, Riley was drawn to it immediately.
Now, because she's only 22 months old and this puzzle is recommended for children 6 and up, her father and I put it together while Riley helped out by using the included sidewalk chalk to scribble on the map. We all had a very good time putting this puzzle together and it helped her father and I to remember our geography too. This then led us to recall which states we have visited in the past and which ones we still need to see.
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I also thought it was a great idea to make this puzzle more kid-friendly by changing the classic puzzle piece shapes. If you look in the picture above, you can see how these puzzle pieces use basic shapes, such as diamonds, stars and hearts to join themselves together. I've never seen a puzzle like this before and thought that was a very unique concept. Riley even said the word "Texas" for the first time while playing with this!
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In the end, Riley didn't want to give back the sidewalk chalk and put the puzzle away. She really liked the colors and being able to scribble away on the puzzle, as you can see from the picture above. I like how you can use the chalk to plan routes, write state capitals, etc. We'll give this back to her when she's a little older and I just know that she is going to love this US Map puzzle as much as Michael and I did. Also, I couldn't believe that it only cost $12.99, since the quality of it definitely made me think that it would cost around $20 or $30.
Disclosure: I received the Crayola Chalkboard Floor Puzzle from Lafayette Puzzle Factory in order to facilitate my review. No other compensation was received. This product review is based on my own personal experiences with this item and is completely honest and objective. |