Arts and Literature Puzzle Reviews
Buyer reviews for "Arts and Literature Puzzle" sorted by average review score:
Rush Hour
Made by ThinkFun
Amazon base price: $16.99
Honk! Honk! It's gridlock and the little red car can't move. The player is a traffic cop in the Rush Hour Traffic Jam Puzzle where the objective is to get the red car off the road. To play, pick one of 40 challenge cards; solutions are printed on the back of each card. Then set up the cars and buses in a specified pattern on the 6-inch-square road grid. Move the vehicles one by one (obey those traffic laws!) until the red car can escape the traffic jam. There are four levels of difficulty. Kids can alternate turns with another player or just "play in traffic" alone. The game from Binary Arts received a national award from Mensa and is used in elementary school math classes. The design includes clear instructions printed on the sturdy box, which can be used both as a playing tray and for storage. The game cards stow away in a drawer in the road grid. This is a 1999 Parents' Choice recommended toy. --Marcie Bovetz
Average review score: 
No reviews found for this product.
Great "toy"
A great game and a great time!Ever stuck in gridlock? Think you know the easiest way out? Then you are ready to take the challenge of Binary Arts' Rush Hour Game. Beware escaping gridlock is not as easy at it seems.
The directions are simple; setup the game board using the forty game cards, arranged from beginners' skill level to the expert. Move the cars and trucks out of the way and get you red car off the board.
The game is made to have you thinking, and planning strategy is a key to winning. I found myself playing for hours and the more I played the more fun I had. Also since storage is easy this game travels well.
For those rainy days, those family night outings or when friends drop over, you can't go wrong with this game. About the only thing Binary Arts needs now is a thinking game involving aircraft.
A great problem-solving challengeMany of the reviews posted so far say, in one way or another, "I bought this for a kid, but I love it, too." I'm not ashamed to say that I'm neither a parent nor a teacher and that I bought this for myself. (I did buy another set for my sister's kids when I saw how great it was.) I've always liked Binary Arts products, and this did not disappoint. What I especially like, and why I think it's valuable educationally, is that it forces you to identify the root causes of the problem and to map out intermediate goals on your way to a solution. If you like this kind of thinking, you'll enjoy this game.
As others have noted, the packaging is not great because it makes it a little too easy to lose pieces. That accounts for my 4 stars for "durability."
Alphabet Art Puzzle
Made by Melissa & Doug
Age Group: 36 months - 5 years
Amazon base price: $14.99
Average review score: 
No reviews found for this product.
The "coating" over the letters is peeling off...I was surprised that this received such high praise (and glad I didn't pay the retail price). We bought this used but in new condition, and after a few months, the coating on several of the letters is starting to peel off. If you don't put the letters in just right, the corners catch, and I think that's what's causing the damage. At least one of the letters (maybe N for Noodle) jams if put in upside down. And is elbow macaroni really a "noodle"? Not the worst toy out there, but not a five-star item, either.
No reviews found for this product.
A is for AwesomeThis puzzle is one of the best we have found for age 18m - 3.5 yrs. It is now being used by our second child and is in great condition, very sturdy wooden pieces. It is fabulous for learning all sorts of things - the alphabet, hand coordination, new words, and you can use it to play I Spy as well. It's visually appealing as well.
alphabet puzzleMy 3 year old son loves this puzzle. He discovered it in a doctor's office and I had to look until I found him one.
Bonz Velociraptor (Small)
Made by BC Bones
Age Group: 8 - 12 years
Amazon base price: $29.99
Among the smartest of the dinosaurs who roamed the earth 65 million years ago, Velociraptors were also deadly predators who hunted in packs to satisfy their carnivorous diet. Made from Baltic birch, the 62 interlocking pieces in this kit require no hardware or glue to assemble. An excellent exercise in shape recognition and spatial reasoning, assembling the puzzle requires patience and careful attention to detail and, possibly, the assistance of an adult. But the rewards are great as you transform a pile of scattered "bones" into an impressive scale replica of a Velociraptor skeleton. Once the puzzle is assembled, you can leave it standing as a display piece, or disassemble it for future use. A wooden "rock hammer" and sandpaper have been included to aid in the assembly process, but you may pick up a few splinters putting this wooden puzzle together if you're not careful. An educational dinosaur booklet and scientific fact file have been included along with assembly instructions and an excavation site map. Measures 21 inches tall by 36 inches long. --Chris Burns
Average review score:
Great Together-time activity!My 5 year old's grandfather bought this for him and the three of us put it together! He could help identify the major pieces but I had to find the pieces that went together for the most part. He loved tapping on the pieces with the little hammer after I would stick them together to make sure they were together. He keeps it in his room and refuses to take it apart. The only downfall is that the legs easily fall off when it tips over and I have to put it back together. Not a big deal! I plan on getting him the T-rex for Christmas this year!
Amazing and scaryThis is a great toy I may take it from my son and put it in my office. It looks vicious, like it's going to walk over and bite at any second. fun to put together and solid as a rock. Cool wood, too. my son won't let it out his room. it took a while to put together but not too long.
Twin Tangle
Made by ThinkFun
Amazon base price: $9.99
Average review score:
No reviews found for this product.
the tangle keeps you going for hourswhen i first got this toy i didn't know what to think of it. it realy is fun for boring car trips and it also dobles a jewlery. It really is a good thing for using to problem solve. I would recomend this toy to any one. (ecept the kids under 3 because it is a choking hazard.)
No reviews found for this product.
Wonderful puzzle for the curious and energeticThis is one of my favourite metallic puzzles.
Its simple, sturdy and symmetric design made it my figit toy of choice while studying/reading. Each piece is slightly smaller than the palm of your hand making it easy to manipulate even when not paying much attention. The metal is also strong enough to resist malforming in those frustrating moments when you think you've got it, if only you push a little harder...
Its simple, sturdy and symmetric design made it my figit toy of choice while studying/reading. Each piece is slightly smaller than the palm of your hand making it easy to manipulate even when not paying much attention. The metal is also strong enough to resist malforming in those frustrating moments when you think you've got it, if only you push a little harder...
If I had to make a complaint about this puzzle, it would be that it makes more noise than most while playing around with it.
I will definitely be looking into similar puzzles by ThinkFun.
No reviews found for this product.
ToughThis thing comes separated and you have to put it together and then try to take it apart. I put it together in like two minutes. I still, after maybe a year still have not gotten it apart. But, I will keeping trying...
Bonz Velociraptor (Medium)
Made by BC Bones
Age Group: 8 - 12 years
Amazon base price: $59.99
Armed with sharp teeth and powerful claws for dispatching its prey, the Velociraptor was a relatively small dinosaur that relied on its speed and dexterity to become a successful hunter. By assembling the 62 pieces in this wooden puzzle kit, you can create a scale replica of this prehistoric carnivore's skeleton. Made from Baltic birch, the interlocking pieces in this kit require no hardware or glue to assemble. An excellent exercise in shape recognition and spatial reasoning, assembling the puzzle requires patience and careful attention to detail and, possibly, the assistance of an adult. But the rewards are great as you transform a pile of scattered "bones" into an impressive model of a Velociraptor skeleton. Once the puzzle is assembled, you can leave it standing as a display piece, or disassemble it for future use. A wooden "rock hammer" and sandpaper have been included to aid in the assembly process, but you may pick up a few splinters putting this wooden puzzle together if you're not careful. An educational dinosaur booklet and scientific fact file have been included along with assembly instructions and an excavation site map. Measures 29 inches tall by 48 inches long. --Chris Burns
Average review score:
Excellent KitThe kit took a little bit to put together since the pieces fit very tightly. Makes for a nice piece of decoration in my office.
Very coolI bought a large Velociraptor and put it together with my daughter. While I have to admit the puzzle is more a 'guy' thing, it was fun to assemble and looks -very- cool in her bedroom.
I recommend thoroughly drying the pieces before assembly - they fit together with less effort that way.
All in all, this toy is very educational and matched amazon's review as being a good lesson in shape identification. But, being a big kid myself, I really like looking at the piece every day. It's as much art as it is a toy or puzzle.
Bonz Velociraptor (Large)
Made by BC Bones
Age Group: 8 - 12 years
Amazon base price: $99.99
Popularized by its frightening appearances in the Jurassic Park films, the Velociraptor was one of the most aggressive predators that roamed the earth 140 million years ago. You can create a scale replica of this prehistoric carnivore's skeleton by assembling the 62 pieces is this 3-D wooden puzzle kit. The interlocking pieces in this kit are made from premium Baltic birch and require no glue or hardware to assemble. Requiring patience and careful attention to detail, the puzzle kit is an excellent exercise in spatial reasoning and shape recognition. Although younger children may require the assistance of an adult to assemble the kit, the rewards are great as you watch a pile of scattered bones being transformed into an impressive model of a Velociraptor skeleton. Although a wooden rock hammer and sandpaper have been included to aid in the assembly process, you may pick up a few splinters while putting this kit together if you're not careful. Once the puzzle is assembled, you can leave it standing as a display piece, or disassemble it for future use. An educational dinosaur booklet and scientific fact file have been included, along with assembly instructions and an excavation site map. The assembled puzzle measures 42 inches tall by 69 inches long. --Chris Burns
Average review score: 
Pieces Don't Fit TogetherI bought the small version for my nephew, and spent a whole afternoon filing away at the notches in each piece (which were way too tight) so that they could fit together as they should. I had to buy a metal file to do so because the sandpaper included in the set wasn't heavy-duty enough, and even with the metal file, I had to spend so much time making each notch larger that we could only assemble a third of the dinosaur during a two hour session.
Sam's ReviewThis is a very educational product. Even some adults like it.I think this is a great product that kids can use and learn alot from it. Kids who are interested in dinosaurs can use this and they will learn and have fun at the same time.
Art Mosaic Eagle Puzzle
Made by Masterpieces Puzzle Co.
Amazon base price: $9.98
List price: $12.99 (that's 23% off!)
List price: $12.99 (that's 23% off!)
Art Mosaic Tiger Puzzle
Made by Masterpieces Puzzle Co.
Amazon base price: $12.99
Art Mosaic Wolf Puzzle
Made by Masterpieces Puzzle Co.
Amazon base price: $11.99
Bonz Stegosaurus (Medium)
Made by BC Bones
Age Group: 8 - 12 years
Amazon base price: $59.99
Dig this--it's a stegosaurus skeleton you can build yourself! The 60 birchwood pieces in the Bonz Stegosaurus set fit snugly together to form a cool-looking fellow that's 27 inches tall and 44 inches long. It's a challenge to put them all together, but there's help along the way. You get a fact sheet with tips for joining the pieces, sandpaper to smooth rough edges, and a wooden rock hammer to excavate the bones exactly into place. Dino-heads will love the educational booklet that tells all about stegosaurs, velociraptors, and their extinct cousins. --Rob Lightner
His persistence and concentration surprised me, so if your child is having any problems sitting and concentrating on a task, don't be afraid of this toy! But, alas, as with many ADHD kids, he's also been tested as gifted, so he's already run through the first 3 levels and is now nearly done with the expert level - solving puzzles that I can't do! I have to wait until he goes to bed to even get a chance to play! There's 40 cards in the first pack. The beginning levels are pretty easy to remember the solutions, but as you go higher in difficulty, you could probably do the puzzles more than once and still be challenged. But do be prepared to buy the 2, 3, and 4 Gift Pack (a great deal for $12 on Amazon)
I LOVE the fact that you store the cards right in the bottom of the tray. However,I wish that they would put a more permanent kind of cover on the tray. Also, you cannot replace the cover when you are in the middle of a puzzle, the cars have to be in the tray in a certain way in order for the cover to fit properly. But those are extremely minor drawbacks considering the hours of entertainment my son and I have gotten.