Melissa & DougUSA Map Floor Puzzle - 51 Pieces (2 x 3 feet) - FSC Certified

We love this puzzle!! I actually got it for my teenage daughter and her friends when we discovered their US geography skills were a bit lacking. This puzzle has nice big individual states. The girls had to take it up a notch, and have races. They all know where their states are now!! It is really durable and has held up well!!

I enjoy having my children learn about the USA and we’ve got family in various parts of the country so we’ve traveled a bit for visits. I thought this would be nice for my preschooler to use to visualize where we’ve been. My 3.5 yr old can put this puzzle together on her own fairly well, but we do a lot of puzzles in our house. We’ve put it together 6-8 times now, and here is what I’ve noticed...1. It is a little tough in that the pieces don’t link like a normal jigsaw because they’re shaped like the various states. Essentially they just are flat sides that lay next to each other. Because of this, the pieces can shift around with a wiggly child and that can make it tough getting everything to fit smoothly if your child is impatient.2. The pieces are a cardboard material, like most puzzles. They’re thick enough to be pretty sturdy but because some of the pieces are so long or large I foresee some of these getting bent, particularly with smaller children. I know my daughter held one piece in her hand and pushed it into the couch while leaning on the couch and bent one. Still usable, but not perfect now.3. The size of the pieces and pictures are nice for any age to work with. The areas with smaller states all bunched together are one puzzle piece so you’re not trying to finagle a tiny piece in somewhere.4. The colors and pictures are holding up well so far, but I did notice one piece on the red sign that seems to have some specs of color coming off. See my picture.5. I like that they have a picture of something significant related to that state for most states - a talking point I can have with my child about various items. This picture also gives my child, who cannot read yet, some way of identifying the states without looking at the name. However, note that not all states have a picture. Where the state is too small, they’ve omitted a picture. This is understandable based on space, but a bit disappointing for me because I lose that teaching moment for some states. Overall, not a big deal.6. Being from Michigan, I’m frustrated on what MI looks like. That’s not a mitten! The other states mostly look pretty accurate to their shapes. See some of my pictures for a good view.Overall this is another quality Melissa and Doug product, but is it perfect? No. I’m glad I purchased this, and the kids seem to enjoy it which is what really matters.

Good quality

These puzzle pieces were perfect for a project I put together commemorating a road trip my husband and I took across the country. The size was just right, and the pieces are vey durable. Puzzle arrived nicely packaged and earlier than expected.

Melissa and Doug USA Map Floor Puzzle is an enjoyable puzzle for young children that helps kids learn geography while also teaching them important facts about each state in the nation. This map is made from heavy, thick cardboard and it features individual pieces for most but not all of the U.S. states. Once assembled, it measures two feet by three feet and it offers youngsters a challenge as they try to place each state in its proper place.Education is the name of the game with the Melissa and Doug USA Map Floor Puzzle. Not only do kids get to learn about geography, they also get to learn about each U.S. state in other important ways. To add to the educational experience, Melissa and Doug decided to include the capital of each state and a small illustration of something unique to each state. The small illustration is especially useful because it teaches kids where to place the pieces, thereby helping them learn where each state is located. For example, most youngsters will not know where the state of Washington is located, but a quick glance at the box lets kids know that Washington is the state known for apples. All they have to do at that point is find the piece with the depiction of apples, then place it in the upper left corner of the puzzle.One fact about the Melissa and Doug USA Map Floor Puzzle that might bother some parents and kids is the tendency of the pieces to slide around. They do not interlock, and thus they tend to move around as the puzzle is assembled. I know that some people have criticized the puzzle for this reason, but I find it okay in this instance because it keeps the pieces/states true to form. If the puzzle pieces were interlocking, the individual pieces would not form the shape of a specific state, and it would interfere slightly with the learning experience.Educational toys are great and the Melissa and Doug USA Map Floor Puzzle is certainly a toy that helps kids learn: About geography, about state capitals, and about state trivia. It is true that the pieces tend to slide around and this could lead to frustration, but this is still a fun toy nonetheless that will satisfy most children and parents alike.

My son loves it. He’s played with it nonstop since receiving it. Easy to put together. Quality is good. He was a little disappointed all states didn’t have their own piece but that’s ok.