Hi! Where can I find GOOD puzzles for 3 1/2 year olds?

My kids received puzzles for Christmas which were a HUGE hit. I LOVE watching them do these, knowing they are good for the brain too. They are the wooden jigsaw puzzles, with a tray, by Melissa and Doug. Pet scene, farm, and dinosaurs....pretty much the only 3 that company makes for this age group.

I also have Lauri foam puzzles which are sort of easy for them now, so I need like for ages 4+. I am not a fan of those big 6 piece ones that come in a cardboard tray, and the pieces are just hard to even tell where they go.

I may have to try those floor puzzles in a box, but they aren't as durable (cardboard, no tray). I am also wonder how it will be without a tray to work on, and just using the floor and starting out by finding all the corners. I'm sure they'd get it after a bit, but I know they aren't as "fun" for this age.

Any ideas?

Nancy
Proud mommy to:
Julia, Kyle, Brandon (7/1/00) and
Gabrielle (9/8/05)

Hi Nancy,

Don't know if this is of any help to you, but here in Australia we have a puzzle company that makes wooden puzzles. I take them in a poster or a calender picture that the kids really love and they put in onto wood for me and cut it into as many pieces as i want. We started with bigger pieces and now have progressed to 100pce from a calender size picture. My guys are older than yours but they love them.

Sharon

Sharon mum to Aimee 14, Taylah, Christopher and Matthew 10

Hi Nancy,

I did a search for you and I found this website called "My Hobby Place" it had quite a good selection on those wooden jigsaw puzzles. I'll try to attach the link:

http://www.store.yahoo.com/myhobbyplace/puzzles.html

I'm not sure how the prices compare to others. We always get puzzles as presents so I've never even paid attention to what a puzzle costs anymore. Hopes this helps. I thought they had alot of neat stuff.

Kris & Co.
Nicknamed "Supermommy!" (by DH) to 4 super kids:
(B)Schuyler-7
Spontaneous Triplets born @ 33wks 5-18-99
(G)Katrena-4
(G)Kourtney-4
(G)Kerisa-4

........... Kris & Co. ...........

Another good tip for boxed puzzles...

-Cut out the top/picture part of the box and put in the zip lock bag.
-Number your puzzles... (for example: put a number on the bag AND put that same number on the back of each piece) that way when/if one piece is misplaced and found again you already know which puzzle it goes with, with out having to guess or do all of the puzzles.

Susan
Wife to Justin
MoM to Kimball, Karissa, & Kelsey (11/00 @ 34 weeks)

MoM bgg-7,g-2 and, ?-due August 5th