Melissa & Doug Underwater Floor Puzzle - 48 Pieces

I bought this puzzle and the farmhouse puzzle for my 2.5 year old. I later added the floor puzzles for the dinosaurs and firetruck. I happen to think my daughter is pretty bright so I bought her this puzzle even though the age range starts at 3 years old. I would say that, of the bunch, my daughter clearly prefers the farm puzzle, however, I won't rate this puzzle negatively for that. The farm puzzle is fewer pieces (36 pieces) and the objects in the puzzle are separated out a bit more so it's easier for a child to identify it's proper placement, also the objects in the puzzles are more distinct from one another in that fishes can look like fishes whereas a cow does not look like a pig. Anyhow, this puzzle is very beautiful and bright. It does have some parts which are easier for the younger audience to discern such as the killer whales, sharks, and dolphins. Once you start getting into the reef and smaller fishes, it becomes more challenging. As I mentioned, I don't think this is necssarily a bad thing for this puzzle as the stated age range is 3 and up, so I won't rate it down for the fact that a 2 year old has a tougher time with it, but I just wanted to let parents know that if you are looking for a puzzle for a younger child, I would say that the farmhouse is great starter puzzle and then the kids can work their way up to this puzzle which is a bit more challenging. It's very durable and I can compare it to another brand (with the thomas puzzle) and the pieces on this puzzle are much thicker and durable and lock in place better. I think even though my daughter has to grow into this puzzle a bit more, I think it will provide a good bit of challenge, stimulation for some time to come.

I like it. My children were thrilled.

Puzzles are SO good for teaching children how to figure things out--without them realizing they're actually learning something. I love Melissa and Doug puzzles because the quality is thru the roof. The picture I've attached shows how my 5-year old granddaughter goes straight from one to the other and has such a sense of satisfaction.... always wants me to take a picture. Don't tell the sweet girl she's doing the 2nd one upside down! Hahah! She'll figure it out and laugh at herself. She makes sure she has the "map" to go by at first but later she'll be doing this without it and being so proud.

Our 3.5 year old daughter loves puzzles. She's been good at them from a young age, preferring these types of puzzles (for floor or table) over the simpler puzzles that fit into the wooden trays (though we have lots of those too). She'll put together three or more puzzles in a row, covering the living room floor, and then wants to keep them out so everyone can see. A couple of months ago I decided to get a few new puzzles, including some 60-puece puzzles, to get her working towards smaller piecesl sizes and higher piece counts. (She has her eye on a 100-piece one she wants, but she's not quite there.) I wasn't planning to buy a 48-piece puzzle until I saw this one. She's been interested in ocean life books and zoo exhibits, so I ordered this. She was excited when it arrived and wanted to do it right away. As it turns out, this is tougher than some of the other Melissa and Doug 48-piece puzzles. There is less color differentiation and some of the same coral patterns appear in multiple places. This is a good thing -- a bit more challenge in the design, with the large sturdy pieces that are so easy for her to handle. She puts this together a couple of times a week, and is getting faster. I love to watch how her brain works, figuring out how she's going to get it together. Our next puzzle purchase will probably be 60 pieces or more, but I'm sure this will stay in the rotation. (Plus our younger daughter is wanting to "help" with puzzles, so this one will eventually work for her as well.)

My 6 year old loves these puzzles. They are just the right size for him to feel like he did a big kid puzzle on his own and they take anywhere from 20-30 minutes to complete. He's learning to pick out corners, edges, and separate color piles, so it's really a nice indoor activity that grabs his attention and gives me time to get dinner going or even to help put it together with him before bed/no screens. Wish there were more!

Captivating and detailed images that capture the attention of little explorers. The vivid and bright colors make the image even more attractive and fun to assemble. The material quality is decent, though it would have been more durable if it were made of wood, to withstand a child's small hands better.

Really nice good quality puzzle. 5 year old went right to it and really enjoyed the challenge and the picture.

My daughter really enjoys these Melissa and Doug puzzles! This is our third one. The underwater theme is beautiful and the puzzle is more challenging than the solar system puzzle of the same brand we purchased recently. The reason it takes her longer to complete is that the solar system was very color obvious - the planets had pieces obviously close together in location. Here you have to match up the sea animals first to make headway since it’s a dark underwater scene with a lot of dark blues. Then compare it with the picture on the box to find out where they belong. (In that vein, I wish they could give the full picture in large on the box so the child can easily know where things belong. As it stands you have a small box on the lower left that guides you. The actual image on the box in large is blown up and covered by the little picture in the corner.) Super fun, and a good challenge. Highly recommend for ages 3 to 6!! Melissa and Doug offer great quality trusted toys and she loves their puzzles.