Melissa & Doug USA Map Sound Puzzle - Wooden Puzzle With Sound Effects (40 pcs)

Even though this puzzle is intended for children, it has another use. My blind mother wished she could remember the placement of all of the states. She said "If only they made a puzzle-like product that had all of the states which would talk when you pressed each state." I searched and searched through all the catalogs of products made for visually impared people and found nothing. Then a friend showed me the Melissa & Doug USA Map Sound Puzzle she had bought for a child. Wow! This was exactly what I was looking for.My mom found the puzzle easy to use and has spent hours with it. The voice is loud and clear. So far, she has been able to remove each piece, listen to the information, and replace it without getting "lost". The only negatives for this kind of use is that the intended use is to take all the pieces out, then put them back one-by-one. For a blind person, you have to take each piece out separately and put it back before taking the next piece out. Getting an inland state out can be a bit difficult. Also, some of the smaller states are grouped into one piece, so a blind person only can tell that the states are grouped, but can't tell how they relate geographically to each other.For its intended use as a child's puzzle, it would work fine. Just make sure your child is over the age where he or she would try to swallow a piece. They are small and can be a choking hazard.

This was purchased as a birthday gift for our 5 year old grandson. A great way to learn about geography, the states, their capitals and main attraction. He and his parents travel frequently, and this puzzle gives him a better understanding of where these locations are in relationship to each other. Highly recommended.

This puzzle is everything I hoped it would be. The sound function is great. Works really well for how many pieces there are! One thing to know: it doesn’t function perfectly in low light, so if it seems like it’s broken, don’t despair, just move to a sunnier spot. My kids are fond of this puzzle and have learned a lot more from it than the regular floor puzzle map that we have.

Love this map but wish it came with cover. The pieces fall out easily when you turn on. It does fit in a 2 gallon plastic bag but doesn’t zip. Hope my granddaughter likes it!

Great for toddlers but wish it had grooves on the base. You have to keep the pieces still for the surrounding ones to fit properly. Not great for little hands without help

Would rebuy

I bought this for my 5 year old Grandson Korey and my 9 Year Old Grandson Jaxon! It was very educational! They liked putting puzzle together and seeing Michigan- Capital Lansing or South Dakota- Bismarck or Wisconsin- It also tells what each state is famous for- examples Maine- Lobsters- Georgia- Peaches!

I wanted to love this puzzle. I have never been disappointed in Melissa & Doug products before. They are so refreshing in the toy store full of plastic crap these days. But I didn't love it. I am actually returning it. You can't send a talking puzzle to Georgia and the state of Georgia not function! Nevermind the fact it was connected to South Carolina (many states came connected to others, especially in the small New England states) but the sound didn't function at all on the state of Georgia and a few others as well. That alone made me decide to return it. Besides the sound not working it just wasn't what I expected. The pieces don't fit down into the board so if the board moves or tilts your pieces go everywhere. Pretty disappointing for a Melissa & Doug product.