12 Toys of Christmas #7

My last review in my 12 Toys of Christmas feature showcases a product that will keep the kids busy over the festive period.  After the Christmas dinner has been eaten and the Queen's Speech watched,  maybe the family can get stuck in to a fun, quiet activity together.  Many people find jigsaw puzzles very relaxing and will enjoy spending Christmas afternoon indulging in a spot of puzzling.  

I have previously reviewed the Ravensburger 3D Big Ben Puzzle.  It is a 216 piece puzzle that builds up into a 40 cm tall 3D model of Big Ben. With numbered interlocking pieces and hinged corners, the puzzle is well constructed but can be a bit fiddly for younger children to do without any adult help.  These Ravensburger puzzles bring a whole new dimension to one of Britain's favourite hobbies.  The end result is a model that can be displayed or dismantled to be rebuilt at a later date.  Other puzzles in the range include the Eiffel Tower, The Empire State Building and a lighthouse. (RRP £19.99)

These puzzles are suitable for ages 10 and up, so would be a good present for a grown-up as well as an older child.  They definitely are an exciting twist on regular 2D puzzles!

Find out more at Ravensburger.

12 Toys of Christmas #6
12 Toys of Christmas #5
12 Toys of Christmas #4
12 Toys of Christmas #3
12 Toys of Christmas #2
12 Toys of Christmas #1

Ravensburger 3D Puzzle

Puzzling has just taken on a new dimension!  The new 3D Puzzles from Ravensburger fit together to create impressive three dimensional structures.  We were sent the Big Ben puzzle to try out for ourselves.

The 216 plastic puzzle pieces are numbered and slot together in order to construct a 40cm tall replica of  the famous clock tower of Big Ben, London's most popular landmark. The finished structure makes a great piece to display...or pull it apart for another puzzling session.

The pieces are durable and fit together with relative ease.  Hinged pieces click together on the edge to make the model very robust.  The image on the pieces is very clear and of a great quality.  

Numbered pieces

We started by sorting out all the pieces into order.  The numbering on the pieces is however sometimes difficult to read, but we got there in the end.  The first two sections were quite easy to put together, but the final section was really fiddly.  Lots of adult help was required for 9 year old Kizzy to complete this puzzle.  The top section was definitely far too tricky for her to do on her own and caused a bit of frustration.

Fitting the pieces together.

With a lot of help from her 20 year old sister, they completed the puzzle in approximately 1 1/2 hours.  

Big Ben

Excellent Detail

The Ravensburger 3D Puzzles retail for about £20.  They are suitable for ages 10 and up.  Other designs available, include the Empire State Building and the Eiffel Tower.

Silent Sunday