Melissa & Doug Deluxe Wooden Magnetic Pattern Blocks Set
by Melissa & Doug
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List Price: Our Price: $10.38 You Save: $9.61 (48%) Availability: Usually ships in 2-3 business days Category: Toy See more product details |
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Toys and Games Reviews of Melissa & Doug Deluxe Wooden Magnetic Pattern Blocks Set
Customer Review: Very poor quality...many problems!
Summary: 1 Stars
This product is not worth much time (or money) so here's a list of the problems:
1. Poor quality pressed wood magnets smell of formaldehyde.
2. Magnets are topped with colored paper on the pressed wood, which easily chips/scratches off to being white. (straight out of the box with damage to paper layer)
3. Pieces are VERY tiny comparatively to other wooden block brands such as Learning Resources brand - almost all of these pieces in this set are choking hazards.
4. PVC storage bag - I'm not into exposing my child to toxic phthalates through their skin from touching this bag or inhaling the offgassing from this product (endocrine disruptors).
5. Magnet backing can easily peel off and is not cut to shapes well, lots of little black pieces all over the place out of the box.
6. Magnets do not stick as well to board once pattern sheet is placed for use with magnets on board.
7. All pattern sheets are "product art" with animal images, nothing for imagination such as geometric designs, and I do mean absolutely nothing.
8. As mentioned by other reviewers, these blocks are different sized than their counterparts printed on the sheet - this makes for incredible frustration for a preschooler who is desperately trying to make their fish or giraffe match the sheet (constant failure feeling).
Personally, we're going to buy another Learning Resources parquetry set from Amazon instead, it was a zillion times higher quality for learning and design - and definitely worth the few dollars extra for the many more years of use! This M&D set would not last purposefully for more than a week in our home with light use.
Customer Review: Quality lacking
Summary: 2 Stars
Normally, I love Melissa and Doug products, but this one left me very disappointed. The color blocks are not precision-made, and they do not fit together well, as noted in another review. The color tops are not painted on, but merely shiny paper glued on to the top of plain wooden blocks. After 10 minutes of use in the car, one of the hexagon top papers had fallen off. The pieces are made of layers of laminate wood, and several of the pieces were not glued together well. This made the pieces very warped, and fragile. It seems they could pull apart easily. The magnetic stripping on the back of the pieces was not cut well: it either had "tags" on the outer sides of the blocks, so the next piece would not fit right next to the first piece (in addition to the pieces not being precicely cut to fit next to each other), or else it was glued on crookedly on the back of the wooden piece. The frame was poorly made. Overall, I was very unhappy with my purchase.
My kids, ages 3 and 4 really enjoyed playing with it on the way home, and so I really wish this were a better-quality product. They were able to lift up the boards and show me what they were making, without the pieces falling off. However, since the pieces don't really match up, they are not getting the full benefit of working with the pattern blocks that I want them to have. I am in the process of returning this product.
I am sad to see Melissa and Doug's quality go down.
Customer Review: Fantastic toy, but needs different packaging
Summary: 4 Stars
Pattern blocks are wonderful manipulatives for preschool- and kindergarden-aged children. They help to develop fine motor skills and mathematical thinking. This set is wonderful in that the magnetic backing on the blocks helps them to stay put, so a child's creations are not so easily skewed by a random bump. The tray which holds the pattern templates seems sturdy and easy to use. Both my two-year-old and five-year-old have a great time playing with this set.
My one complaint about this particular set is the packaging. The plastic carrying case out-gasses horribly for the first several days, and as it airs out, it really stinks! I would highly recommend putting it outside or in the garage while it out-gasses. I'm not sure what kind of plastic this is, but I wish that Melissa and Doug selected a more earth- and child-friendly alternative to use as a travel case. This one issue is enough for me to give this product just 4 stars. Otherwise, I'd give it 5 stars for being a great, open-ended and educational toy.
Customer Review: Great learning toy but shapes don't fit together
Summary: 3 Stars
I love Melissa & Doug toys because they are educational, innovative and lead-free. However, though this toy is great because of the educational aspect and the magnetics, my son and I were disappointed that the shapes don't align and fit together properly because they have rounded tips. This makes it hard to make the patterns it comes with. If your child would be frustrated because they want it to fit perfectly, then you might consider their other pattern block sets in the wooden box. They have a Beginner one and another one which has more pieces. These have straight lines because they are not magnetic. Here are the links to these two products.
Melissa and Doug Pattern Blocks and Boards
Melissa and Doug Beginner Pattern Blocks
Customer Review: A fun educational toy
Summary: 5 Stars
I purchased this toy for my 3 and 5 year old nephews. I loved the carrying case it came in. They spend alot of time in the car, so that was a big selling feature. The fact that this toy can be used 3 different ways adds to its longevity. For the younger group, you place the picture cards in a slot on top of the magnetic board so that they can match up the tiles with the picture. Both of my nephews had no problem with that. You can also place the card off to the side of the magnetic board and work the "puzzle" like that. Finally there is the option of just creating your own design.
The picture cards are made of heavy card stock. The only thing I would suggest is taking the cards to get them laminated before play starts.
A fun toy that teaches without them knowing, the best kind of educational toy.