The response to our Crayola Chalkboard Puzzle continues to be great. Attached is a link to a review from a mom with 2 kids. She included pictures of her kids putting the puzzle together and then playing with the puzzle.

I also had a chance to visit a friend of mine who has 2 boys aged 6 and 3 (maybe 4). I took one of the puzzles with me to their house. I assembled the puzzle with them. Then we all played with it. We had many spirited games of tic-tac-toe. And here is the neat part. As we played the boys decided instead of x's and o'x we should have to draw body parts (ears and elbows) or foods. The puzzle was a vehicle for them to use their creativity. To make jokes. To be silly. They loved it. It was so fun to watch. The 6 year old even told us a story about how he knew to always start in the middle box. A girl in his pre-school class kept beating him. She finally broke down and told him the great secret of tic-tac-toe strategy. His mom and dad had never heard the story. They loved that the puzzle had given him the opportunity to tell them this little fact.

I also had a chance to see why chalk is so great for kids. We left the room for a few minutes. When we came back the 6 year old was very proud. He had drawn a perfect rectangle on the wall and colored it in with the chalk. Now, I do not recommend this as it did give me and the parents a bit of a scare. But the chalk washed off with just a damp rag from the kitchen. No evidence that a little extra creativity had made it to the wall.

I tell this part of the story as an example that I have kids and I am around kids. They do things we wish they would not. So as a person who makes products for kids, I try and recognize these things. That is why I knew chalk was the perfect fit with a childrens puzzle. It would allow them to show off and explore their creative side. And it would give the parents a bit of a safety net if that creativity made it onto a wall. Or a little brother.

Check out the review: http://jamericanspice.blogspot.com/2010/08/its-game-time-lafayette-puzzle-factory.html

And then, if you want to buy the puzzle, visit your local Toys R Us or go on line at Toys R Us:
http://www.toysrus.com/search/index.jsp?kw=chalkboard+puzzle&f=Taxonomy%2FTRUS%2F2254197&s=A-UnitRank-TRUS&f=Taxonomy%2FTRUS%2F2255960&fbc=1&fbn=TaxonomyArts+%26+Crafts+Supplies

In the meantime, keep on puzzlin'!

JP