If you’ve been a parent or grandparent for any length of time you already know about Melissa and Doug. Educational toy designer and manufacturer, the husband and wife team have been designing puzzles, plush toys, arts and crafts for over twenty years. I recently had an opportunity to test out one of their classic Messlia & Doug wooden puzzles, the Large Farm Jumbo Knob Puzzle which is perfect starter puzzle for one year olds and up. My son who is 14 months was extremely proud to have a puzzle he could navigate on his own, and his big toddler sister was happy to make the animal sounds too. (This was pre-throwing the puzzle pieces and big sis grabbing them while saying her new favorite word…”Mine!”) Educational toys always make me happy, and I could actually see my son’s brain at work trying to put these easy to grab pieces together. Not limited to farm animals, the Melissa & Doug family of knob puzzles also include shapes, vehicles and other fun characters. My own personal future purchase will include puzzle storage as I look for a way to get our growing puzzle collection in order. What ideas do you have for keeping your Melissa & Doug puzzle pieces for “walking away” to never be seen again?
Enter to win the pictured puzzle by visiting their site and commenting back here with your favorite puzzle. Click here to read the contest rules and find out how to increase your chances of winning with extra entry possibilities. Ends 7/15/09. 
