Melissa & Doug Deluxe 50-piece Wooden ABC/123 Blocks Set Reviews

• Not for chewers-- wood too soft!

  
  By AHC7UHH54KLNM on 2003-06-13
  Although the recommended age is 2 years, I confirmed with the manufacturer that this age recommendation is for the child's interest/educational sake and not safety related. My ten month old loved the blocks and immediately bagan examining each one, as well as tasting them as everything goes in her month at this age. Within minutes, I noticed she had something in her mouth that she was chewing on. The blocks are made from such soft wood that with a little saliva she was able to scrape wood (and ink) off with her teeth! The ink on the side of the block was already smearing with a little saliva, and as I said she was able to scrape off the wood-- enough to chew on! Needless to say, the toy was taken away from her (much to her dismay). I was very disappointed with the quality of this classic styled old fashioned toy.
  
  

• Nice blocks but way too small

  
  By A1N4CUHEMBUUJN on 2003-06-09
  I just received the blocks and although they are nice they are very,very small- only about 1 inch square. I can't believe how tiny they are!!! I didn't even know they made blocks that small, lol.
  
  

• Not my idea of fostering language developement

  
  By on 2003-08-01
  Although these blocks are durable and have the traditional die-cut letters, I am very disappointed in the oversight of what I perceive to be an elementary necessity. The problem with this blocks is that although they have letters and pictures on each block, is that the pictures do not correspond to the letter on the block. I think that it is important for use for years to come to not only have a basic fun and building value, but to be able to foster language development when the time comes. I have a problem with the letter "P" block having a picture of a bee on it, how am I supposed to explain that when the question arises? If you are only going to be using these blocks for a young child and not keep them to teach them as they age, then they serve that purpose, but if you are like me and want them for longevity, then pass on this set.
  
  

• Just like you used to have!

  
  By AYXPMA4H29QCX on 2003-05-30
  These blocks are classic and very sturdy. Of the 50 in the set, 38 are letter blocks. There is a different letter on both sides: the "A" block has "N" on the bottom, etc. Of the 38 there are
  5 A/N blocks
  4 B/O blocks
  2 C/P blocks
  2 D/Q blocks
  5 E/R blocks
  3 F/S blocks
  3 G/T blocks
  2 H/U blocks
  4 I/V blocks
  2 J/W blocks
  2 K/X blocks
  2 L/Y blocks
  and 2 M/Z blocks.

  The other 12 are blocks bearing numbers and the +, -, and = symbols. Happy spelling/building!
  
  

• Not too shabby

  
  By A1SUBTWZZSM81P on 2004-02-03
  What a great little block set! My son, now a year old, received these as a holiday gift, and absolutely adores them. They are much smaller than the originals, but fit in his little hands better, and are easy for him to pick up and carry.

  It doesn't bother me that the block letters don't match the subsequent pictures displayed on each cube; I like the freestyle approach. I also don't plan for him to play with these for the rest of his life; I figure by the time he's really learning his letters and sounds he'll have moved on to more challenging toys. So my current expectation for these little blocks is being met.

  He loves to stack them (and knock them back down again), clang them together, skip them across the hardwood floors, suck on them (haven't noticed any problem with the wood or paint either), and fill pots and pans with them. He loves to put them in the clear case as well, and to dump them back out again.

  Overall, for the ten bucks this is a great basic toy that my son has gotten a lot of mileage from already. I have noticed a big improvement in his gross and fine motor skills already, as he's already stacking them six high and sometimes able to pick up two at a time.

  I'd recommend this toy to anyone with a child a year or so and older. I think the 2 year minimum age is a bit old, actually, and have encountered no safety problems whatsoever in giving them to my 1 year old.
  
  

• Oldie but not a Goodie!!!
  By A34GKGSQU38QUW on 2005-11-12
  I got these blocks quite a while ago, proud of myself for finding these "good old blocks". They SUCK!! The paint was peeling off the first time it got a little saliva on it! The wood itself is very soft and easily destroyed and splintery!! Stay away from the Old Fashion Type Blocks!!!!!
  
  
• OUCH!!!
  By A2TON3Q3UCLH2P on 2005-11-11
  These blocks are, by far, the most painful toy I've ever stepped on. I actually gave the blocks away because of this issue. Since my daughter didn't play with them very much anyway (she just threw them out of the toy box onto the floor) I was guilt-free about my choice.
  
  
• Deluxe Wooden Block Set
  By A13M2OZU0IWFY8 on 2003-02-11
  You can't go wrong with this old favorite. These blocks get so much use!! My son is always playing with them! The only downfall is that they are a pain to put away since they really don't come in a great storage case.
  
  
• Toxic
  By A2ZXCBB3LWHBC5 on 2004-10-26
  I bought these blocks for my child. She licked them and the colors came off. I think they should develop a saliva-proof coloring for their blocks. Also, the licking caused my child to be mocked in kindergarden due to the strange colors of her tongue. This tramatic experience has left her and our family scarred for life. I hate blocks. I'll buy more tomorrow. Good bye.
  
  
• Disappointing
  By AQRM1RW543N9A on 2005-12-24
  These blocks are definitely NOT the classic blocks I had expected. "Deluxe" is not a word I would use to characterize them. They are quite small and the quality is not as good as I had expected.
  
  
• GREAT
  By A1ZEP2HI2V609B on 2004-09-23
  I purchased these blocks for my first son for his 1st Christmas. I now have two boys ages 4 and 2. They both play with these all the time. They have held up great and are not hard to balance when trying to build things. They are great for motor skills and other learning as well.
  
  
• The Perfect Toy
  By A3PWEF11DG8RVJ on 2003-05-02
  These are the best thing money can buy! My son got these for Christmas when he was eight months old and has plays with them daily every since, he is now a year old. He loves to pull them out one by one and toss them around the room. He also loves to stack them and knock them down. When my nieces and nephews come by, they get a kick playing with them too and they are ages 4 to 8. Buy them, money well spent in my opinion.
  
  
• ABC Block Review
  By on 2004-06-24
  I think the blocks are cute and my 20 month old is enjoying building with them, but I was very disappointed that there were only 50 blocks in the set. Why call them "ABC/123 Blocks". The title is very misleading. He is enjoying the small size, as they fit well in his little hands. But I have to order more so we have enough to REALLY build with them. As far as being educational, I don't think blocks, or any other such toy, are necessarily geared for education. I think they stimulate the mind in a creative direction, and help with fine motor coordination, and color recognition. Bottom line - he's having fun with them, and that's great!
  
  
• These are the good kind
  By A1SEZMB625F532 on 2005-04-03
  All alphabet blocks are good, but these are much better than the Imaginarium brand ones. The MYKIDS brand blocks are good too, but the color contrast is better on these. The most crucial characteristic is that a block has different letters on opposite sides, so you have at least two of each letter. There are a lot of words you can't spell when you only have one of most letters, and even if you have enough sets of blocks to compensate, it's still unnecessarily many blocks to look through. And if you aren't spelling words yet, there's still the same-versus-different play, which is sabotaged when you don't have any same. Then there's the spatial-skills aspect: if you turn the H block one way you get the 8, another way you get the U, and so on. These have it right on all criteria.
  
  
• Not worth the total price including shipping
  By AZFW7U4VWHYFB on 2006-02-27
  You might find the same product locally in some stores for the same price so the shipping and handling is an over head .
  
  
• Not what I expected
  By AEWR7DQNRBSYC on 2005-08-18
  My 1 year old daughter really enjoys stacking things. The blocks themselves are OK, but smaller than I expected.
  
  
• Looked everywhere for these blocks
  By A2AVUQV4XDEQ7L on 2005-08-29
  I searched everywhere for some wooden blocks for my son. I was unable to find them until I looked here. The blocks are great!! My 2 year old loves them and so does my 8 month old. After ordering these blocks I found the exact same set at a store but they were $5 more!! What a buy!!!
  
  
• Small blocks with rather sharp edges
  By A11TJ0X2EU367S on 2006-11-03
  I got these blocks for my son when he was 11 months. The 50 blocks come neatly packed in a see through plastic box with lid and cord handle. The alphabets, numbers and pictures are quite clear to see. Alphabets and numbers are in four colours - red, blue, green and yellow. But the pictures are just black against the wood background. There are also + (addition), - (substraction) and = (equal to) signs, which I thought was very nice.
  My son just has to taste everything before even thinking of playing with it. So, in went the blocks! He did manage to scrape some wood and paint off a few blocks, but I must say, these blocks have stood up quite well overall.
  My complaint is about their teeny weeny size; just a cube inch in size. So, they do not initiate stacking, but scattering. Also, the edges are quite sharp. They inevitably come below our feet and trust me, it hurts quite a bit. So I have set up an area in his playroom just for playing with the blocks; but they still seem to find their way onto the living room carpet...just below my feet!
  But, I guess, this is all one can expect at less than $10. I have seen a similar set at Walmart which is around the same price, but has slightly bigger blocks. So first look around...if you just don't find that set, then get this one!
  
  
• Classic Wooden ABC Blocks
  By A17DGIRF15HNCJ on 2003-03-01
  I bought these blocks because they are a return to the days of classic wooden toys. The have a distinctive look and feel and are very durable. They are also a big hit with my wife because they are a snap to clean up in the see-through carrying case
  
  
• Stay away if ur kid is used to throwing stuff
  By A33AO8ULLKW1I5 on 2005-08-15
  I selected this one after reading the reviews here. Liked it very much till my son threw it on me and gave me a bump in my forehead. The blocks' corners are very sharp and it cut my forehead. Otherwise it is very nice.
  
  
• more blocks please
  By A2CYXQOAR1EJRQ on 2007-01-16
  i bought this set of blocks for my 21 month old son for christmas this year & we have played with them everyday since then. he loves the pictures of the familiar things that are stamped on the sides; soccer balls, cats, dogs, trains, trees, sailboats, fruit & many other things. i call out the names of things & he points them out so these are also a great learning tool as well as great fun for stacking, throwing (!) & making noise with. it's only been a few weeks & already the paint is chipping around the edges but that may be because of the particular play we do with them. i build a wall & he rams his thomas train engine into it. they have bright colors, crisp outlines on the stamped black & white images, numbers & letters. they also include the math symbols for addition, subtraction & equal. there is a definate distinction between the 'M'& 'W', zero & capitol O, 6 & 9. the corners & edges aren't completely rounded, but that's not a problem for me or him, yet. ther aren't any words stamped on the blocks, but that's alright. also, there are no small case letters, but that's alright as well, because i plan on getting him a couple of different types of block sets. we don't use the storage case they came in. we use a basket instead because it's easier for him to get them out & put them back. i'm sure when he's older & has more dexterity, he'll use the case. all in all a good product at a good price. a good first block set to have. i'll come back in a few months to give a report on how they've lasted in that time...
  
  
• great birth gift
  By A170I9CO9LDMY7 on 2006-11-08
  this wooden block set is a classic that every new baby should receive. they're the right size for small hands - my kids began playing with them between nine mos. and one year. they can be thrown, stepped on, chewed on and they will just look even better as they're played with. great for learning abc's and 123's. and the greatest thing of all, they only make noise when a tall tower comes crashing down!
  
  
• Very Classic
  By A143CIQ97HZMAI on 2005-02-16
  I love these blocks and they are actually going to be a decorating peice for our baby's room as well. I don't understand the complaints about how the pictures don't correspond. They never have. This set of blocks is the same as it always has been. If you want the letter to correspond buy some flash cards. I can't wait to play with these with my baby.
  
  
• High quality, baby-approved
  By A2OYXR6IY389OY on 2007-01-16
  Wood blocks are a child's toy staple for a reason - kids love playing with them. These blocks are high quality and have stood up to my 11 month-old daughter chewing and drooling on them and banging them together.
  
  Plenty of blocks and good letter distribution for creating sentences or spelling out your baby's name.
  
  
• Blocks Rock!
  By A28PLZK4SC8N27 on 2007-07-19
  I got these blocks for my youngest son's birthday and he loves them. My boy is a tough customer too. These blocks have been put through their paces, and you can believe that. They have stood the test of Brenny-bot and come out a winner! The durability of these wooden blocks (which are just plain classic in the first place) is amazing. No fading or chipping as of yet.
  
  
• TOO SMALL
  By AVYEYDC974DMD on 2007-11-29
  I JUST RECEIVED THESE FROM AMAZON, I HAD NO IDEA HOW SMALL THEY REALLY WERE WHEN I PLACED THE ORDER. IT WAS JUST A DISAPPOINTMENT TO SEE THE ACTUAL SIZE I IMMEDIATELY WENT ONLINE AND REQUESTED AND PRINTED A RETURN LABEL. DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY, THESE REALLY ARE VERY SMALL. THE PLUS IS THAT THEY ARE WOOD, AND ITS SO HARD TO FIND WOOD BLOCKS IN THE STORES. BUT I WILL JUST KEEP LOOKING.
  
  
• Too Small!
  By A3IICYJ0H71JHH on 2008-01-01
  I didn't end up buying this toy online because I wanted to see them in person. I went to the toy store and found that they are so super small! My nearly 2 year old could probably fit it in her mouth if she wanted to. These blocks look very nice, but I can't see how a toddler could get much enjoyment trying to stack them. I'd recommend getting blocks that are at least 1 3/4" big instead of 1". Here is a link for such a product: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000E44QAW
  
  
• Paint comes off
  By A185O1OKRT4M8 on 2008-03-10
  Its very retro and a cute idea, however, after I washed it the first time, the paint started coming off of the cubes. I'm concerned about giving it to my daughter because I don't want her ingesting any of the paint into her mouth.
  
  
• Read the description! The blocks are 1" x 1" (small)
  By A20JHI9SOC93YZ on 2008-04-08
  The description states that these blocks are 1" x 1" - The pictures doesn't indicate what size they are and they don't come in this plastic box that is shown in the picture. When purchasing items from Amazon.com it's important to actually read the "description" part of the page and not rely on the pictures.
  
  
• Paint, wood can be chewed off
  By AKFCEF486KETJ on 2008-07-21
  Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R3D3MBDYAUA1LU Beautiful blocks, but not for chewers. Unfortunately, the wood and paint chips off when babies are teething.
  
  

• Melissa and Doug Alphabet Art

• Melissa & Doug Shape Sorting Cube
• Melissa and Doug 100 Piece Wood Blocks Set
• Melissa and Doug Geometric Stacker
• BRIO Natural Blocks - 50 pcs
• Wooden Take-Along 24-piece Tool Kit