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I am in the minority in my own home. Why? I am not a puzzle person.
There’s only one other member of this family who sides with me on this. The rest of them actually sit around, sorting tediously small pieces into nuanced piles, then laboriously poking them into place on some scene … and they call this fun. It’s a “group activity,” I’m told, and “really relaxing.”
I don’t buy it. But then again, none of them are as taken as I am with the sublime art of knitting. (Well, except that one other member who also rather pass on a puzzle.) So I guess there’s something to be said for “to each his own” when it comes to pastimes, right?
At any rate, I don’t especially like puzzles. But my people? My people love puzzles. They will crowd around a table and make short work of anything under 500 pieces, somehow managing to work both independently yet corporately. I am stunned every time; these very same personalities that can’t understand that it’s ok for everyone to click Legos onto a single tower are perfectly happy to have a swarm of hands popping the Great Wall of China together a half inch at a go. Go figure.
This is high entertainment here. As a matter of fact, it’s standard operating procedure for one kid to pull out a puzzle, and the others come running the second they hear the pieces scattering across the table.
We’re also geography people. Maps, globes… no one in this family can pass by the opportunity to point out locations or walk their fingers across the world from point to point on a map.
Imagine combining the two. Seriously. Just imagine.
Ok, don’t imagine. Because someone already did.
Welcome to the Puzzleball Globe, a unique educational tool that feels so much like a toy, your kids are going to pull it out on their own and get to work.
As far as puzzles go, this one has what I’d call moderate difficulty— primarily due to the shape. At only 180 pieces, it doesn’t look like too much of a challenge. The creators have gone out of their way to keep it simple. An indented plastic building tray and cheater numbers on the reverse of the pieces ensure that the construction can be super simple, if you’d like. For a greater challenge, though, it’s easy to keep the numbers hidden and sort by continent. The pieces themselves are solid and sturdy, plastic not cardboard.
Animals and landmarks help in identifying what part of the world you’re holding in your hand, and also make for a really cool looking globe once you’re finished the build. Its worth noting that this is by Ravensburger. If you’re familiar with their puzzles, you know they are of premium quality. Personally, I’d rather spend the money on a single Ravensburger puzzle over three from a discount store any day. We’ve had their products for years and never had pieces that won’t stay in place, are slightly misshapen, or any of the other issues that plague cheaper versions. The Puzzleball Globe is no different. Even though my kids are pulling this thing out every week, I can tell you that Jude will be enjoying it a decade from now, and it will be none the worse for the wear.
Also included is a plastic display stand that your Puzzleball Globe can live on if you’d like to keep it assembled for reference. Since the pieces click firmly in place, you actually can slide it into the stand and spin it around! This is a handy attribute, because once you’ve found the Panama Canal, you’re going to want to take your fingers on an ocean cruise over to the Mediterranean Sea, and the last thing you want to have happen then is for the whole world to fall off its axis, if you know what I mean.
Timberdoodle offer the Puzzleball Globe as part of its 3rd Grade Curriculum Kit. It’s recommended for kids age eight and up; I can definitely attest to the “and up,” as it’s my 14 year-old who usually suggests the Puzzleball Globe as an activity. Younger hands will definitely need help with assembly. While my 8 year-old loves this puzzle and easily puts together those with 500 pieces on a regular basis, he struggles to manage the Puzzleball Globe’s round method of construction, especially as it nears completion. That being said, he’s so motivated by this unique and cool challenge that he is willing to battle some frustration and keep honing those small motor skills!
The Puzzleball Globe has been a hit here, and is the rare educational toy that lives up to the title while still being fun, engaging, and of excellent quality.
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