Create-A-Scene Magnetic Playset - Dinosaurs

I work in special education and am constantly looking for materials, toys, activities that will allow me to target a variety of skills. I remembered using Colorforms years ago, so went on Amazon to see if anything similar popped up. I then came across these Create-A-Scene boards from Smethport. Let me tell you, the kids LOVE these! I actually had to break up a preschool scuffle over the boards and pieces. There are so many ways to use these to model language, teach vocabulary, role play, etc. I have used these in various centers and the kids never tire of them. As a matter of fact, I have students sneaking away from the center they are in to come see what is happening in my center when we are using these. The price is right, they are multi-functional and the kids love them. What more can you ask!?!? Now for the nit-picky negatives...1) a few pieces have gone MIA as I've moved them from location to location...there is nowhere to store the individual magnets other than on the board itself, 2) in the picture, there appears to be an oval-shaped cut out which I assumed was a carrying handle...none of my boards have these. It would have made them a bit easier to carry. Other than those two things, these are a total hit!

I bought this for my 18-month-old for Christmas and he LOVES it. He plays with it all the time. The magnet board/book is sturdy and the magnets are high quality. We haven't had any issue with the board bending or warping or with the prints peeling from the magnet backing, and it has seen some extensive use as well as travel. The variety of animals makes playing with the board extremely fun. It's great for on-the-go or for playing with at the house (just keep track of where the magnets get placed). We use it a lot as a quiet book in church and the other kids around my son always want to play with it, too. My one complaint is that at the top of the board, there's a punch out that goes through both the front and back covers (like the kind manufacturers use so a store can hang the product from a hook or rack). so, when the book is opened, there are two holes on each side, interrupting the scene. It is also another spot for the print and the magnet backing to potentially peel away from each other. I would have not punched a hole in the product.

I bought this farm magnetic playset for my 21 month old grand daughter as an airplane toy. She's learning animal names and the sounds they make so this toy was perfect. The board opens up to 18" long x 13-1/2" high which is larger than the airplane pull down trays so it made for a large work surface. The board and animal magnetics are sturdy and well made. We played with it together and used it as a learning tool to say the animal names and sounds, whether they live in the water, in the fields, or elsewhere on the farm. She could slide the pieces on the board to move them, but it was difficult for her little fingers to pick them up off the board. Some of the animals are small so this should be a supervised toy for a young child. It is a good size, and since the board is magnetic it is a bit heavy if someone is looking for light weight travel toys. Also, once you punch out the magnetic animals they need to be kept in something. I used a plastic baggie for travel, but once again something that needs supervision. I think when she gets a little older she'll be able to play with this toy by herself, but it made for a great airplane toy with her sitting on my lap.

We do like this product. As a mother of a 2-year old, it can be quite tough to eat out at restaurants, but I don't cook too well, so we had to figure it out so we didn't starve. I scoured amazon (and the internet) for things that would keep a very restless toddler entertained and was easy to carry, and this fit the bill perfectly! It provides for some crucial minutes of absorption when my child is bored at the table, and it's surprisingly durable. This is also good for bringing on trips (e.g., airplanes). There's a youtube video by whatsupmoms reviewing this product (and other ideas for how to survive a restaurant) youtu.be/Ozt3GJjr5Bg What's great about it: -Light - easy to carry -Fun (if your kid likes trains like our child). There are multiple magnets of different kinds of trains. -Lots of magnets, so even if you lose one or two, no big deal -Durable - The magnets are thin, but I haven't really had one rip yet -Inexpensive What's not so great: -At a restaurant, it does get a little greasy... but that's par for the course with everything in our survival kit -Magnets sometimes fall - I actually like the vinyl stickers by Mudpuppy a bit better. All in all, a great product, easy to transport, and very entertaining for the child!

This is a fun puzzle. Good quality, thick pieces and strong magnetic board. I got this for traveling across county and it was a nice activity for the car. Very educational as we moved and now my son can see the states he’s been too. Would definitely recommend!

These are beautiful!! My 4 year old son loved them immediately!! We are taking him to the planetarium tonight so I bought these and had them rushed so I could give them to him before we went. PERFECT!! The board is magnetic, so the whole thing is self contained, but minutes after receiving them, he put them up on the fridge. The pictures are clear and detailed. They are not proportionate to each other but that's okay with me (and him). It comes with all 8 planets and the Earth Moon, a shuttle, a space station, horse head nebula, a galaxy, a comet, an asteroid, and an astronaut, as well as the magnetic words that belong to each. I truly can't say enough about these. I was considering buying the giant-sized magnets for $15, but these are by far more reasonably sized and they are just stunning. I love space too, so I'm excited to play with them as well! The only thing I will be cautious of is the Earth Moon because it is pretty small (roughly the size of a dime- easily lost or swallowed) and I have a 9 month old daughter who would jump at the chance to eat it. I put the words aside in a baggie so they're not eaten, and I might do the same for the Earth Moon, much to the dismay of my son, I'm sure. Simply put, these are STELLAR. (lol get it? stellar.......... ha)

My son is a huge fan of this magnetic train. It kept him entertained for hours on an airplane. The quality is good and very durable. I think the price was very fair and I would buy it again.

I got this for a long car trip with my preschooler. I really want to like it - the concept is great, and the product is really cute. My kid thinks it's neat. But the magnets barely stick to the board, and fall off when you tilt the board at any significant angle, or, heaven forbid pick the board up by the handle (one would assume that you are supposed to hold it by the handle, considering they designed it with one). So we ended up with 21 little magnets under the seats and all over the place. If you are willing to keep the magnets separate in a ziploc bag and watch closely to make sure all the pieces don't get lost, then this is a decent toy. With my four year old, it was just a pain.

Kids were happy

My teachers love the magnetic pieces, good for toddlers, especially boys. They enjoyed it

My 2 year old loves this. It fits easily in my diaper bag and she has been happily playing with it for a few months.

We have played with it and told bedtime stories with my daughter (6) so many times. Very creative way to improve her expression skills and have common fun. We bought the other versions as well so you can combine it!

It is an opportunity for kids to work on their fine motor skills having to pry the pieces from the magnetic board. Kids have fun placing the animals around the farm.