Daron Empire Building Puzzle 55 Pieces Review

Great 3D puzzle! We have several of these 3D puzzles and my 6 and 8 year old boys really enjoy putting them together. It's a bit tiring for a 6 year old as some parts are small and need careful folding and placement, but with a little help from his big brother or me he's done!

First, it is not made of paper but of thin foam rubber, similar to disposable foam rubber plates: printed paper is glued to both sides of each piece to show the details of the building. This is a fragile toy that needs to be assembled with gentle hands, it is not a toy that can be remade many times. It took me and my 6 year old son about an hour to put it together and he loves it.

This is a large cardboard model, looks good and is not too difficult for children. They need help building. When you're done, cover the joints with masking tape to make them last longer, or store them in a place where they won't be moved or touched too often. Great value and great souvenir for kids visiting NYC, not those tiny metal replicas, keychains or magnets.

I expected a puzzle: like a puzzle. Imagine my surprise when I opened the box. Once I got over my initial "Oh!" and started putting the puzzle together, I was intrigued. I found the first few steps in each section the most difficult as the middle supports tended to slide out. But that only lasted until I added a few more pieces. It took me less than an hour to put everything together. The end result was amazing. Quite big, very impressive and strong. Now I want to order some more 3D jigsaw…

This 3D puzzle was purchased with the Willis (Sears) Tower. They cost less than $10 each and have free shipping. I bought 3D construction puzzles before they were made out of paper, I had to glue the paper together and they don't last very long. This 3D model uses thin foam. The foam is thin but very strong and durable. The model is detailed and holds well, no glue needed. I can move them without worrying about the pieces falling off. I just wanted to try building one model and save the other…