Stackers' Noah's Ark
Manufacturer: Tier Toys
Recommended Age: 3 years and up
Retail Price: $49.99
Buy it here: amazon.com
On the web: www.TierToys.com

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WTS Rating:


(4 out of 5 stars)

SUMMARY

Similar to the story of Noah's Ark, Stackers includes two of every sort of animal and is tucked inside twelve layers of stackable play pieces that create the ark.  A total of 44 figures, included Noah and his wife, are pack in their own spot among the stacks.  A free download of the story of Noah's Ark allows children to relieve the Biblical tale, as well as play six games and educational activities. 

 

INDIVIDUAL CATEGORY RATINGS

EASE OF USE
Stackers' Noah's Ark is a really, really cool toy.  There is layer after layer of boat with special molded in homes for each pair of animals.  All of our little ones were thrilled to get their hands on it, but only some were able to work with it alone.  Our review team was sure to point out that for younger children (this toy is recommended age 3+) parents are definitely going to be working with them.  The animals are really well constructed and lifelike (more on that later), but they aren't all that easy for the youngest of children to fit into their special homes.  The same goes for the stacking, and the order of things. 

However, we did notice that children starting around ages 6 or 7 were able to really get the swing of things on their own.  Some saw this as a puzzle unlike any that had ever done before and were really able to get into it. 

Bottom line - younger children will need some help, children that are a little older will just love to stash and stack!
DURABILITY
Throughout our review there were no signs of breakdown of any of the pieces (animals or boat) with Stackers' Noah's Ark.  The only thing our review team commented on was the possibility of missing pieces.  If your children are good to their toys and cautious, there should be no worry here - after all, the animals all store inside the ark!  But if your kids are a little more hard on their toys the chance of losing animals is there.
VISUAL APPEAL
The animals are not detailed in imagery, but the colors are bright and they look real.  The boat is awesome, and the way it stacks and comes together just drew out kids in.  There was definitely some areas for visual improvement, but overall really good looks!
FUNCTIONALITY
Talk about functionality - this ark is packed with it! There are tons of animals and a boat for your children to play with, and it is a multifunctional puzzle.  All together we found more than enough pieces and more than enough layers to keep the kids interested and excited.
COST EFFICIENCY
In a blind survey our parents priced this between $20 and $30.  With an actual retail price of just under $50, Stackers' Noah's Ark is definitely higher priced than they would have liked.  There are a lot of pieces here, and a lot of functionality, so in some respects the price is understandable.  On the other hand, some of our parents really just thought it was too expensive and out of their price range.

ORIGINALITY
Absolutely original!  Not a single member of our review team, or their kids, have ever seen anything quite like this.  It's animals and a boat to play with, it's a puzzle, and it stacks.  All in all, it's original for sure!
OVERALL RATING
Overall our parents and kids really enjoyed playing with Stackers' Noah's Ark.  There is just so much going on - from opportunities for creative play to puzzle work, this toy packs a lot in!  Really, the only issue our parents had was pricing, and that tends to be a big issue with our teams.  However, if you can afford the hefty pricetag this is a fun addition to any toy collection.