This is the perfect educational toy, a puzzle of the United States of America. It teaches geography, state shapes and relative locations. This puzzle has 50 pieces, however, only includes the lower 48 states. Since Alaska and Hawaii have no physical land connection to the other 48 states, they have been omitted. The great lakes have been included. Maryland and Delaware are one piece as are Connecticut and Rhode Island. The lower and upper peninsula of Michigan are joined into one piece by Lake Michigan. In all cases, pieces that are combined have a wood burnt border between the states (or lake) and are stained different colors for clarity.

So, the 50 pieces are: 48 states + 5 lakes = 53 – 1 state that is connected to others = 52 – 1 lake that is connected to a state = 51 pieces.

The completed puzzle is approximately 33 inches wide (coast to coast) There are smaller pieces to this puzzle (Massachusetts, CT/RI, Vermont, New Hampshire, etc) that may present a choking hazard to younger children. The puzzle itself is made from a 1/4" plywood type wood to provide additional strength for pieces with delicate parts. Each piece is stained with various shades of wood stain and finished with satin polyurethane for added protection.

This is the type of toy that can be passed down from child to child as they reach the appropriate age, or from generation to generation.