3D Wooden Puzzle Kit – DIY Windmill & House Model, Educational Brain Teaser Toy for Ages 8 , Ideal Gift

This Norsis Home and Garden house and windmill aren’t really puzzles, but I didn’t expect them to be. They’re very simple miniature house kits with directions, which are actually fairly clear, although I could seem them frustrating children or people with little experience building things like dollhouses, Ikea furniture, etc.The material seems to be MDF covered with a glossy laminate, the surface looks like the pics on the listing, and the material is thicker than smaller dollhouses’ Baltic Birch walls, which is good since you have to push it out of the sheets. While this is a lot easier to build than most miniature and dollhouse kits, some – not all – of the tabs are a little wider than the slots, and I’d recommend having a file or emery board on hand to file the tabs a tiny bit narrower if needed. For me, the wood is a little thick to use a craft knife on the tabs, but YMMV.The pieces are quick and easy to build, a little chunky but exactly like the pics.I wasn’t crazy about the pattern on the wood, so I tested some internal house paint (NOT oil based) on the glossy surface, and after dry, I couldn’t rub it off with my finger even when rubbed vigorously. I was able, with some force, to scrape it off with a fingernail – still, good enough for me. This is the same paint I use on dollhouse kits, but they don’t come with a glossy finish.Look at the pics on the listing, because that is exactly what you’ll get including the light stripes in the wood finish. The backs of the buildings aren’t open, so you can’t furnish them like a dollhouse, and I think they’re a bit under 1/48th scale in any case. These are small, simple miniatures that you build from directions. If you want, you should be able to glue them after first dry-fitting the pieces to see what might need adjustment. For the price, which is only $16 at this time, this might make a great first project for someone new to building or good for a child maybe 10 or 11 who wants to start building miniatures or dollhouses.