flipstir 3-D puzzles:: shake. stir. solve.

One of my sons loves puzzles.  So when I heard about the FlipStir by Enlivense 3D puzzle, I knew he would be the perfect person to try it out.  The FlipStir is a 10-piece 3D puzzle that is housed in a plastic cylinder.  In order to solve the puzzle, you need to manipulate the wand to move the pieces.  It is a challenge!  And a fun one!  My son tried for a while to solve it and then I took over for a bit, getting a few pieces in place before handing it back over to him.  He was then able to solve it.  While FlipStir is a completely different puzzle than a Rubix Cube, solving the FlipStir doesn’t lose it’s appeal.  As soon as my 7-year-old son was finally able to figure it out, he wanted to shake it up and try again.  Admittedly, I needed to work it a few times, too, to see if I could find some tricks or ways to do it quicker.

Because you are using a wand to move pieces, the FlipStir is a great tool for hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills.  And that is something that kids and adults alike can always use a little practice with!  Because there are 2 choices of levels, you can pick what is best for you and your kids.  I chose level 1 since I knew my 7 and 9-year-old kids would like a challenge without getting frustrated.  There are also choices of themes: the colors of the rainbow, T-Rex, the solar system and the Statue of Liberty.

Since FlipStir is completely self-contained, there are no pieces to lose!  This makes it perfect to play with in the car or around younger siblings who love to “help” with regular puzzles (which, while completely adorable, often ends up with missing or broken pieces).  We have decided to keep our FlipStir in the car as a good screen-free activity on trips.  Not only are there no pieces to lose, but there are no batteries to replace!  Another big winner for any toy in my book.

Do you or your kids love to solve puzzles?  What would you like best about the FlipStir?