So FAST shipping!  If I could rate things separately, I would say 5 stars for cuteness and the fact everything easily stores inside of it.  The age range is 1.5 years and up.  Taking the pieces in and out is difficult, even for me at times, so no my 2 years old granddaughter understands the concept but can't put hard enough to get the pieces in.  She loves the music and watches her 8 year old cousin use it but ultimately, she likes it but gets bored with it.  In general the product is cute with varied ideas and yes encourages fine motor control but too hard to put the items in for a younger child.  This is the excellent thick plastic of yester year and we love that from Step 2. If I could I would give it 3.5 -ish stars because how hard it is to place the items in makes it not as valuable.  My grandkids will probably be best at like 3 and by 4 will be over it.