Let's Talk About Animals

I introduced this puzzle to Aimee when she was 2 years old. It was a great puzzle as it allowed us to engage in a conversation about animals from around the world. She knew each of the animals quite well. When she reached the age of preschool, I wondered if she knew more than just the names of the animals. So one day, I took out the puzzle and had a “question and answer” session with her. I removed all the puzzle pieces before posing her some questions. The rule was that if she knew the answer, she could then pick up the right animal puzzle piece and placed it into its slot.
Q: What animals are in black and white colours?
A: Pandas and Zebra. She fitted the panda and zebra pieces into their slots.
Q: What animals can roar?
A: Tiger! I told her that the lion and leopard could roar too.
Q: Which are sea animals?
A: Whale, dolphin, sea lion.
The questions went to food that the animals eat, their natural habitat and country they origignate from.
Q: Which animal live in the desert? She had no idea what a desert is.
Q: Which animals come from Australia?
Q: Which animals come from China?
Q: What does a panda eat?
There are lots of things we can teach our children with a puzzle, not just the name of the animals. The puzzle create more interest to a preschooler if we engage them in a learning conversation or even a game.
When she became more familiar with questions, she reversed the role with me. “Now, its my turn, Mummy,” she said. She led the way and I found myself answering her questions. She asked questions like,
Q: What animals can climb up a tree?
Q: What animals can swim in water?
Q: What animals have babies and which ones hatch eggs? I did not expect the range of questions from her. Since then, she learnt to construct her own questions and thought of more questions to ask. We should encourage them as when we grew older, we tend to ask less but there are still more things to learn of the world.

Two Sides Wooden Puzzles...encourage imagination in young children

Everyday Scene (2), TSM-01

This is a unique and interesting wooden puzzle where on one side of it, a child can arrange the puzzle pieces back to their original slots. On the other side, there is a scenery print depicting a river that flows into a blue sea and land with a rail track, bridges and a tunnel. The child can arrange the puzzle pieces to fill the scenery as he/she likes. The puzzle pieces consist of farm cows, sheeps and a horse, boats, yacht and a train and even a hot air balloon! And the population are all cute little teddies! Children will have loads of fun playing with the puzzle and learn about the things that they see everyday in life. Encourage your child to make a story using the board and puzzle pieces and present it to you. It will develop their narration and presentation skill!

Everyday Scene (3), TSM-02

Everyday Scene (1), TSL-01

There are also 2 other puzzles of the same design but different sceneries. Everyday Scene (3), TSM-02 shows a city street and buildings with vehicles and pedestrians as puzzle pieces. Everyday Scene (1), TSL-01, shows a big prairie with a farming community, barn and houses, tractor and lorry, farm animals and trees as puzzle pieces.

Noah's Ark Children Wooden Puzzle

IS IT A PAINTING?

I got this question when I offered this puzzle for retail at her shop. She couldn't believe that it was a raised wooden puzzle. It's true!The pictures were painted in lively colours using permanent non-toxic ink. This large raised wooden puzzle, (size 415x300x9 mm)depicts Noah, his wife and the pairs of animals boarding the biblical Ark. Besides enjoying it as a puzzle, your children can learn about the various animals and use the puzzle pieces in an imaginative game. If they like the puzzle so much, you can frame it as their momento.

wooden puzzle