This puzzle helps to develop the fine motor skills of grasping, holding, and placing. It is practice for improving hand-eye coordination. It differs from many puzzles in that it asks that the child learn early spatial awareness as the pieces fit upside down and sideways. It also offers an opportunity for children to learn to identify and name woodland animals.
Some ideas for enhancing and encouraging play and learning:
- Find the animal eg the bear. Can you see another bear on the puzzle board? Can you fit it on top? Is it sideways or up the right way/upright or upside down? Is it on the edge of the puzzle or in the middle?
- Talk about each animal. Does the child have any experience with any of these animals? What noises do they make?
- Have the child identify these animals from photographs in a book or on the internet. This will allow the child to make the transition from the stylized representations of the puzzle pieces to the real animals.
Children will love experiencing open-ended play and can use the easy-to-grab chunky animals to play with.
Suitable for ages: 18 months+
