Toddler Puzzle - Elephants

Details

Puzzles are never irr-elephant!  Nurturing Mama Elephant protects her sweet baby in an interlocking cuddle. These five pieces make an excellent early toddler puzzle. The pieces are almost an inch thick, making them easy-breezy for little hands.

This double-sided puzzle also functions as a playset, a particularly nice feature for one-year olds who may be challenged by the puzzle. It comes with a natural beech wood tray for storage or travel. The travel tray flips over, becoming a display stand. Watch your child beam with pride when the completed puzzle becomes a standing elephant mama & baby, on display.

ECO-FRIENDLY TOY
SIZE: 7” x 5” x 1”
AGE RANGE: 1-4 years

Developmental Value

The image of Mama Elephant and her baby is an emotionally nurturing subject matter. The puzzle provides the opportunity to expand vocabulary while learning about jungle animals.

Puzzles are a problem-solving activity developing cross-brain thinking skills. Effective problem solving requires a mixture of both logic (left-brain activity) and creative (right-brain activity) thinking. Good problem solvers switch from one set of skills to the other. Using both sides of the brain is not always easy but becomes easier with problem-solving practice.

• Logic (analytic) thinking develops through ordering the pieces, comparing them, contrasting them, evaluating them and selecting the best alternative from the options available.

• Creative thinking is developed when a piece doesn't fit because the child must consider a broader set of solving options such as manipulating the piece, flipping the piece, finding the alphabet order, or solving surrounding pieces.

Puzzle play requires visual spatial-relationship reasoning. This problem-solving skill refers to recognition of the relationship between adjoining pieces. Spatial awareness is critical to basic mathematics comprehension.

Puzzles build attention span. They require concentration for completion. The key for the adult is finding the sweet spot of difficulty. If a puzzle is too easy, it requires little thinking power. If it is too hard, the puzzle becomes a source of frustration. If it doesn't feel like play, the positive learning experience shuts down.

Puzzles become an opportunity for relationship building when adults provide encouragement and support.

The puzzle parts are large and chunky supporting the clutching and manipulating of pieces, all necessary in the development of fine motor skill.

As a completed puzzle, the rigid dinosaur becomes a toy for imagination and storytelling. Because there is a carrying tray, this toddler puzzle becomes a travel toy for activities away from home. For homes who focus on Montessori shelving with work options, this puzzle sits orderly in its box.

Manufacturer

Located in Fort Collins, Colorado, BeginAgain believes in hands-on experiential toys, devoid of batteries. BeginAgain also has a strong commitment to eco-friendly products. Their entire line of products is made from plant-based materials. Any plastic, such as packaging, is 100% recycled.

BeginAgain chooses to use rubberwood (hevea brasiliensis) because it grows quickly. As it is a strong, sustainably grown hardwood, it is an excellent material for making heirloom quality toys. Stains do not chip as paint does. Staining provides a safety feature for children and allows for beautiful, durable toys.

The puzzle was designed in Fort Collins, Colorado. Manufacturing near the native source of the wood, allows for smarter, more efficient use of energy, reducing the shipping footprint. The puzzles are packaged back in the USA, ensuring quality control. The manufacturing partner is female owned and family run. The factory believes in the principles of fair living wages and sustainable practices. Independent audits ensure fair working conditions, product safety, and quality control standards.