My 5 year-old friend was captivated by the pirate scene and glow in the dark feature of this puzzle so we started to assemble it. The scene is rich with so much to talk about as we look for puzzle pieces to fit into our work. With eight unique pirates, a patch on his eye, stubble beard, pony tail, carrying a barrel and so on, we could describe them and start placing pieces in different places on the table. The big purple octopus that winds its tentacles throughout the perimeter of the boat gives us a clue as to where those pieces fit. I started on the rope ladders an sails while the shark was a big draw. Turn off the lights or go under a blanket to enjoy the glow in the dark feature where the pirates become skeletons, the sails shread, and fish skeletons swim in the sea. My little friend noticed that the seagulls become bats! Well illustrated preschool puzzles are full of opportunities to build language while describing the objects, animals and people as well as using directional words to guide putting the puzzle together–above, next to, right, left, under and so on. Since this 3 x 2 foot puzzle has 100 pieces, a preschooler will appreciate some family participation, which always adds to family fun.

Available at The Learning Journey International. Click here