Official URL: www.schoolzone.com
Age Range: 2+
Rating:

The Busy Puzzle People set by School Zone is an awesome learning tool for the young pre-school age group. To quote the handy Parent Guide that comes in the box with the set, it is a “great way to learn� about different occupations, what they do and the tools and vehicles they use.

WHAT’S INCLUDED

The Busy Puzzle People set includes 6 Peg Puzzle Pieces, each representing an occupation of some sort. They include a policeman, a fireman, a construction worker, a train conductor, a chef and a farmer. There are 6 puzzle cards to be used in different combinations with the pieces and a helpful Parent Guide that gives instructions and creative ideas for uses that include both learning and fun. The set is housed in a sturdy cardboard box with a transparent, hard plastic front window that allows you to see what’s inside. It closes with a concealed magnet in the flap that keeps everything securely inside the box.

DURABILITY

This set gets an A+ in the durability column. The aforementioned handy box is made from hard coated cardboard and even the plastic window (so often constructed of flimsy cellophane) is made from a harder plastic. The concealed magnet in the closure flap holds the box shut remarkably well. The individual puzzle pieces are made of an even thicker coated cardboard and the peg portion is a hard colored plastic that appears to be made into the cardboard so as not to detach and pose a choking hazard. I tried to pull off one of the pegs to see if it was possible and it did not budge at all.

EDUCATIONAL VALUE

This set provides an excellent resource to teach your child about various occupations and the different elements involved. There is one card with six individual slots, each showing a picture of some aspect of the job performed by the matching character that’s shown on the puzzle piece. The child can be shown how to match the character/worker with his individual tool or product. Then, there are individual puzzle cards that have questions you can read to your child and have them choose the correct piece to match. For example: “Who is driving the police car?� There is also room for imagination as the other question on that same card is “Who is riding in the police car?� Here your child may choose from any of the other five characters to complete the puzzle. The different puzzle cards are very thought provoking and require a good amount of concentration and listening skills from young children.

FINE MOTOR SKILLS

In order to pick up the peg puzzle pieces, your child must use his fine motor skills. Turning the piece in the proper upright direction and correctly fitting it into the provided square further hones those skills.

ENTERTAINMENT VALUE

Once they are shown the basics of this puzzle set, preschool age children will enjoy independent play with all the cards and pieces. My daughter especially enjoys choosing which character will “ride along� with the fire chief or the policeman. She also likes matching the characters to their slots on the puzzle card that houses all the occupations together.

AESTHETICS

These puzzle pieces and their cards are simply illustrated with colorful and clear images. The vehicles, tools and animals are easily recognizable and the characters are cute animals in uniform for their jobs. The pegs on the pieces are in the position of the nose on each animal, which gives them a 3-D feel.

ISSUES/NITPICKS

You must put the pieces onto the puzzle card or cards in order to fit them into the box. Due to the loose fitting nature of the peg puzzles, they don’t stay where they belong and you basically dump everything out of the box in disarray when it’s time to use them again. Also, the workers all appear to be male to me (granted, they are animals so it’s difficult to tell) and in this day and age, I think some effort to give a couple of them some feminine characteristics would have been appropriate.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Overall, the Busy Puzzle People set from School Zone is a well-made, sturdy and cute educational toy for the pre-school age child. The recommended age is 2+ years but I think even an adventurous 18-month-old could start learning the basic puzzle completion aspect of this toy. The set provides an interesting way to learn about the jobs people do and the tools they use while also leaving room for imagination and story telling.