(Peaceable Kingdom $14.95) For fives and up, this huge three feet wide butterfly-shaped puzzle gives puzzlers a spectacular pay-off — a great reward for fitting all 53 pieces together. Given the size, this is best done on the floor, in a place where it can remain on display for a while. The hearts, flowers and smaller butterflies will serve as clues as they fit the big pieces together. It’s also helpful to follow the shape of the butterfly, locating all the outside edges wit

(Peaceable Kingdom $14.95) For fives and up, this huge 3-foot shark-shaped puzzle provides a spectacular pay-off — well worth the effort of fitting all 53 pieces together. Given the size, this is best done on the floor, in a place where it can remain on display for a while. The toothy mouth and small fish offer a road map that will help kids find their way. It’s also helpful to follow the shape of the shark in finding the outside pieces. Adding to the fun, several whole fish

(Smart Felt Toys $39.99) Use this as a felt board that can lie flat or stand up as a the entry to a zoo designed without cages and bars. The felt pieces are more elaborate than most and can be used for a matching game on the interior walls or used for dramatic play on the end walls or the exterior walls. Developed by a speech therapist, this is an excellent choice for language development. It has 37 pieces to use with the two-way playhouse. A playful prop for expanding vocab

(eeBoo $18.99 For the dinohaulic in your midst, here’s a puzzle that will get roars of approval. Featuring a variety of dinos with brilliantly colored hides. The 100-piece puzzle comes together when finished in 27 X 18 illustration. Marked 5+, we’d guess this busy scene will be best for slightly older puzzlers of 6 and 7. Ages: Early School Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Seal Award 2022

(eeBoo $21.99) Animal lovers will be fitting together the giant pieces of six different biomes found on our planet. Each of the biomes is pictured with animals and plants found in their special environment—the desert, rainforest, tundra, boreal, temperate, savanna, and grasslands. When completed the giant pieces will be a big, busy image 30 X 24, so the floor may be the best place for this one. The backgrounds of each biome should be helpful clues for beginners. Although the

(eeBoo $19.99) Newest in the Giant Shiny Dominoes Collection, eeBoo has the purrrrfect set for cat lovers. The colorful cats are fantasy cats in green and pink and other storybook colors. Some have stripes, others have spots, and each has a small butterfly as well. Pictorial matching comes before the dots to count on classic dominoes. Seeing matches is a basic pre-reading skill that comes before matching letters and words...the playful but important underpinning for the skill