We’ve had Lauri puzzles and toys in our house ever since our oldest child was very small. I love them because they are durable, very educational, easily washed, and because Lauri will replace lost pieces for just a small fee. My children love the child-friendly themes, bright colors, and wonderfully soft and thick crepe rubber pieces. This School of Fish Early Learning Puzzle is suitable for any child about 3 years old or older.

This puzzle comes in a sturdy plastic storage tray. The tray has a cardboard insert with an outline pattern of the pieces. Younger children can follow the outline, then the insert can be removed when they are ready for a bigger challenge. The unique, snug fitting crepe-rubber pieces are very appealing to children and provide a fantastic fine-motor challenge beyond wooden puzzles whose pieces can be simply dropped in place. (They are also VERY quiet, making them suitable for use almost anywhere!)

You'll notice that this doesn’t look like a typical puzzle - because it isn’t! The fish are posed in ways that are subtly different. Looking at and discerning the slight difference between pieces provides a rigorous cognitive workout for young children. This is of particular benefit to pre-readers who will soon need to learn to distinguish between similar-shaped letters and numerals.