Progressive Puzzles Discovery Toys

Progressive Puzzles - Includes 4, 6, and 9 piece puzzles.

Discovery Toys have been around for 40 years. They sell their toys through consultants, not in stores or on sites like Amazon. Their mission is to sell toys that inspire kids to engage and learn through play. My goal is to use toys that inspire kids to engage and learn through play. So, not surprisingly, I own a number of Discovery Toys. 

My set of Progressive Puzzles have held up well for years. Big bonus - all 9 puzzles store in the box you see in the image at the top of this page.

Each puzzle measures the same - 8" x 8". Each puzzle features one simple, colorful and whimsical animal design. The boards are 1/8" thick and the pieces are approximately 1/16" thick. I have never had one bend or break on me. The board beneath the puzzle pieces is blank (no image to help guide placement). 

There are three 4-piece puzzles (dog, cat, parrot), three 6-piece puzzles (monkey, tiger, elephant) three 9-piece puzzles (fish, octopus, seahorse). Start with the dog and work your way to the seahorse.

If you want to read my ideas for teaching kids to overcome problems assembling jigsaw puzzles, read my post Tips for Assembling Jigsaw Puzzles. 

Check out these other puzzle types I have blogged about:

Junior Princess Ball Puzzle - 96 pieces

Family Style Jigsaw Puzzles - 3 different sized pieces so everyone can help!

Wooden Jigsaw Puzzles - A good place to start

Tumble Jumble Pond Life Puzzle - A 3D puzzle with rectangular pieces printed on all sides

Try this:

• Start slow with a beginner by leaving the assembled puzzle in the board and then removing one piece and giving it to the individual. Let him complete the puzzle. When they have learned to orient and place one piece, then take out two pieces from the puzzle and teach them how to determine where each piece goes. Work backwards until all the pieces are out of the board to begin with.
• Take the pieces out of the board and mix them on the table. Make sure some are upside-down, some sideways, some partially covered. Can the individual still spot them in different orientations? Ask them to find a piece with the head or tail or leg, etc.
• Hand the individual one piece at a time, in an incorrect orientation. Ask him to turn the piece, in-hand, until it is oriented correctly and then place it in the board.
• Allow the individual to choose the order for putting together the puzzles within each category. Line up the three puzzles and ask "Which one would you like to do first?" After that is complete, ask which one second, or next. Work on sequence language.
• Work on spatial relations, visual closure, visual discrimination, visual form constancy, figure ground, visual scanning, executive functioning skills, manual dexterity, eye-hand coordination, in-hand manipulation, process skills, leisure and play exploration and participation
• Model how to hold the piece while placing so that the fingers do not block the placement. 
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• In the box: 9 puzzles

Speedy Eddy

Speedy Eddy - Snails follow directions as they race in a circular garden

Somewhere in a secret vegetable garden several snails are preparing to "run" a race. Who will make it to the finish line first on this unusual circular game board? Will you be the new Speedy Eddy?

There are four snails (red, green, yellow and purple), and each snail is made up of 2 pieces - a body and a shell that sits on top of the body. There is a small magnet on the top of the snail and one on the bottom of the shell so that they stay together and so it is not difficult to move them as a unit.

This is an all-wooden game played on a unique round game board. There are a total of 36 spaces on the board and each space is numbered (1-36). All snails start on the space on the outer edge marked Speedy Eddy, and the winning snail will be the one who arrives first on the space in the very center of the game board which pictures a trophy with the name EDDY. There are 2 dice, each with one, two, and three snails on them (see the image below). They are oversized and lightweight.

Object:

Be the first snail to cross the finish line to win the game.

Set up: 

Place the board on the table. Each player chooses one snail and places it, with it's shell, on or by the starting space. Place the dice and the round belt chips near the game board.

Play:

Players take turns throwing both dice. Here are the rules for moving:

• If a snail has a shell on when it begins its turn, it advances the number of squares that corresponds to the total of the 2 dice.
• If the snail does not have a shell on, the player advances the body the number of squares shown on one of the dice. Then he moves any free shell the number of squares shown on the other die. NOTE: A snail may not have a shell if he has lost it due to landing on a Strong Winds space (explained below). There are 9 of these spaces on the board where one may lose his shell.
• When a body and a shell end up on the same square, the snail must be assembled. (Does not have to be the same color.)
• If after having played the first die, a snail has found a shell, then the completed snail advances the number of squares shown on the second die.

SPECIAL SQUARES

If you land on a special square, you must follow these directions:

• Strong Winds - The shell must be moved off the snail and placed on the space that is indicated on the strong winds space. The body stays on the strong winds space.
• Lucky Clover Field - You roll the dice and play again.
• Belt - You collect one belt chip. Give that chip back the next time you land on a Strong Winds square and you will not lose your shell.
• Mole Hole - The Mole Hole takes you to the square indicated in the hole.
• Salad Leaves - The snail stops for a snack. Only a matching pair of dice will get you on your way again.
• Flying Carrots - You just got knocked out by a flying carrot. You lose your next turn.

Play until someone, with or without a shell on its back, crosses the finish line and wins the game and is given the honor of being the new Eddy. The shell and snail colors do not have to match.

Try this:

• Advance a snail around the board, following the path, before playing a game so the player will understand the direction they will be going.
• Cup the hand before shaking or rolling the dice. They are a little oversized and it may be difficult for a smaller hand to shake them. If that is the case, cup both hands to shake the dice.
• Use two hands and coordinate rolling one die in each hand before throwing.
• Cup one hand, drop in the dice, then cup the other hand and place it on top of the first hand before shaking.
• Point out a special space before playing a game, such as a Salad Leaves or Lucky Clover Leaves space. Then trace the path with a finger, from beginning to end, and count how many of those spaces you find.
• Place the four snails on the table. Then place one shell at a time in the palm of the player. Ask him to bring the shell to the fingertips and orient it, in-hand, before placing it on the snail.
• Work on visual discrimination, spatial relations, eye-hand coordination, figure ground, manual dexterity, palmar arch development, in-hand manipulation, finger isolation, simple counting and adding, executive functioning skills, social interaction skills, process skills, play and leisure exploration and participation 

In the box: Round game board, four 2-part snails, 2 dice, 4 belt chips

If you are interested in purchasing this game or just want more information, click on the image below.