Sound+Puzzles

=Sound Puzzles=

__What are sound puzzles__

Sound puzzles have in built speakers that register the sound matching the picture on each puzzle piece. As the child places the puzzle piece into its correct space, it triggers the sound. The musical instrument puzzle will play the sound of each instrument, the animal puzzle creates animal sounds, numbers will be called out and shapes named.

==

__Benefits of puzzles__

Puzzles have been around for a long time and children seem to love the challenge that puzzles provide. Puzzles are not only enjoyable, they establish skills over a range of development areas:


 * Cognitive Development** - Children develop problem solving and reasoning skills, visual spatial awareness, as well as being a tool to teach colour, shape and number recognition.
 * Fine Motor Control** - Children develop the ability to grasp, hold and manipulate the small puzzle pieces.
 * Hand eye coordination** - Puzzles are great for developing hand eye coordination. The children learn to follow the line of the vision and guide the puzzle piece into place
 * Social Skills** - Children can play with puzzles with the teachers guidance, independently by themselves, in parallel play (along side others) or cooperatively with other children.

__Age Appropriateness__

Sound puzzles are suitable for children from early childhood and early primary school years.

__Benefits of using sound puzzles for teaching children with special needs__


 * Sound puzzles provide audial feedback to children with sight impairments to assists in the learning.
 * The auditory use of sound effects and language reinforces the learning for children who are developing their language and speech.
 * When children complete puzzles they learn through play, which can be an enjoyable and social form of learning.
 * Puzzles provide a platform for children to develop a range of developmental skills as mentioned above.
 * They're fun because they generate sound, motivating children to want to use this resource and in return it encourages repetition of skills.
 * They assist children with early literacy skills. Children will hear the pronunciation of the letters in the alphabet, numbers or names of objects.
 * Puzzles come in a wide variety and can be matched to the interests of the child, which will encourage play and learning.
 * The puzzle experience is good for developing hand eye coordination as well as motor control of arms and hands.
 * Sound puzzles engage children both physically and mentally and can aid in developing a child's concentration span.
 * Sound puzzles cover a variety of learning styles as they are a hands on, visual and auditory experience.

__Applications in the classroom__


 * Set up a learning environment of puzzles where a child can make choices and engage in play either independently, with a teacher or socially in a small group of children.
 * Use sound puzzles for 1:1 specific lesson instruction.
 * Arrange peer guided learning with other students.
 * Incorporate sound puzzles as a reinforcement of a lesson, or as an alternative activity.

__Suppliers of this educational resource can be found under the following links__

Brain Building Toys:

Brain Building Toys is an internet website founded by Kelly and Tyler Webster. They structured the site to provide educational resources to families via the internet. They are both educated in the philosophies of Montessori, Piaget and Steiner and both believe that **'Education is what creates true motivated free thinkers'**.

[|www.brainbuildingtoys.com]

Modern Teaching Aids:

[|www.teaching.com.au]

Mellissa & Doug Sound Puzzles

[|www.melissaanddoug.com/alpha]

__References__:

Brain Building Toys website sourced from www.brainbuildingtoys.com Modern Teaching Aids website sourced from www.teaching.com.au Melissa and Dough Sound Puzzles website sourced from www.meliaaanddoug.com/alpha