The Boy is getting to the point where he comfortable completes 35+ piece jigsaws, using the image to help him identify the correct pieces. He's got the tricks of finding the edges and corners first, then working out the different sections of colour, quite practised and enjoys piecing jigsaw puzzles together.
We were recently sent the new Orchard Toys Big Police Car jigsaw to review, and although it has fewer pieces than he's used to (30 pieces) it actually offered him quite a large challenge due to the nature of the design.
The Orchard Toys Big Police Car jigsaw puzzle doesn't have straight edges or corners, and no two pieces are really the same with the joins. It adds a challenge which defies the normal methods and relies on other problem solving skills to help complete it.
The image is true to the Orchard Toys illustration style; bright colours with bold designs, child-friendly pictures but still incredibly realistic so that children can relate to real-life contexts. The picture shows (funnily enough) a large, estate police car on a road with a police officer driving it, and one 'on the beat' next to it. In the background are a police officer on a motorbike, one on a police horse, a police helicopter and a police officer holding a police dog. It's worth noting officers depicted are both male and female, and from a variety of races; Orchard Toys are very good at representing Britain's diversity in their illustrations.
Educational guide
Orchard Toys have identified these as the learning benefits for the Big Police Car jigsaw:
- Develop knowledge and understanding of the world;
- Promote manual dexterity;
- Teach matching skills.
I'd add to this that the puzzle helps to:
- develop problem-solving and logical thinking through finding the appropriate pieces, made even more challenging as there are no corners or straight edges to it;
- encourage Oracy through discussion about the different modes of transports that the police use, and where and why they may be used. For example the motorbike in a busy city centre, the helicopter when cars can't access the area, etc. In addition it's great to discuss why the police have dogs and how they help them do their jobs.
The Boy thoroughly enjoys doing this jigsaw, it's great to have a real-life context to his puzzles allowing him to discuss the world around him in a way he can understand. It's bright and attractive, made of thick cardboard for durability; definitely a game to last a few years, challenging in different ways for different ages.
The Orchard Toys Big Police Car jigsaw puzzle is priced at £9.75, aimed at children aged 3-10 years.
I'm lucky enough to be able to offer one of these jigsaws as a prize in a giveaway. To be in with a chance of winning, please complete the Rafflecopter form below.
I was sent this product for the purpose of this review. My opinion is honest and unbiased.
We like 'who's in the jungle' 🙂
Oooh I really like this. Glad you like it. I want one ha ha
Just love jigsaws!
http://www.orchardtoys.com/products/transport/
This puzzle looks great! My son would love the cars!
Think my daughters would love the Magical Castle jigsaw as they are princess mad!
Love orchard toys! I love the Giant Alphabet!
I love the look of the giant road and giant on the farm jigsaws the ones which can be used as a playmat too, they are so cool
Giant Alphabet. I love educational jigsaws x
I like the look of the Pirate Ship one…
pets look good xx
The little Triceratops is very cute, and Lara is crazy about dinosaurs! http://www.orchardtoys.com/products/little-triceratops/
One Two Three is my favourite 🙂
Lots of great puzzles but we like Who's in the Jungle ?
Giant Alphabet one
Absolutely brilliant, comprehensive review! Many thanks MrsTBandM and to The Boy himself who, as ever, played a big part in this review.
Great to see that you have added your own observations on extra play/learning value. All in all, an excellent review!
Thanks Lynda, glad you like the additional learning benefits I've added. The Boy is really enjoying this jigsaw.
A firm favourite with Monkey is The Big Tractor which he loves and has put together a lot. We've recently purchased the Giant Alphabet puzzle which is my favourite as we start to learn our ABC's
I love the look of Pets
I think son would like the Giant Farm.
Rescue squad
the giant alphabet
we like on the farm
Giant alphabet would be awesome for my Coombe Mill reception toys
Our favourite would be the Big Fire Engine puzzle:)
The World Map,
Fairy Tales
The giant road jigsaw
We have quite a pile of Orchard Toys jigsaws as Bud loves them. I'm considering buying One, Two, Tree for his birthday. It looks great.
Where in the wood looks nice 🙂
My boys would love the pirate ship one
we have the playground one which Burton plays with every week.
http://www.orchardtoys.com/products/creepy-castle/ – like the look of this one! We love Orchard Toys 🙂
I love the World map one! My little explorer would like that challenge.
http://www.orchardtoys.com/products/on-the-farm looks great! x
They're all lovely but I think "Who's under the Sea?" is my favourite!
Big Tractor looks fantastic!
pets x
We love the giant road jigsaw, it is multifunction – puzzle and playmate!
My girls would like the Enchanted Forest the best I think 🙂 Personally I like hem all – Orchard jigsaws are so sturdy we never lose any of the pieces 🙂
i quite fancy the giant alphabet. we own the tractor one already and he can do that easily now.
I love the Giant Road Jigsaw as it doubles up as 2 games in 1 – I can just imagine Harry lining his toy cars up on the completed road.
We love the dinosaur puzzle: http://www.orchardtoys.com/products/little-diplodocus/ as Maxx is mad about Dinos right now 🙂
Love the big police car – daddy's a policeman so this would be perfect!
Love the Orchard Toys range, getting quite a collection of them. Our favourite is the Big Bus jigsaw.
"Who's In The Jungle"
Ready Steady Tow
THE GIANT ALPHABET IS OUR FAV
My son loves the Giant Road Jigsaw.
the pets one 🙂
Who's in the jungle is fav
This one reminds me of the ones my mum used to buy me. Although my son is nowhere near the age to complete it yet being 3 years old but I really want to save it for him.
http://www.orchardtoys.com/products/enchanted-forest/
I like The Pets best!
The big tractor jigsaw looks fantastic
Love the Farmyard jigsaw.
Rescue Squad as Shaun is obsessed with Fire Engines 🙂
http://www.orchardtoys.com/products/farmyard/ The farmyard one x
Giant Alphabet one is great teaching aid for my niece 🙂
Roadworks
Giant Alphabet
My grandson would love. Little Diplodocus
giant on the farm
I really like the look of the "Under the Sea" puzzle x
@caro_mad
Giant Alphabet 🙂
the giant farm one, anything to do with farms he loves x
I love the Giant Alphabet!
Ready Steady Tow
Who's In The Jungle? looks gorgeous!
Love this:
http://www.orchardtoys.com/products/pets/
I love the Giant Road 🙂
World Map Puzzle & Poster fun and informative
we like the giant road jigsaw
under the sea!
under the sea
big aeroplane, my little boy is plane mad xx
http://www.orchardtoys.com/products/ready-steady-tow/ these are my fave 🙂
Who's in the Jungle
I love Orchard Games
Under the Sea
http://www.orchardtoys.com/products/whos-under-the-sea/ this is fab
My son would love Ready, Steady, Tow! http://www.orchardtoys.com/products/ready-steady-tow/
Jungle Express, http://www.orchardtoys.com/products/jungle-express/
Giant Alphabet
One, Two, Tree looks awesome 🙂
Under the sea
Pirate ship
The Giant Alphabet one
The Enchanted forest looks fab and has a magic viewer too
Teddy Bears Picnic is one of my favourites.
Who's In The Jungle
Dinosaur Discovery http://www.orchardtoys.com/products/dinosaur-discovery/
I like the giant road puzzle.
We had the Farmyard ones they were lovely
fairy tales
They all look great would love Under The Sea
we own the Enchanted Forest its a great jigsaw
Fairy Cottage is great we have one of those jigsaws and my daughter loves it!
Fairy Cottage looks lovely
I like the Farm Four in a Box.http://www.orchardtoys.com/products/farm-four-in-a-box/
I love the Giant Alphabet……great learning activity!
My son is a huge fan of dinosaurs at the moment, so it would have to be Dinosaur Discovery… we have a few of Orchard Toys puzzles & games, they are great, so colourful, fun and educational.
My boys love jigsaws and I think they'd love Pirate Ship
Love the Giant Alphabet
one, two, three is my fave!
Fairy Cottage
I love the Pirate Ship
Enchanted Forest
Who's in the Jungle ?
Big Fire Engine
Orchard always do the best puzzles and games, we love them in our house. Out of the puzzles I'd pick Who's on the Farm ? as farms are still flavour of the month for my 3 yo.
Giant Road Puzzle
Pirate Ship looks great
Ready,steady, tow looks good. We have Big Wheels at home and it's a favourite.
I like the World Map one. 🙂
In My House looks cute and would encourage a bit of chat.
Giant Alphabet!
My favourite puzzle is the Teddy Bears PIcnic puzzle shown here: http://www.orchardtoys.com/products/teddy-bears-picnic/
Fairy tales as i like anything girly..
Who's under the sea looks fantastic
At the Stable
Our daughter's pirate mad so its got to be the Pirate Ship one!
the magical castle jigsaw would be our choice 🙂
http://www.orchardtoys.com/products/big-tractor/
I like this one, Big Tractor, well, we are in the country here.
Dinosaur Discovery
Pets would be great.
My son would love this
Giant Alphabet
the fairy tale one looks lovely
Who's under the Sea is fab!
Pirate Ship
The Magical Castle
My favourite is the Pirate Ship.
I love any Orchard toys, they are always so well made & colourful. I think my nephew would like the Rescue jigsaw as he loves anything to do with police, fire engines & ambulances.
My Great-Nephew would love this for his 3rd birthday.
The Pirate Ship
who is in the jungle
Where in the wood looks nice
my daughter loves the giant alphabet
The big bus jigsaw looks like fun 🙂
Orchard Jigsaws are very well made for young childrens hands, my daughter has many of the orchard jigsaws including the teddys bear picnic. Im sure she would also enjoy this puzzle very much as she is very into cars at the minute
Giant Alphabet
Who's in The Jungle.
My boy loves his animals 🙂
They are all amazing but I love the road and the police car, we have lots of girls puzzles from an older girl but my son isn't overlly impressed with them
The Great Britain and Ireland jigsaw would be a good challenge for my yd!
The kids like the look of 'who's in the jungle'.
It has to be this one. My nephew is OBSESSED with policecars!
big aeroplane! We love aircraft!
The World Map Puzzle & Poster, my son loves learning the names of all the countries.
http://www.orchardtoys.com/products/big-racing-car/ i think my son would choose this one as hes car mad but i know he would love the police one too !
On the Farm – Giant Jigsaw Playmat
Who's in the Jungle ?
farmyard x
Tori would love the Big Tractor puzzle – she's got a thing for tractors at the moment. Not sure where it's come from but is a great opportunity to talk about all the interesting attachments they have on them at this time of year!!
I love the Giant Alphabet!
Pirate Ship looks great!
I love the Enchanted Forest puzzle. 🙂
Who's in the jungle
Big Aeroplane puzzle
Mr T really likes 'big wheels'
tHE gIANT rOAD pUZZLE
Giant Alphabet is my favorite
Love this puzzle x