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Puzzle Play

Around 12 months I started introducing puzzles. I picked up a few Melissa and Doug puzzles with fat handles. I was very surprised that Jake was NOT at all into them. He received a few more for his birthday and I continued to pull them out and play with the puzzles trying to interest him. Nothing!
I decided to try a new strategy. I took the two puzzles that we have been focusing on in Structured Play time, the farm and shapes, and dumped both puzzles upside down. The pieces were upside down and mixed up. I then picked up a piece and said, "Horse, horse, hum where does the horse go, where does the horse go?" Jake was across the room and he stopped and watched me. Very dramatically I then said, "Here, here this is where the horse goes!" Next, I pointed at the farmer and I said,"Hum, where could the farmer be? Where is the farmer?" I picked up a few pieces and said. "NO, NO that is not the farmer, where is the farmer?" Then I found the farmer and shouted, "HERE, yay! Here is the farmer! He goes right there!"
Jake came over and picked up a piece he looked at the piece and put it right where it needed to be. (He puts the pieces where they need to be but is not to the point where he is always getting them into the slots.) He put a couple pieces in and then started to wander off. I put a couple pieces in and then said, "Where is the duck? Where could the duck be?" Jake came over to find the piece and put it in its spot. SUCCESS! This is the first time we were able to finish a puzzle let alone two! We did it together but I am happy with the progress and I think he will continue to enjoy puzzles! 
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