Review by Dana Villamagna, Common Sense Education | Updated July 2012

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Kids Preschool Puzzles

Name: Kids Preschool Puzzles
Item: Kids Preschool Puzzles
Rating: 2
Author: Dana Villamagna

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Bungled opportunities for learning mar otherwise fun, colorful app

Subjects & skills

Grades This grade range is based on learning appropriateness and doesn't take into account privacy. It's determined by Common Sense Education, not the product's publisher.

Pre-K

Great for:

Game-Based Learning

Common Sense says (See details)

Teachers say (1 Review)

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Take a look inside

6 images

Enough puzzle pieces to add complexity but not too many to frustrate.

Completed puzzles transform into cute images with word shown and spoken.

The app also includes shapes, which can help kids with shape recognition.

Colorful pieces with clear shapes that match spots help kids solve puzzles.

Numbers puzzles turn into fun images, but sometimes the numbers are almost unrecognizable.

Pros: Colorful puzzles offer challenge while minimizing frustration potential.

Cons: Distorted letters and numbers limit ability for kids to transfer skills.

Bottom Line: Kids Preschool Puzzle includes elements designed to boost learning value but misses the mark.

How Can I Teach with This Tool?

Kids Preschool Puzzle can help kids -- especially those who love puzzles and need to build English-language vocabulary -- play with shapes and words in a subtle, non-threatening way. The app is easy enough that teachers can introduce kids to it and allow them to play with it solo. Although it can be set to only display puzzles for the alphabet or numbers, there are better options for helping kids learn these basics.

What Is It?

Kids Preschool Puzzle is a challenging -- but not too challenging -- puzzle app for preschool- and kindergarten-age kids, especially those who are more visually adept but may need extra support for language skills and word recognition. To solve the puzzles, kids drag small, colorful pieces into a grayscale shape, such as an apple or a letter of the alphabet. When complete, the shape turns into the object and kids hear an encouraging voice say "Great job!" or "Good thinking!" Teachers can set the app to say the word that matches the object, show the word on the screen, make it easier to snap pieces into place, and choose a category of objects. Puzzles range in difficulty from very easy to more challenging (at least for the preschool set). For example, puzzles of shapes contain pieces that may look nothing like the shape's outline to a young child. They must look at each piece and match it without help from the overall shape, unlike other puzzles.

Is It Good for Learning?

Kids Preschool Puzzle is a fun app for kids to practice with puzzles, but it misses opportunities for learning. Some of the aspects designed to boost learning value aren't executed all that well. For example, after solving a puzzle, kids see the word for the puzzle. But in some cases the word is just wrong: In one puzzle the audio says "gecko" while the word displayed is lizard. The inclusion of letters and numbers could also be great for learning, but sometimes they're so distorted (into shapes resembling animals with eyes) that kids won't easily be able to transfer what they're learning to the real world. Finally, there are issues with singular/plural -- a puzzle may be of an image of something requiring a plural word, but the word and audio is singular.

On the upside, the app has a good balance between ease of play and challenge. It's impressive to see an app for very young children that includes puzzles that aren't all easy to guess in advance, yet that are easy enough to solve without too much frustration. There are several categories with dozens of puzzles, so it will take players quite a few sessions of play before they complete all the puzzles.

Rating Details

Overall Rating

Engagement Would it motivate students and hold their interest? Is it visually appealing? Would it inspire teachers to try something new or change their instruction?

Kids won't always be able to determine what shape will materialize at first glance, yet the puzzles are easy enough to solve without too much frustration. Preschoolers are likely to find the puzzles fun to solve.

Pedagogy Does the tool help teachers promote a more student-centered experience? Will students gain conceptual understanding or think critically? Does it deepen teachers’ pedagogical thinking?

After kids solve a puzzle, they can reflect on how the pieces form an object they recognize. The option to hear the names of completed objects can help build young kids' vocabulary, but the words are out of context.

Support Can students and teachers get assistance when they need it? Is it created with people of different abilities and backgrounds in mind? Is learning reinforced and extended beyond the digital experience?

When a puzzle is complete, kids hear an encouraging voice say "Great job!" but they don't get meaningful feedback. Parents can set the app to say the word that matches the object, show the word, and choose a category of objects.

Common Sense Reviewer

Dana Villamagna Classroom teacher

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Teacher Reviews

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Featured review by
Jenny O. , Classroom teacher

Classroom teacher

A.D. Henderson University School
Boca Raton, United States

Problem solving and vocabulary for the toddlers/preschoolers through basic puzzles

This is a fun game for preschoolers who enjoy puzzles. The computer images make is sometimes hard for students to predict the next image, but the problem solving of fitting in the puzzle pieces is worth it. I love that it is part of the Kindle FreeTime.

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