Super Thinker Puzzles: At School and At the Park

Two picture puzzles with reasoning questions at four levels, for ages 3 to 7

Super Thinker Puzzles combines hands-on play with structured talk. Children build two 12-piece puzzles, At School and At the Park, and then use the finished pictures to answer questions. The teaching manual takes them from naming what they see to explaining why things happen and predicting what comes next: "Why is she hiding?", "Why is he wearing a helmet?", "What will happen next?"

At a glance

• 2 puzzles of 12 pieces each, 7 × 9 inches when complete
• At School: "A fun day at school! But who is not having fun?"
• At the Park: a busy scene full of things to talk about
• Teaching manual with cue questions at four levels, based on Blank's levels of reasoning
• Also builds vocabulary, sentence structure, grammar and narrative
• Suitable for a wide age range, so one set grows with your child
• Ages 3 to 7
• Follows the developmental sequence of early language
• Designed by speech and language professionals

Four levels of questions

The manual follows Blank's levels of reasoning, a framework used by speech and language therapists. Questions start simple and become more abstract:

1. Naming what you see: pointing to and naming people and things in the picture
2. Describing: talking about what people are doing and what things look like
3. Retelling and connecting: putting the scene into words and linking ideas together
4. Reasoning: explaining why and predicting what will happen next

Because the same picture supports every level, you can start where your child is and move on as they grow. That's why the set works across such a wide age range.

How to use the puzzles

1. Build the puzzle together, talking about the pieces as you go.
2. Look at the whole scene. "What can you see at the park?"
3. Choose a level from the manual that suits your child.
4. Ask and model. Give an example answer if your child is stuck.
5. Move up a level once your child answers confidently.

Who it's for

• Children aged 3 to 7 at any stage of verbal reasoning
• Children who enjoy hands-on activities more than cards
• Children who find "why" and "what next" questions hard
• Children with speech or language difficulties, including children with autism
• Children learning English as an additional language
• Parents, teachers and speech and language therapists

Where it fits

• Before: What? Answering What Questions, naming and describing
• Use alongside: Why? Verbal Reasoning Part 3, answering "why" questions
• Use alongside: Learn to Tell Stories, putting events in order to tell a story
• Next: Super Solver 1: How Do You Know?, using clues to explain your thinking
• Next: What Is Wrong?, spotting and explaining what doesn't make sense

Who made it

Brainy Bug Resources decks are designed by speech and language professionals with extensive clinical experience in mainstream schools, special schools and community clinics. Each deck follows how children's language actually develops, from single words to two-word phrases, sentences and reasoning.

Frequently asked questions

What age is it for?

3 to 7 years. The four question levels let you match the activity to your child.

What is in the box?

Two 12-piece puzzles (At School and At the Park) and a teaching manual.

What are Blank's levels?

A framework for verbal reasoning that moves from concrete questions about what you can see to abstract questions about why and what next. It's widely used by speech and language therapists.

Does it have audio?

No. It's designed for an adult and child to use together.

Is it safe for younger children?

It contains small parts and isn't suitable for children under 3.