Puzzles are a great activity for toddlers and preschoolers. There are different types of puzzles they can do. Read on for the benefits of doing puzzles, the types of puzzles for kids that are suitable for children that young, and how to help your child learn how to do puzzles.
What are the benefits of puzzles for toddlers and preschoolers?
Puzzles are good for toddlers. Research has shown that the more often toddlers were doing puzzles between ages 2 and 4, the better they performed on a spatial skills test at age 4 1/21. Doing puzzles is even used as a therapy for 3 to 6-year-olds with delays in fine motor development. And a study published in 2023 shows it works – after ‘puzzle therapy’, the children had significantly better fine motor skills2.
Types of puzzles for toddlers and preschoolers
On its most basic level, a puzzle consists of fitting things together in the right way. But there are several types of puzzles for toddlers to choose from:
‘Fitting a piece through a hole’ puzzles
These are great for toddlers but too easy for many preschoolers.
Dropping an individual ball into a box
The easiest form of this type of puzzle is a box with a hole to drop a ball in, also called an object permanence box.
Dropping balls of different sizes into a box
The next level of difficulty is having more than one hole. For instance, one for a small ball and one for a larger ball. Your toddler might figure out that the small ball also fits through the bigger hole.
Dropping an individual object that requires turning, such as a coin, into a box
Balls fit into the hole no matter which way they are turned. Other objects need to be turned to fit. An example is a Montessori coin drop box, which is basically a piggy bank that can accept oversized coin-shaped objects (to avoid the choking risk).
Dropping objects with different shapes into a box (shape sorter)
Shape sorters have several different holes and matching objects, such as cubes, cylinders, and prisms. They thus don’t just require turning a shape until it fits but also matching the object to the corresponding hole. Shape sorters are a toddler activity demanded e.g. by PA’s toddler learning standards3.
Shape sorters usually come with a removable lid, drawer, or bigger opening on the side to get the pieces back out. Your toddler might figure the objects can be dropped in that way, too.
‘Fitting a piece in a hole on a board’ puzzles
The easier forms of that type of puzzle is more geared towards toddlers, however, puzzles featuring shapes, numbers and letters are also suitable for preschoolers and can help them learn important concepts.
Puzzle with one circle (with or without pegs)
The easiest form for this type of puzzle for toddlers is again a circle because it does not require turning. Some puzzles come with a peg to lift the piece. Others have pieces that are thicker than the board opening. That way, the piece sticks out and can be grasped.
Puzzle with one other individual shape (with or without pegs)
There are also puzzles that feature only one individual shape that requires some turning, such as a triangle or rectangle.
Puzzle with more than one shape (with or without pegs)
Lots of different versions of this type of puzzle exist. The shapes can be the same, but the size can vary, such as different circles.
There can be different shapes, such as a triangle, circle, and rectangle.
This type of puzzle for toddlers also can feature animals, cars, and more.
And then, of course, there are puzzles featuring numbers or letters, which are suitable for both toddlers and preschoolers.
‘Fitting pieces on one or more spikes’ puzzles
Another type of puzzle for kids that is more geared towards toddlers than preschoolers.
Rings on one spike
Some people include this type of toy under puzzles, while others see it as a type of stacking toy. The easiest is fitting rings on one spike.
Shapes on multiple spikes
In this type of puzzle, there is often a different number of spikes per shape.
Think about how connecting blocks such as Lego or MegaBloks work. It’s very similar, as also there, you need to align the holes with the parts that are sticking out to make them fit together.
‘Pieces completing a form on a board’ puzzles
In this type of puzzle for kids, it’s not just one piece that needs to be fitted into a cutout on a board, but two or more. The cutout can be a geometric shape, an animal, or something else.
Besides just finding the one right spot and rotating the piece until it fits in there, this type of puzzle often requires your child to manipulate pieces in relationship to each other. For instance, to slide pieces towards the edge of the cutout and then put the next piece in.
Jigsaw puzzles
This is the type of puzzle that even comes in adult versions (with many, many more pieces). Two or more pieces fit together by the way their edges are cut. Together, they form a picture. The number of pieces varies widely.
For instance, there are self-correcting 2-piece jigsaw puzzles (e.g., letters, numbers, colors, animal and baby animal or animal head and tail). There are also 3-piece, 4-piece jigsaw puzzles, 6-piece jigsaw puzzles, 12-piece jigsaw puzzles, and so on.
Sometimes, there are several pieces, with a subset each creating a form. For instance, the toy subscription service Lovery has a 27-piece jigsaw puzzle, where 3 pieces each create a ring. Each ring represents a rhyme (e.g., dog, frog, log).11 Here, the 3 pieces that go together need to be selected and then fitted together.
Jigsaw puzzles are available in different materials (e.g. wood, cardboard). They also come in different sizes, from regular puzzle pieces to large floor puzzles.
3D-puzzles
Some stacking toys are basically simple versions of 3D puzzles. Besides the classic stacking rainbow, other shapes such as a mountain range, a mushroom, or animals can also be found.
There are also fit-together-3D-puzzles, for instance, matching up two halves of an apple.
Picture completion puzzles
This type of puzzle has pieces that have all the same edges (such as a strip of paper or a wooden cube) and contain part of a picture.
The easiest form is having strips of paper. Two strips each contain half of an image.8
The more well-known form consists of cubes on a tray. Each side of the cube has a picture that is part of one puzzle. The challenge is to turn the cubes and arrange them so that a coherent picture appears. Unlike with other types of puzzles, there is no inherent self-control built in. The cubes fit together just fine, even if some have the duck side up and others show parts of a sheep, for instance.
Puzzles with fixed parts
Examples of this type of puzzle are sliding puzzles and Rubrik’s cube. The individual pieces cannot be taken apart, but only turned or slid in specific ways.
Paper-based puzzles
Paper-based puzzles include things like connect-the-dots, sudoko, spot-the-difference tasks, mazes, crossword puzzles, word search puzzles, and more.14
What about puzzle apps?
Toddlers should not have screen time, except for things like video calls with loved ones. This includes not just no watching TV, but also no apps and games, whether on a computer, ipad/tablet, console, or phone. 7
Why? It messes with their brain development. It also has negative consequences for language development, memory, and health.7
What about preschoolers? Some say that children over two years can have some very limited screen time.7 But a 2022 study of the brains of 3- to 5-year-olds showed that screen time still had a negative effect on brain development. For instance, “higher media use was associated with lower [thickness of gray matter] and lower [“depth of “canyons” between brain folds”] […] in multiple brain areas”.9 Another study with preschoolers compared those that used screens daily to a group whose caregivers regularly read books to them. The preschoolers who used screens had less “organized white matter in the language centers” and scored worse on cognitive tests than those in the reader group.13
So keep your toddler and even preschooler away from puzzle apps, online puzzles, and any other screen-based puzzle.
How many pieces should the different types of puzzles for kids have?
Usually, the lower the number of pieces, the easier the puzzle.
Dr. Perlmutter, in his book “Raise a Smarter Child by Kindergarten”, recommends starting with a puzzle that has 4 or fewer pieces. Then gradually increase the number of pieces once the toddler has mastered completing the easier ones.4 Tracey Le Roux, a mom and pediatric occupational therapist6, recommends starting with 1-piece puzzles5, as does the toy subscription service Lovevery10.
When can toddlers and preschoolers do puzzles?
When young kids can do puzzles depends on the type of puzzle and the individual child with its interests and skills.
As an example, the toy subscription service Loverey includes some type of puzzle in many of its sets. The first time puzzles are included is in the set for 7 to 8-month-olds: an object permanent box and a puzzle with 1 circle11. The first jigsaw puzzle (a 4-piece puzzle without a picture) is included in the 22 to 24-month-olds set.11
One site recommends that a Rubrik’s cube can be introduced to 3-year-olds at the earliest12.
Most paper-based puzzles are not suitable for toddlers. Simple look-and-find activities (e.g., finding a specific animal in a picture) can be done together with your child from around 2 years old15. Paper-based puzzles that require reading and sometimes writing (such as crossword, word-search) or even math skills (such as sudoko) obviously can only be introduced after the child has mastered these skills, which usually happens later than toddlerhood. Spot-the-difference activities start at age 3 or 4.16
How can you help your child learn how to use the different types of puzzles?
Showing your toddler what to do with the pieces until s/he has understood the principle of puzzling is important.
Dr. Perlmutter recommends showing your toddler “the intact puzzle” and talking about it (number of pieces, the picture it shows, …). Show how to take out all the pieces and put the puzzle back together. “Now remove one piece from the puzzle. Hand him the piece and let him figure out how to put it back. You can assist him by moving the piece near to where it belongs and letting him figure out the rest. If your child is having difficulty, patiently show him how to put the piece back and then let him try it again. Let your child master each piece individually before you take the puzzle completely apart for him to put back together”.4
Tracey Le Roux has a similar step-by-step approach. What I found especially helpful about her description is how important orientating the pieces is. So first have the pieces orientated the right way so that your toddler basically just needs to push it together (or in, depending on the type of puzzle). Only then go to your toddler having to turn the pieces the right way him/herself. 5
Finding puzzles that are low-cost or free
Buying puzzles new can get quite expensive. If you’re looking for cheap or free ways to get your toddler different types of puzzles read this article.
References:
1 Levine, S. C., Ratliff, K. R., Huttenlocher, J., & Cannon, J. (2012). Early puzzle play: A predictor of preschoolers' spatial transformation skill. Developmental Psychology, Abstract. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2011-24641-001
2 Safira, N. (2023). The Effect of Puzzle Playing Therapy on Fine Motor Development in Preschool Children. Journal of Complimentary Nursing. Abstract. https://journals.sagamediaindo.org/index.php/JCN/article/view/61
3 PA Department of Human Services & PA Department of Education (2014). Pennsylvania Learning Standards for Early Childhood. Infants - Toddlers https://www.education.pa.gov/Documents/EarlyLearning/EarlyLearningStandards/EarlyLearningStandards-InfantsandToddlers2014.pdf (last checked Aug 27, 2023)
4 Perlmutter, D. (2008). Raise a smarter child by kindergarten. Harmony/Rodale. (ebook)
5 Le Roux, T. (2023). Teach Your Toddler To Do Puzzles. https://www.ot-mom-learning-activities.com/teach-your-toddler-to-do-puzzles.html (last checked Sep 4, 2023)
6 Le Roux, T. (2023). Who is OT mom? https://www.ot-mom-learning-activities.com/about-me.html(last checked Sep 4, 2023)
7 HealthySD.gov (n.d.) Screens: Not for Babies! https://healthysd.gov/screens-not-for-babies/#:~:text=The%20American%20Academy%20of%20Pediatrics,Essentially%2C%20anything%20with%20a%20screen. (last checked Oct 27, 2023)
8 MissDeli (2021). DIY Cardboard Puzzle for toddlers. https://hive.blog/hive-199420/@missdeli/diy-cardboard-puzzle-for-toddlers (last checked Sep 4, 2023)
9 Hutton, J. S. (2022). Screen Usage Linked to Differences in Brain Structure in Young Children https://scienceblog.cincinnatichildrens.org/screen-usage-linked-to-differences-in-brain-structure-in-young-children/ (last checked Oct 27, 2023)
10 Lovevery (n.d.) Puzzling over puzzles—what the progression looks like. https://lovevery.com/community/blog/child-development/puzzling-over-puzzles-what-the-progression-looks-like/ (last checked Sep 4, 2023)
11 Lovevery (n.d.) Award winning play essentials for ages 0-5. https://learn.lovevery.com/about?gad=1&_gl=1*1mj3tly*_up*MQ..&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIqbTjgevWgQMVGBOzAB1gZg8OEAAYASAAEgKzSPD_BwE#dropdown-section (last checked Oct 2, 2023)
12 Siu, K. (2022). Rubrik's Cube Coding Activities for Kids https://teachyourkidscode.com/rubiks-cube-coding-activities-for-kids/#:~:text=Rubik%27s%20cubes%20can%20be%20learned,person%27s%20muscle%20memory%20and%20patience. (last checked Oct 3, 2023)
13 LaMotte, S. (2020). This is your child’s brain on books: Scans show benefit of reading vs. screen time https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/16/health/child-brain-reading-books-wellness/index.html (last checked Oct 22, 23)
14 Wikipedia (n.d.). Puzzle https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puzzle (last checked Oct 27, 23)
15 e.g. one of the games with "Where's the Bear" is to find things in the illustrations of the different rooms. There're also some 'search and find' books that are marketed for 2 years and up.
16 at least that's the age range spot the difference books are marketed for, e.g. this one for 3-8 or this one for 4-8
Inspiring and intresting. I would like to share a thought:
Puzzelz are great, but your child will show you, when it’s too hard. In that case i allways congratulate wath was achieved untill it got too difficult (‘well done, you found three pieces’). I do not finish the puzzle, but recomend to go to something else (move a bit, have a snack if we are hungry or cuddle a bit). I tell my little one we can finish it later.
Thank you! Yes, definitely, it’s a good idea to observe and listen to your child. : )
Great post that I’ll continue to reference for my littles!
Thank you! Glad you find it useful.
Awesome article, I wish i had something like this when my kids were younger. Thank you for putting this together.
Thank you! Happy to hear that you find it useful for parents with children in that age range.
I love this comprehensive guide! I love puzzles and want to cultivate that in my nieces and nephews. It’s so helpful having an overview of all these great kinds that can help build their learning and motor skills. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you!
I love the detailed info you’ve provided on the types of puzzles for toddlers. Puzzles are truly helpful in developing the sharp mindedness in kids. Thanks for this awesome resource!
Thank you!