Puzzles for Toddlers

Puzzles are a classic toy to keep little children busy and entertained for a while. And not just kids, adults love puzzles too. Puzzles are a great way to exercise our minds and challenge our thought processes. And these puzzles are not just toys, they’re an important educational tool that helps build several skills in little children. Looking for some learning tools for your toddler that involve playing? These puzzles for toddlers are a great way to help your toddler learn some important skills.

But when your child first starts solving puzzles for kids, it might be a little frustrating. Since they don’t understand it, they might just try to jam the pieces together without thinking if they fit together. They might get frustrated and just scatter the pieces all around and walk away, leaving you questioning if puzzles for toddlers are a good idea. But with some help and practise you’ll soon notice that kids learn to search and identify the puzzle pieces that fit. Additionally, they’ll start looking for more challenges and solve other puzzles on their own.

Are you still wondering if you need to include puzzles for toddlers in your child’s playtime and learning? Here are some benefits of solving learning puzzles for toddlers.

Puzzles For Toddlers From Osmo

Osmo combines digital gameplay with hands-on learning, which helps in your child’s overall development. Not only are kids playing, but they’re learning too. Check out two of Osmo’s best puzzles for toddlers that teach core skills through hands-on play:

  • Tangram – Shape Puzzles For Toddlers: In this game, kids have to arrange tangible Tangram shapes to match the image on the screen! Just like all puzzles for toddlers, this Osmo game improves spatial awareness, hand-eye coordination, and problem-solving skills.
  • Genius Words – Alphabet And Word Puzzles For Toddlers: Alphabets and words are the building blocks of learning for little children. Help your child learn the alphabets and form words through this game. This is one of the best learning puzzles for toddlers to learn the alphabet. Kids must move the tangible letter tiles to form the word associated with the image on the screen. As kids play this game, they learn alphabet recognition, improve their vocabulary, problem-solving skills, and more!
  • Jigsaw Puzzles For Toddlers: Jigsaw puzzles are one of the best toys for toddlers. Not only are they fun, but they also help children learn several developmental skills. Jigsaw puzzles are a great way to introduce color, shape and pattern recognition for toddlers. Additionally, it also helps them improve their hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills and cognitive skills.
  • Number Puzzles for Toddlers: Numbers are an integral part of our daily lives. A fun way to introduce numbers to toddlers is through number puzzles. As they solve the puzzle, teach your child the name of the numbers, the quantity they represent and their sequence. Moreover, you can even use the number puzzle later to show them concepts like addition. An early and fun introduction to numbers and math help children develop a positive attitude towards the subject. 
  • Holiday-Themed Puzzles For Toddlers: Looking to keep your little one occupied with something over the holidays? Why not use holiday-themed puzzles for toddlers. This Easter, keep your little one busy and entertained with these amazing Easter puzzles. Keep your kids occupied with fun, bunny-themed connect the dots puzzles and Easter egg mazes. 

Benefits of Puzzles for Toddlers

Here is how puzzles for toddlers help in your child’s overall development:

  • Puzzles Improve Concentration: Have you noticed that when your child solves puzzles, they’re rarely distracted? They’re so keen on finding the perfect match for each puzzle piece that they’re thoroughly immersed in the activity. When kids focus on a singular task like this, it heightens their concentration skills and their ability to solves problems.
  • Puzzles Develop Problem-Solving Skills: As kids search and find the perfect pieces that fit together to complete their puzzle, it helps kids develop problem-solving skills. This process also helps your toddler think strategically.
  • You could further encourage the child to think strategically by teaching them to sort the pieces by object or color. For example, if they find a red piece, ask them to collect other pieces of the same color. Similarly, you could also tell them to first identify all the edge pieces. This will help them create an outline, that will help them solve the puzzle.

  • Puzzles Improve Spatial Awareness: Learning puzzles for toddlers helps them identify various shapes and colors. Additionally, it also helps them understand the relationship of objects around them and how the movement/absence of one object affects another. Initially, their spatial awareness might not be very high because they’re just learning to identify shapes. But as they practice, their spatial knowledge improves gradually!
  • You can test your child’s spatial skills by asking them to just look at 3-4 different puzzle pieces and analyze any 2 that might fit together. Remember, they should just look and not touch the pieces! But kids can check if they guessed right later.

  • Puzzles Develop Fine Motor Skills: The best puzzles for toddlers are those that encourage lots of movement! As kids frantically look for the right pieces to solve their puzzle, they’re improving their motor skills without realizing it. Picking up the pieces, gasping them, moving them about and manipulating them to fit and sorting helps children improve their hand-eye coordination.
  • Moreover, when kids indulge in movement-based activities like these, it also improves their memory and ability to retain information. 

  • Puzzles Encourage Language Development: Wondering how puzzles for toddlers improve their language skills? Kids normally stay engaged in the task and barely talk when they’re solving a puzzle on their own. Ask them questions and talk to them to encourage communication after they solve the puzzle. Help them talk about the puzzle and the image they’ve just assembled and learn more about it. 
  • Encourage them to ask as many questions as they want. Strike up a conversation with your child about the different colors on the puzzle. Or ask your child to observe objects around them and point out things of the same color. Additionally, you could also test their number knowledge by asking them questions like “how many trees do you see on this puzzle?” Or “how many objects are blue?”, etc.

  • Social Skills: Another way that puzzles help children is by building their social skills. When kids play and work together to solve puzzles, they socialize with each other. They learn cooperation and teamwork as they take turns, discuss and brainstorm for solutions to solve the puzzle. Additionally, they also learn to share and be supportive of one another.
  • For digital-physical games that develop social skills, check out Osmo’s Pizza Co. In this game, kids get to run their own pizza shop, cater to customers’ requests, manage their business, and engage in pretend play!

  • Puzzles Improve Memory: Puzzles for toddlers are great tools that can sharpen and improve your little one’s memory. When kids hunt for pieces that fit together, they’re actually recollecting similar features of each piece. For example, when a child tries to solve a puzzle, a piece might suddenly remind them of a piece they already saw earlier. Once this connection forms in their brain, they quickly try to locate the matching piece.
  • A great way to further test their memory is by asking them to close their eyes after finishing their puzzle. Once their eyes are closed, ask them questions about the puzzle, such as “what color was that boat?”, or “what animals did you just assemble?”, etc.

  • Puzzles Develop Self-Esteem: Learning puzzles for toddlers help in improving their self-esteem and building their confidence. As children finally assemble the pieces and complete their puzzles, they feel accomplished for finishing their goal. The success will motivate them to take on more tasks and work on them independently. Each time they solve a puzzle, it boosts their self-confidence and gears them to take on more challenges. So, make sure to acknowledge your little one’s achievement when they finish the puzzle.

Puzzles encourage kids to play independently. Similarly, Osmo games also motivate kids to solve puzzles and play on their own. Each game includes feedback and instructions at each step. This helps children learn at their own pace and on their own. Additionally, it also helps them feel accountable and gives them a sense of accomplishment for every achievement. What’s more, these games help them make some lovable virtual friends too!

Check the rest of our website for a wide range of kids learning games & activities that your children will love. 

Frequently Asked Questions on Puzzles for Toddlers

What are Puzzles for Toddlers?

Puzzles for toddlers are one of the classic ways to keep them engaged for a long period of time. Also, kids love solving puzzles and developing their problem solving skills eventually.

What are some of the Puzzles for Toddlers from Osmo?

Some of the Puzzles for Toddlers from Osmo are genius words, jigsaw puzzles for toddlers, number puzzles for toddlers, tangram – shaped puzzles for toddlers, holiday themed puzzles for toddlers, etc.

What are the advantages of Puzzles for Toddlers?

The advantages of puzzles for toddlers are that it shows improvement in their focusing levels, problem solving skills, development of fine motor skills, language development and spatial awareness in the little minds.