We all know that educational toys are important for our children’s development. They can help kids satisfy their curiosity, as well as help them to develop their senses, communication skills and boost creativity.

But a lot of parents don’t know where to start when it comes to puzzle toys. There are so many different ones out there that it can be hard to choose the right one. Let’s break it down into developmental ages so we can find the right puzzle toys for your children.

 

0 to 18 Months

When your child is under 18 months old, they are going to be starting to explore the environment they are in. In other words, they are going to want to touch objects, imitate actions and learn some forms of communication. Offering your child a puzzle toy can be a great way to enhance cognitive development and start on social skills. While they might not be able to grasp that it’s a puzzle, they can pick up the pieces and try to manipulate them into the right spaces. For example, the Montessori Wooden Number Puzzle is colourful and a good way to work on coordination. At this age, children try to copy you. So, you can play together.

 

18 to 36 Months (3 Years)

When your child is between 18 to 36 months, they are often referred to as a toddler. This is going to be a good age where they can start to understand simple puzzle toys. They are going to be building their vocabulary with simple sentences, handle small objects and start to use their memory. A great puzzle toy to begin with is the Montessori Wooden Clock Sorting Puzzle. There are hour and minute hands to start learning the time, as well as number pieces your child can pick up and sort. What’s more, the bright and vibrant colours and animals are going to help capture your toddler’s attention.

 

3 to 5 Years

Between three and five years old, your child is starting to gain some independence and developing their own thinking. For example, they can begin to dress themselves, as well as making friends. But it’s still important to invest in good puzzle toys to continue their cognitive development. For instance, they can start to understand counting numbers and objects, as well as answering questions. Generally, they will have a longer attention span for puzzle toys. We like the Magnetic Puzzle Building Blocks. This can allow them to understand how magnetics work and build shapes. You can interact with your child and allow them to use their imagination and build creative thinking.

 

5+ Years

When your child is five years or old, they are really growing up. But this doesn’t mean that learning stops there and transfers to schooling. Instead, there are plenty of puzzle toys to help them reach their developmental milestones. Namely, this is going to be refining motor skills, playing with other children, working on more complex speech and encouraging creativity. For example, check out the DIY Puzzle Kit Robot-shape Music Box Orpheus. This is something that you can build together with your child, allowing them to work out where the pieces go and you can help in the process. Your child can also enjoy the satisfaction of what they’ve built by having a clock in their room.

 

Last but not least, if you are interested in becoming a toy tester for imooore, let's join our panel of imooore tester who are all receiving free toys! Limited availability, be our exclusive testers. Just simply click the link here to fill the application form.

 

P.S. Suitable for children age over 3 years old

 

Related blogs:

 •   Tips of Montessori Early Education for Baby

 •   “Practical Life” Learning for Babies

 •   How does Building Blocks Help a Child Development?