Puzzling It Out
Why puzzles are a powerhouse when it comes to kids’ toys and how to choose the right one.
BY BONNIE LAXTON-BLINKHORN, KINDICARE
Can you remember doing puzzles as a kid? Join the club! These incredibly varied toys have been educating and entertaining people for generations, literally!
The first puzzle dates back to 1760 when a British mapmaker named John Spilsbury came up with the brilliant idea of gluing a map of Europe to a wooden board and cutting along the borders of the countries to make geography more fun for children.
The thinking behind his idea was that children would learn the names and locations of countries as they reassembled the map.
While these early puzzles (or dissected maps as they were called) had strictly educational origins, they quickly evolved into sources of entertainment, especially as commercial manufacturers got involved.
The rest, as they say, is history!
While puzzles are a perennial favourite across the generations, puzzle play is especially beneficial for children in the early years.
As a parent there is nothing more pride inducing then watching a pair of pudgy hands carefully place the last piece of a chunky wooden puzzle in place.
According to the centre director at Rise & Shine Kindergarten Kogarah, Dora Paneras, children start showing an interest in puzzles around the age of 1.5 years and this is enhanced if they’re exposed to them on a regular basis.
“Start with non-connecting knob puzzles with 3-4 pieces, shapes and colours or easy puzzles of animals or sea creatures as this is an age-appropriate interest that children can usually focus on in the toddler years,” she explains.
Rise & Shine are experts in STEM education and Dora says there are stacks of developmental benefits to be gained from puzzle play, “It builds children’s fine motor skills, hand eye coordination and cognitive skills,” she says.
At Rise & Shine all the rooms have a cognitive zone stacked with puzzles which are easily accessible for children. Puzzle play is also incorporated into the weekly curriculum to encourage children to engage in puzzle play.
Problem solving is another key learning from puzzle play, and as children work through all the stages necessary to complete their task they may experience the feelings of perseverance, persistence and ultimately completion.
But Susan Steel Owner of Bambino Eco Toys says it’s super important to choose the right puzzles for children to avoid negative feelings.
“The right puzzle hits the sweet spot between not too easy and not too hard,” explains Susan.
“The perfect puzzle allows for early successes – the first matched pieces provide satisfying feedback that they can do it, building a child’s confidence and encouraging them to keep trying. Each piece that is fitted, gives a child a strong feeling of satisfaction and further builds confidence,” she says.
Bambino Eco Toys specialises in toys that require a child to interact fully, using their fingers, hands, imagination and problem-solving skills and while Susan says all children develop different skills at different ages and stages, there are a few key pointers to keep in mind when choosing puzzles for children.
For children aged 12-18 months Susan says shape-sorters are the go.
Susan especially recommends wooden shape sorters, with chunky, variously shaped, sized and/ or coloured pieces – like blocks that can be fully held in the hand and slid over holes to test which hole the piece will fit into. These blocks might also be matched by colour, for example the red cube might fit into a red-coloured square hole allowing the match to be made based on colour and shape. Sound and shape puzzles are also really good for children at this age.
Susan says these puzzles are often a child’s first foray in the wonderful world of problem-solving and it’s important to get them right!
For children aged 2+ years
Susan says 2+ is the perfect time to start exploring the world of flatter puzzles, sticking with the themes of shape, colour and size matching. She says 2-3 piece puzzles and layered puzzles made of wood or solid cardboard are ideal.
For children aged 3+ years
Susan says this is a great age to start branching out into puzzles of daily items, like cars and household objects. Nature themes like flowers, forests, bugs, animals and dinosaurs can also be interesting. Matching puzzles can also be introduced at the three-year mark.
For children aged 3-5 years
At this age the world is your oyster. Children are ready for puzzles with 20-30 pieces or more and Susan recommends floor puzzles with large individual pieces and gorgeous designs.
Susan says the incredible thing about puzzles, regardless of the age of a child, is that they encourage coordination of the brain and body.
“Puzzles require MIND thinking, planning, noticing, problem solving plus PHYSICAL work, when kids use their hands to hold the pieces, fingers to feel the places, gross motor skills for chunky pieces, fine motor skills for peg puzzles.
“Having to think, as you use your hands, lines the developing brain with lovely neural pathways. Encouraging mind, hand and eye coordination is vital for cognitive development, for creativity, problem solving and physical development. Puzzles offer this!”
Once you’ve found the perfect puzzle for your child, Dora from Rise & Shine says it can be helpful to sit with them as they work through it for the first time.
“Once you have completed the puzzle together talk about the images you can see, naming and pointing to the elements. Slowly take each piece out and place it to the side and ask your child if they can put back in the right spot. Repetition is a great teaching strategy, and your child will soon be able to do the puzzle on their own,” she explains.
Other interesting and educational activities to try with your child include loose parts play and sensational sensory art, or if you’re feeling bold give mum and dad maths a whirl!