The 8 Best Puzzles for Kids of 2022

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Toys that are educational are as important as toys that are entertaining. Puzzles are one of those toys that cross over both and have the added benefit of being fun for the whole family. Puzzles are also an amazing tool to buildhand-eye coordination,grow logic andspatial skills, and encourage kids to enjoy somescreen-free time. No matter your child’s age, skill level, or interest, there’s a puzzle out there that they will enjoy.

Here, the best puzzles for kids.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall:

Melissa & Doug USA Map Floor Puzzle at Amazon

Best for Toddlers:

Melissa & Doug Safari Jumbo Knob Puzzle at Amazon

Best for Kids:

Melissa & Doug Wooden Jigsaw Puzzle at Amazon

Best 3D:

Rolife 3D Wooden Puzzle at Amazon

Best Personalized:

KIDZCO PUZZLES Wooden Personalized Name Puzzle at Amazon

Best for Tweens:

Burke Decor Little Puzzle Thing Chocolate Scoop at Burkedecor.com

Best Challenging:

Mudpuppy Animal Kingdom 100-Piece at Amazon

Best Wooden:

BeginAgain Animal Parade A to Z Puzzle at Buybuy BABY

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Our Picks
What to Look For
Why Trust Verywell Family

4.6

Made of high-quality cardboard, this 51-piece puzzle is fun for kids of all ages. Measuring 3 feet x 2 feet when complete, this oversize puzzle is colorful and informative. Younger kids will have fun putting it together and older kids will learn the location of all 50 states, along with the capitals and a primary industry or feature of each state.

Age Recommendation:6 years old and up |Pieces:51 |Material:Cardboard

Young toddlers will love this jungle friends puzzle. Made from extra-thick wood, the three safari animal puzzle pieces have easy-to-grasp jumbo wooden knobs. Safe for kids ages 1 and up, this is a perfect introduction to puzzles. Little kids will love playing with the pieces and getting them into the correct places, and can even mimic animal sounds or use the puzzle pieces like cymbals to explore sounds and coordination.

Age Recommendation:1 year old and up |Pieces:Three |Material:Wood

Melissa & Doug Construction Vehicles Wooden Jigsaw Puzzle With Storage Tray

A great gift for kids from 3 to 5 years old, this puzzle offers an age-appropriate challenge. Made of 48 wooden pieces, parent reviewers love that this puzzle comes in its very own storage tray, so it can easily be stowed away once complete. The original artwork showcases a busy construction site featuring lots of favorite vehicles hard at work. To help younger kids, the wooden base has an outline of all the puzzle pieces, guiding kids to finding the right piece for each spot.

Age Recommendation:3 to 5 years old |Pieces:48 |Material:Wood

Best for older kids, this 3D wooden puzzle helps develop hand-eye coordination,problem-solving skills, focus, concentration. Plus it will build confidence once your kiddo can show off their completed puzzle. No glue or other materials are needed as the easy-to-follow step-by-step instructions guide your child through the assembly. If your kids aren't into the elephant design, the company makes lots of other challenging shapes.

Age Recommendation:8 years old and up |Pieces:Not Listed |Material:Wood

KIDZCO PUZZLES Wooden Personalized Name Puzzle

Build self-esteem, letter and name recognition, and hand-eye coordination with a personalized name puzzle. Kids will love seeing their very own name in puzzle form, especially those with unique names or spellings. Made in the U.S., this all wooden puzzle has room for up to 12 characters, all painted with colorful non-toxic paint.

Reviewers praise this puzzle as a great gift and an excellent tool in helping kids learn to spell their name. Custom options include a choice of letter color, engraving on the back, pegs on the letters, and more.

Age Recommendation:Not Listed |Pieces:Up to 12 |Material:Wood

Designed to be completed in under 20 minutes, these realistic-looking food puzzles provide tweens with a perfect screen-free break from their busy lives. The mini puzzles have just 70 pieces but the challenge lies with the odd shapes of these small treats. Each series is a timed edition with limited quantities, so if there is tasty food or treat that they love, scoop up these puzzles fora favorite tween in your life.

Age Recommendation:6 years old and up |Pieces:More than 70 |Material:Paper and chipboard

Mudpuppy Animal Kingdom 100-Piece, Double-Sided Puzzle

Two puzzles in one, this double-sided choice is just challenging enough, so it’s recommended for kids ages 6 and up. One side showcases illustrations of the world’s most colorful animals while the other side features black and white animals. For easier sorting, one side is glossy and the flip side is matte.

Parents praise this puzzle with the only drawback being that the puzzle image doesn’t include labels identifying the animals.

Age Recommendation:6 years old and up |Pieces:100 |Material:Cardboard

This creative wooden toy is a puzzle and so much more. Introduce your kiddo to colors, animals, and the alphabet in a fun, interactive way. The 26-piece puzzle is made of animal-shaped wooden blocks that all fit together into an animal parade.

Each piece has an uppercase letter on one side and a lowercase letter on the flip side. Younger kids will enjoy playing with all the animals and older children can be challenged to complete the parade puzzle. The beechwood storage box holds all the animals and looks bright and colorful in a playroom or displayed on a bookshelf.

Age Recommendation:2 years old and up |Pieces:26 |Material:Rubberwood

Final Verdict

For an educational puzzle that blends geography with playtime, the Melissa and Doug USA Puzzle (view on Amazon) is a good option. If you have older kids that are open to a challenge, the Rolife 3D Wooden Puzzle (view on Amazon) is perfect.

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Age-Appropriateness

If a puzzle is too advanced for your kiddo, they can easily become discouraged because of the difficulty. On the flip side, if the puzzle is too easy, your older or more experienced puzzlers may get bored and disinterested. To get them started, choose a puzzle that fits their age and experience level.

Babies:Most puzzles are designed for children over 2, as puzzle pieces can be choking hazards for smaller children. Puzzles that are safe for children under 2 are often large overall and feature a few large pieces instead of many small ones. The se puzzles encourage problem-solving and critical thinking skills.
Toddlers:Puzzles with large knob pieces work best for children ages 2 to 3. Playing with these puzzles develops fine motor skills, and kids can work their way up to puzzles with more pieces.
Big kids:Children around the age of 7 and up can handle puzzles with more pieces and can even solve them independently. Depending on your child's age, they may be able to solve up to a 500-piece puzzle.
Tweens and teens: With guidance and patience, tweens and older can solve just about any puzzle they're given, and will build fine motor and strategic thinking skills while they do.

Durability

For little kids that like to gnaw on their toys, a durable and non-toxic puzzle is essential. Most large puzzles designed for smaller children are made from wood. It's a sturdy material that many companies cover with a non-toxic finish, in case a child puts a piece into their mouth.

For older kids, you'll want a puzzle that fits together well, with pieces that don't rip or warp with handling.

Storage

There is nothing worse than losing a piece to a puzzle. Going for a puzzle that comes with its own storage box can help you corral all of the tiny pieces.

Frequently Asked Questions

What puzzles are best for a 6-year-old?

Six-year-olds can try using puzzles that have smaller pieces. You could task your 6-year-old with trying to solve a puzzle that has 50 or more pieces, up to about 100. Be patient with them as they make the transition from littler-kid puzzles with fewer pieces. They are also moving away from large pieces to smaller pieces. A puzzle that has a clearly defined image will be easier than one that is more abstract. Puzzles can help build confidence and independence, which are great skills for a 6-year-old to have.
What age can a kid do a 100-piece puzzle?

It varies from child to child. A 5- or 6-year-old may be able to do a 100-piece puzzle, if the pieces are larger and the image is simple and clear. An older child might have a favorite 100-piece puzzle that they return to time and time again just because they like it. Since puzzles are a fun way for parents to play with their children, try doing a 100-piece puzzle together!
What type of puzzle can my 4-year-old do?

Your preschooler might be able to work their way up to a 50-piece puzzle from a 25-piece puzzle around age 4. This is a great age to start transitioning them from larger pieces to smaller pieces. Look for a puzzle with a clearly defined image to help them solve the puzzle, as well as those with interesting shapes, which will be of interest to kids this age.

Why Trust Verywell Family?

Maya Poltonis a former marketing manager and current freelance writer who covers food, home, and parenting. She’s also the mom of a 10-year-old son, 7-year-old son, and 3-year old daughter. Her husband is a “puzzle person” and loves to complete puzzles with (or more realistically without) help from the rest of the family. "When we do puzzles together, everyone has an age-appropriate task that’ll help us complete the puzzle," Maya says.