Is your child's or toddler's has a collection of puzzles which he enjoys playing with? How often do you make an effort to sit with him and encourage him to play with them?
They are often given to children as a means to keep them entertained however, they aren't aware of how important puzzles are for toddlers' development. Actually, the most basic game activities for kids tend to be the most educational.
It's time to put down those fancy toys with flashing lights and music and take the puzzles out if like your child to do some real learning.
Can Toddlers Do Puzzles?
Yes, but they should be given the space and freedom to learn their expertise at their own speed.
They might not be able to do an entire 48-piece puzzle yet but they'll be able to get there by starting with the basic puzzle case for tots.
They should be taught daily during preschool, and they should be able to solve more challenging puzzles as they get older.
When can toddlers do puzzles?
At the age of 18 months toddlers start showing more interest in assembling basic wooden puzzle pieces onto a board. They also start to eat less.
Each child is different and is on their own developmental course. There is no standard set of dates or kinds of building they should learn.
It is all dependent on the games they are able to solve, how often they are permitted to play and if they show an interest in the puzzles.
Play with your child them.
What Puzzles Should a 2-Year-Old Have the ability to solve?
Two-year-olds are much more likely to play with simple puzzles (e.g. shape sorters, shape puzzle board and the basic 2- to 4-piece-puzzles) than they are with complex peg puzzles.
What Puzzles Should a 3-Year-Old be able to solve?
When they reach the age of 3, children will often still playing with basic shape sorters and peg puzzles, but will start transitioning to multiple piece puzzles, typically 9-piece puzzles, and 12-piece puzzles.
How do you teach toddlers to solve puzzles?
The beauty of play is that children can learn skills through trial and error. When your children are exposed various puzzles from the beginning, on, they'll be able to naturally learn how to do them.
Engaging in play with them can help you show them how the pieces fit together or get them excited. However, they'll learn if they are given enough exposure.
Beginning them early is the best foundation for being capable of creating multi-piece puzzles later on in preschool.
Find the puzzles you like from the categories outlined in the next section. It is also possible to add these awesome printable puzzles that could be used to cut out activities too.
The best types of puzzles for toddlers
There are several different types of puzzles you could play with your kids. Here are a few.
They are all of different level of difficulty, meaning that your toddler will be able to learn at her own speed.
Shape Sorters
This is an example of a form sorter. It is made from either wood or plastic.
Shape sorters are excellent to teach children how to match and recognize shapes.
To learn, toddlers need to be able of seeing and feel things. Even if your child is unable to identify the shapes, handling large, three-dimensional forms can be a wonderful learning experience.
This is a more advanced shape sorter, which is excellent for developing fine motor control and eyehand coordination.
Shape Puzzles
Shape puzzles are also a great way to sort shapes in three dimensions, but they are simpler and can be arranged to match shapes on the board.
The large foam puzzle mats that toddlers often have on their floor in their rooms are of a similar type.
They typically have letters or numbers inside the squares, which can be removed and put in their original positions. they're big enough to offer a satisfying tactile experience for toddlers to learn from.
Peg Puzzles
The wooden peg puzzles are described as puzzles made of wood that include a knob or peg to each piece. This lets toddlers play with their fingers to assist them.
The pieces are much more rectangular than two-dimensional, and the shape of the wood piece is its outline.
They can still recognize the distinctions between shapes and objects, regardless of whether they're pictures or traditional shapes.
Toddlers are more visually-oriented than infants, and they are able to recognize abstract shapes. These pieces still fit inside the board base.
This is important since toddlers learn to place pieces by using their vision and touch - by watching the picture and shape and then being able to feel if the piece fits to its spot.
The more senses a child is engaged with, the more they learn.
Jigsaw Puzzles
Jigsaw puzzles are far more complex than simple shape puzzles and require the pieces to be glued together.
For toddlers, it's recommended to have a wooden base which the puzzle can fit into however, each piece is not surrounded by an individual border. The outline will fit the entire puzzle (which is comprised of numerous pieces).
Start by playing with puzzles with less pieces like these and then increase the number as your child gains confidence.