How Games and Puzzles Build Essential Skills in Children

Everyone loves that amazing feeling of a child slotting their first piece of peg puzzle in its correct location… and there is simply nothing more special than a child beginning to pick up on skills in those early stages. Whether they’re learning how to problem-solve, using their fine motor skills or enhancing their cognitive abilities, nurturing development from a young age will reap many rewards in later life.

Playing games and solving puzzles is a great way to provide support, activities like board games, jigsaws and peg puzzles are so much more than just entertainment… Each game encourages essential skills ranging from problem-solving to fine motor abilities and provides a foundation for children to build on for many years to come. Let’s go through games and puzzles that could be the perfect match for your household.

1. Children’s Games

Simple yet interactive games can be perfect for young children. Ideally, children’s games should encourage a skill from the very start… for example, board games such as dice games, or picture-matching boards can be great for building recognition and introducing a child to turn-taking and how to follow instructions.

These games can instil confidence as children experience the joy of winning or having to try again and building that resilience.

Tip: Games with colourful characters, animals, or scenes can add to a child’s enthusiasm and keep them engaged and wanting to interact!

2. Floor Puzzles

Floor puzzles are fantastic for active toddlers, as they encourage physical development by keeping a child constantly moving. Spreading out puzzles on the floor will enhance a child’s gross motor skills (as they bend, stretch and reach) while developing hand-eye coordination.

Watching your little one slot pieces together is incredibly rewarding in those early stages, especially as they begin to build on their spatial awareness – a great skill that helps the understanding of sizes, shapes, and how objects fit together in the world around them.

Tip: Floor puzzles which include letters, numbers or animals can make learning feel like an adventure!

3. Jigsaw and Peg Puzzles

Picking up, rotating, and slotting pieces into place can strengthen small muscles in children’s hands and fingers. One day, this will help little ones as they begin to learn to write and draw!

Jigsaw puzzles can challenge a child’s critical thinking as they begin to recognise shapes and colours which helps establish early problem-solving skills. Eventually, you’ll begin to watch your little ones make the connection between shapes and colours and complete the picture.

Peg puzzles are fantastic for developing hand-eye coordination. Toddlers begin learning how to grip objects as peg puzzles provide an easy-to-hold handle encouraging them to securely grasp onto their toys. The simplicity of these puzzles provides an easy way to introduce children to concepts such as matching colours or slotting numbers in order. Making both these puzzle options great for children!

4. Wooden Puzzles

The wonderful thing about wooden puzzles is just how durable and timeless they are. These puzzles range from shape sorters to small building blocks and are vibrant, colourful, and engaging as they feature animals, shapes, and numbers. Hands-on puzzles teach children how to make decisions and naturally builds on their creativity and fine motor skills.

Each puzzle you choose, whether it’s a jigsaw, floor puzzle, peg, or wooden puzzle, brings something unique to children’s learning experiences. They can offer playful exploration while encouraging growth and a ton of fun for little ones and their parents.

Explore a range of games and puzzles to find the best gifts that will allow your child to grown, learn, and thrive!

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