Puzzles

Puzzles are a great part of every day learning!  They are great for that cognitive development and they really help develop the muscles in the hands, making it easier for other activities (like printing, drawing and using scissors).

Sitting down with your child and listening to the learning that is happening while they put together the pieces is such a great treasure!

Here is a developmental checklist that will help you see if your child is on track when it comes to puzzle making!

• Age 2 - Putting together those single piece puzles is a huge challenge for the little guys.  Turning the pieces JUST right so that they fall into place.
• Age 3 - Putting together a 5-8 piece puzzle is more of a challenge for the young preschoolers.  I have found them at Walmart (cheap) and teacher stores (expensive) - but sometimes it works out better in the end if you pay more in the beginning
• Age 4 - The older preschoolers should now be able to handle 12-18 piece puzzles.  My favourite puzzles are not like the one pictured above, but the sturdy wooden puzzles that come with a frame (Melissa and Doug)
• Age 5 - In Kindergarten, the range is starting to get larger.  Between 18-35 pieces.  Some children like puzzles, others do not.
• Age 6 - By the time children are in the first grade, they should be able to accomlish a 50-100 piece puzzle.