Kids' puzzle games are designed for learning and problem-solving by using primary pattern recognition, sequence solving, and logic. An effective medium of early childhood education, these games help kids in developing their reading, writing, problem-solving and coordinating skills. Puzzle games with pictures can be helpful in teaching kids to recognize colors and letters and games involving insertion of pieces help kids develop the muscles used for writing.
Kids can either play these games individually or with help of adults or other kids. Proper care should be taken in choosing kids' puzzle games suitable for their abilities and ages. Toddlers are comfortable with three- to four-piece wooden puzzles, whereas two-year olds enjoy piece-fitting puzzles. The number of pieces in puzzles keeps increasing with age, while the size of the pieces are typically larger for younger kids. School-age kids can work on complex fifty- to one-hundred-piece games. Kids' puzzle games may include nursery rhymes or scenes from storybooks. These puzzles can also be used for formal learning, as they provide a useful means to the teachers to assess a child's development in terms of speech, movement, and concentration. Damaged puzzles or puzzles with missing pieces should be weeded out as they invariably frustrate the child.
Kids' puzzle games can also be created at home by mounting pictures on cardboard and cutting them into large pieces. Kids can use scissors to cut pictures from magazines and devise their own puzzle games.
Some of the popular kids' puzzle games are alphabet and number puzzles, world map puzzles, travel floor puzzles, basic jigsaw puzzles, slide puzzles, and maps of the USA floor puzzles. Kids' puzzle games provide a perfect mix of fun and education for kids.
