Puzzles are one of the best toys for kids, but which puzzles for kids top all the rest? This comprehensive gift guide breaks down the best puzzles for kids from toddlers to tweens. This field-tested list includes recommendations for chunky puzzles, jigsaws, logic games, mazes.
What are the best puzzles for kids?
Puzzles are one of my absolute favorite gifts for kids. They’re that perfect mix of being “kind of a toy, kind of not,” making them a unique and thoughtful present.
Now, don’t get me wrong—I’m a huge fan of all kinds of toys—but I’ve long considered puzzles to be one of the most perfect types of toys out there. Puzzles (and puzzle games) bring so much value to our children’s lives, and I love the idea of surrounding them with as many puzzles as possible.
Often, when people think of puzzles, their minds go straight to classic jigsaw or chunky pieces. But puzzles aren’t limited to just those types. There are so many types of puzzle:
- Brain teasers
- Logic games
- Mazes
- Slide puzzles
These all fall under the broader category of “puzzles,” offering countless ways to engage our kids.
What do kids learn from puzzles?
Puzzles are truly invaluable when it comes to child development. They offer a fantastic combination of cognitive learning and fine motor practice, all bundled up in a simple box.
When kids work on puzzles, they’re gaining:
- Spatial awareness: figuring out how to rotate and fit pieces
- Problem-solving skills: finding the right strategies to complete the puzzle
- Visual discrimination: noticing small details and differences between pieces
- Concentration and Patience: working independently and staying focused
- Fine motor skills: picking up and manipulating smaller pieces
- Hand-eye coordination: carefully turning and fitting pieces into place
- Intrinsic motivation: feeling the satisfaction of completing a task just for the joy of it
Puzzles are incredibly beneficial, and they’re also a lot of fun. It’s easy to see why they make such a great gift for kids – you get a lot of learning bang for your present buck.
When can kids start working on puzzles?
Puzzles can be a wonderful part of a child’s life right from the start, growing alongside them.
Typically, I like to introduce simple puzzles around the age of one—think shape sorters or 3-5 piece chunky puzzles. My goal is to help foster a lifelong love of puzzles from an early age.
There was nothing better, as a teacher, than seeing a group of first graders working together, trying their hardest to finish a 100-piece floor puzzle before the bell rang. That determination and teamwork are part of what makes puzzles so special.
Start a puzzle collection for kids to grow with
I’m a big believer in having a variety of puzzles at home, and I don’t mind if some of them seem a bit “young” for my older kids. They still enjoy them, still play with them, and still benefit from the skills these puzzles develop. It’s about creating a collection that grows and evolves with the child.
For every holiday or birthday, I like to add a new puzzle or board game to our collection. Sometimes, I pair the puzzle with a non-toy gift or a great book, making it part of a themed gift that’s both thoughtful and fun.
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Wire Puzzle Storage Rack
I would be lost without my puzzle racks as storage – I love this one so much, we have two of them. It’s perfect for storing chucky puzzles.
Zipper Storage Bags
The Bags. For storing jigsaw puzzles, I love using these zipper bags. It’s saved me a ton of storage space removing puzzles from boxes (gasp) but it’s meant we can own even more puzzles…
JUMP – The Best Puzzles for Kids
The following list contains affiliate links. Busy Toddler is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read more about these links in my disclosure policy.
NOTE: I have attempted to put this list in order of difficulty (from easiest to most challenging) with some information on approximate ages for use.
Puzzles for Toddlers and Preschoolers
Color and Shape Wooden Block Sorter
It’s an oldie, it’s a goodie, it’s such a fantastic puzzle for tabies and toddlers. I have so many videos of my kids working on this puzzle.
Big Knob Puzzles
This is a classic and the first step in kids learning to do puzzles. I loved this one for my daughter – she’s been an animal loving kid since day 1 and this was her first “real” puzzle.
Slide Puzzle
This is an awesome two-sided fine motor puzzle which opens up extra possibilities for fun and learning. It’s not a well known puzzle, but it should be. It was well loved at our home for many years and through many kids. Such a sweet little toy.
Arranging Game
This is a fantastic intro to logic puzzles for ages 2+. Kids use blocks to recreate images on photo cards. This helps with spatial awareness, visual discrimination, and early graphing skills. Don’t overlook this puzzle: it’s really something special.
Chunky Clock Puzzle
Shapes. Colors. Clock. Puzzle. This one literally check every box. It’s such a cute, sweet puzzle and can be used in many different ways (trust me).
Magnetic “Fishing” Puzzle
These are some of my favorite “kinds” – a magnetic fishing pole lifts the pieces in and out of the puzzle. It’s a little added challenge and my kids always loved that about it.
Transportation Chunky Puzzle
Bless and long live the chunky puzzle forever. We have this one saved in our “future grandparents” box because it was so beloved. These are a staple of toddlerhood and pair great with books for a beautiful gift.
Wooden Peg Puzzle
This peg puzzle has been a family favorite since 2015 – there’s something so soothing about this one with animals. I couldn’t write this list and not include it.
Instrument Sound Puzzle
I’m a huge hater of any toy that makes sounds but not this one. There’s something about it that doesn’t bother me, the kids love the tones of the instruments, it works. I have such fond memories of this toy.
Wooden Latches Board
It’s a puzzle with door twist and it’s just the absolute coolest. Kids will love the “hide and seek” element of this puzzle which makes it so special.
Wooden Alphabet Puzzle
This is a great first alphabet puzzle with chunky letters that make it easy for little ones to grab. We loved this puzzle for many years – and will always have this in our home collection. It’s just too perfect.
Magnetic Maze
This is the sweetest little maze puzzle with the cute moving elements and sorting, too. It’s really a perfect little magnetic wand puzzle – we love owning this and it gets pulled out often by preschoolers and big kids over here.
Long Floor Puzzle
This 2-in-1 puzzle set is awesome: it’s just challenging enough to make it really something special. I have fond memories of my then-kindergartener playing this with his preschool neighbor friend. It was an awesome teamwork puzzle.
Toddler Logic Puzzle
An absolute stand out – but also a hidden gem that no one seems to know about! This was a new release from HABA in 2023 that we have loved, but hasn’t picked up traction on the toy market. Let’s change that. It’s basically a toddler logic puzzle, and is such a different style of puzzle to introduce to tots. This is a 10/10.
Magnetic Maze
This sweet magnetic maze is so perfect for ages 3+. It’s so sweet, even my “big kids” still play with this often and my preschool neighbor pulls it out whenever he comes to visit. It’s just lovely.
Wooden Jigsaw Puzzles
A wooden jigsaw puzzle in a frame is a great “next step” puzzle AFTER the chunky ones have been mastered. This 3-pack holds three of our favorites.
32 Piece Puzzle
What I like about this puzzle is the roof line. It makes it a touch easier on kids who are just learning how to do a puzzle without a frame. It’s more obvious an edge than the straight lines of traditional jigsaw puzzles. Plus, it’s adorable.
Solar System Floor Puzzles (48 pieces)
This was always a favorite puzzle in my kindergarten and first grade classrooms so no surprises it was also a favorite at home with my kids, too. There’s magic in this puzzle – I can’t explain it more than that.
100 Piece Puzzle
As kids age, large floor puzzles are where it’s at! This is one of our favorites. It’s so satisfying to build.
Little Red Riding Hood Logic Puzzle
This is a great “my first Logic puzzle” – I really, really recommend you have a look at this for the 4+ crowd, especially if they are new to single player logic puzzles. This is a really fun twist of these with a familiar tale and cute storybook. My 11 year old is still into this.
Puzzles for ages 5 to adult
Remember that puzzles have a broad age range. The puzzles in this category are great starting around age 5 and up (as in adult).
Zoomi Maze Tower
This 5-sided maze tower is super cool. It’s great for helping kids learn to manipulate a maze with their hands and work a ball from start to finish. I highly recommend this as like a “kids first ball maze” game.
Hexagon Puzzle
My mom bought this for my then 6-year-old. She had so much fun “testing it,” that she bought herself one too. It’s really fun to work on.
Logic Case
I love a single-player logic game that keeps kids quietly entertained and this is a fantastic option that’s screen and battery free.
300-Piece Puzzles
When my kids were newly 5 and 7, they fell in love with these 300 piece “adult” puzzles. They’re a great place to go after children have “mastered” all the kid-level puzzles.
Labyrinth
Oh this is the best: an old fashioned labyrinth game. This has been a hit at our house from 5 year olds up to 65 year olds. I cannot believe how universally loved this has been.
IQ Twist (logic game)
This solo player puzzle game says 6 to adult on the package. That is 100% accurate. My husband LOVES sitting with this puzzle game. It’s also a great travel puzzle.
Mosaic Mysteries
My husband had this puzzle in the 1980s and my kids LOVE it at Grandma’s house. It’s in pristine condition as only something and grandma’s house could be. While the box says 8+, but I put it more at 6+.
Rush Hour Jr.
It’s another not-quite-a-puzzle, but a seriously fantastic logic game for kids. Problem solving and critical thinking abound here. This is a perfect “quiet time” activity for kids.
Other logic games we love:
Puzzles for ages 8 to adult
The puzzles in this category are great starting around age 8 and up (as in adult), but also depends greatly on the child and their interest in puzzles and logic games.
Electronic Slide Puzzle
Gifted this to my son for this 8th birthday and it was the biggest hit. It is more expensive than you may expect, but I couldn’t leave it off the list. It’s that good.
Genius Square
My favorite game. No joke. This is a unique puzzle game that can be played solo or head to head. There are over 60,000 puzzle combinations to solve (aka you aren’t going to run out of puzzle options). I tell friends this is “competitive Tetris for kids and adults.” I could play this all day long.
Puzzle Bright
Brand new toy alert: this like if Tetris, Simon, and a logic puzzle had a baby. Kids have to find the correct placement of shapes to solve each puzzles. There are more than 300 puzzles to solve.
Labyrinth Balance Board
Balance board meets labyrinth: this is the coolest. I found this board a few years ago during ski lessons (it’s a great way to promote balance) and gifted one to the kids for Christmas. It’s challenging, it’s hard, it’s great for ages 5+ – but kids really get the hang of it closer to age 8.
Dog Crimes
A single player logic game like no other – it’s just hysterical. The player is given clues about the arrangement of a crime scene (who knocked over the plant?) and must work to figure out which dog is guilty.
Perplexus
It’s not exactly a puzzle, but it’s all about spatial awareness, problem solving, and critical thinking. This ball maze is TOUGH – ages 8+ is what the box says. It’s been a 5+ here because my kids reallllllly love puzzles (and an equal obsession for my husband), but it is really challenging.
Slide Puzzle
Anyone else remember this from childhood? Number slide puzzles are great for kids and adults – it’s a perfect mix of logic, math, and motor skills. This has been an absolute smash hit at our house.
Dog Pile
A very tricky single-player logic puzzle series. The game comes with a deck of cards and dog game pieces. The goal is to lay the pieces on each card per the puzzle specifications. It’s not easy.
Rubik’s Cube Ball Maze
Talk about taking things up a notch: this is a combination Rubik’s cube and ball maze. You solve the Rubik’s cube as you solve the ball maze… I cannot begin to tell you how complicated this is but my kids love the challenge.
Brain Teasers
My then-9 year old fell in love with brain teasers much to the delight of his Dad. These two can sit and work on these brain teasers for hours together. It’s been a year since I gifted these and they still pull them out often to tinker and work. They’re hard!
Frequently Asked Question
Three years are very capable puzzle solver. I would start with the chunky puzzle and hang their for a while before moving to jigsaw and floor puzzles.
Whatever you believe is the right number. It’s the truth. You will have to decide this for your family based on your space, home, and interest levels.
That depends on the child. For elementary age, I would start with 100 piece puzzles and move on to jigsaw and floor puzzles now. My kids began 300 piece puzzles at age 5 and 7 years old.
Susie Allison, M. Ed
Owner, Creator
Susie Allison is the creator of Busy Toddler and has more than 2.3 million followers on Instagram. A former teacher and early childhood education advocate, Susie’s parenting book “Busy Toddler’s Guide to Actual Parenting” is available on Amazon.