Puzzles have long been a favorite learning toy of kids, moms and educators. Giving children a variety of puzzles enhances their early childhood educational experience both at home and in school.

Here are some of the skills that are enhanced by playing with puzzles:

1. Cognitive skills: Puzzles improve a child's problem solving and reasoning skills. It helps them to see whole-part relationships, increases their visual spacial awareness and depending on the subject matter can teach them a variety of topics like the Alphabet, Numbers, Color recognition, shape recognition, categories like pets or transportation vehicles, and more.
2. Fine motor skills: Puzzles are fun way to improve fine motor skills. From the time a baby can start eating solid food parents give their children cheerios to help a child with their pincher grasp. Fine motor manipulation is key for writing but but children start learning this skill long before they can hold a crayon or a pencil. Various types of puzzles like peg puzzles and chunky can help teach little ones to pick up and grasp pieces and they aid in the development of the pincher grasp.
3. Hand-eye coordination: As a child places each piece in the puzzle they are manipulating it so see if it fits. Their hand eye coordination is enhanced through this trial and error process.
4. Social skills: Puzzles can be done alone but are also a great tool for fostering cooperative play. As kids ask for a piece to be passed to them, or discuss where a piece should go they are sharing the task and learning to cooperate. It can also help a child learn how to handle frustration when a piece does not fit.

When choosing a puzzle for your child consider the following:

1. Age: Make sure you are purchasing the appropriate type of puzzle for your child's age. For example, jumbo knob or chunky puzzles are great for toddlers but jigsaw puzzles would be frustrating. At the same time a preschooler would really like a peg puzzle or jumbo piece floor puzzle. Older children prefer jigsaw puzzles ranging from 50 - 200 pieces depending on their skill.
2. Material: Do you prefer wood, cardboard, painted, foam, etc Do you want a puzzle with textures to improve sensory perception as well as a cognitive skills?
3. Types of puzzles: peg puzzles, chunky puzzles, jumbo knob puzzles, heavy duty cardboard floor puzzles, peg puzzles, foam puzzles, textured puzzles, shape sorting puzzles, sound puzzles, layer puzzles, and jigsaw puzzles.

Keeping these things in mind we have reviewed a few puzzles as an example to help you decide what type of puzzle might be best for your child.

1. Shapes Chunky Puzzle - this is a great example of a chunky puzzle. This type of kids puzzle is perfect for young kids ages toddler through pre-K. The puzzle has large chunky pieces which are easy for little hands to grasp and manipulate. It can be used to teach different shapes like heart, circle, square, triangle, star, oval, rectangle, and diamond. The name of the shape is printed on the board to aid in sight word recognition and there is a picture under each shape for added fun. We love the bright colors of this learning shapes puzzle and the solid wood construction is sure to please Moms and educators alike.

2. See Inside Alphabet Peg Puzzle - Peg Puzzles are the perfect tool for teaching children to use a pincher grasp. This finger movement is a crucial precursor to writing but kids don't think about what they doing they just know they are having fun. This fun peek-a-boo style peg puzzle can be used to introduce phonics by emphasizing the initial sounds of the words pictured below the letters. Each of the 26 letters has a full-color illustration beneath it for added play value. This wooden puzzle is great for children ages three and up.

3. Farm Friends Jumbo Knob Puzzle - Children love animals. They love to imitate their sounds and name the ones they know. This puzzle enables young children to use the large knobs so little fingers can grasp them without help. This fun puzzle has a classic farm theme with bright graphics that kids will love. The puzzle board is made of solid wood constructions and is shaped like a beautiful red barn. This farm puzzle displays a goat, chicken, cow, duck, horse, pig, sheep, and even a happy farmer. Each wooden puzzle piece has a large know so it is easy to handle and eahc piece has a picture underneath so your little one won't get frustrated.

4. U.S.A. Floor Puzzle - this 51 piece floor puzzle is made of heavy duty cardboard. It is 20% thicker than most floor puzzles so it will take all the punishment your little one has to dish out while putting the puzzle together on the floor. You can use this puzzle to introduce the concept of geography. Children love to learn about thier environment and this is a great way to show them where they live and the names of all 50 states and the surrounding oceans. Ideal for kids ages 3 and up your pre-schooler will love it.

5. Your Body Layer Puzzle for Girls - Layer puzzles are one of the newest puzzle types on the market. This innovation brings a new dimension to puzzles and early education. The Girls Body Puzzle is a wonderful way to educate children on the human body. The puzzle has 5 layers and is made of birch wood. It containes 29 pieces to complete the nervous and digestive systems, muscularture, skin and finally the clothed layer. When preschoolers and early elementary school children have questions about their own bodies this puzzle is a great way to begin a discussion of anatomy in a way that kids can understand.