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Feeling puzzled trying to find ways to actively engage your little one while working to disconnect them from digital devices and electronic toys? Time to try some fun toddler puzzles. From toddler name puzzles to floor puzzles and wooden puzzles with fun geometric shapes, there’s something in this round up your tot is sure to love.
These beginner brain-building activities are designed to challenge and entertain your tiny tot, but they also offer many other benefits. For starters, puzzles build confidence and a sense of achievement. They also help children develop fine motor skills beginning at age 1, and strengthen hand-eye coordination and stimulate critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Little ones will begin to distinguish colors and shapes early on while later learning letters and numbers.
When trying to decide which puzzle is best for your babe, start with the basics before moving on to puzzles with multiple pieces that are better suited for older kids. Consider sturdy, shape-sorting wooden puzzles with big pieces designed for little hands, flexible foam puzzles and floor puzzles recommended for older toddlers ages 3 and up. As for choosing a puzzle theme — well, there are so many that the possibilities are endless! Whether you have a dinosaur-loving little one or a toddler obsessed with cars, princesses or Baby Shark, we’ve pieced together a roundup of fun puzzles to challenge young minds to see the bigger picture.
- Best Wooden Jigsaw Puzzle: SKYFIELD Wooden Jigsaw Puzzles
- Best Puzzle For Teaching Shapes: GYBBER&MUMU Wooden Preschool Colorful Shape Puzzle
- Best Puzzle For Teaching Numbers: Top Bright Wooden Number Puzzle
- Best Animal Puzzle: SKYFIELD Wooden Animal Jigsaw Puzzle
- Best Peg Puzzle: Melissa & Dough See-Inside Alphabet Peg Puzzle
- Best Wooden Puzzle For Boys: Melissa & Doug Vehicle Wooden Puzzle
- Best Musical Puzzle: Pinkfong Baby Shark Chunky Wooden Sound Puzzle
- Best Jigsaw Puzzle For Girls: Ravensburger ‘The Little Mermaid’ Puzzle
- Best Dinosaur Puzzle: HIPGCC Wooden Winding Dinosaur Jigsaw Puzzle
- Best Geometric Puzzle: Mudpuppy Frank Lloyd Wright Puzzle
- Best Personalized Name Puzzle: Fat Brian Toys Wooden Personalized Name Puzzle
- Best Floor Puzzle: Melissa & Doug Traffic Jam Floor Puzzle
- Best Magnetic Puzzle: Agirlgle Magnetic 3D Magic Cube Jigsaw Puzzle
- Best Foam Puzzle For Girls: Tadpoles Soft Foam ABC Puzzle Playmat
- Best Foam Puzzle For Boys: Cardinal ‘PJ Masks’ Foam Puzzle Mat 25 Pieces
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Best Wooden Jigsaw Puzzle
SKYFIELD Wooden Jigsaw Puzzles
These adorable SKYFIELD Wooden Jigsaw Puzzles feature four brightly colored BPA-free puzzles including a car, plane, police car and tug boat. Thick wooden pieces make it easier for little ones to pick them up and put the puzzles together as they strengthen hand-eye coordination. Recommended for kids ages 1 to 3.
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Best Puzzle for Teaching Shapes
GYBBER&MUMU Wooden Preschool Colorful Shape Puzzle
The CDC recommends that parents engage with their toddler and introduce them to puzzles at 12 months to encourage matching and sorting. With this GYBBER&MUMU Wooden Preschool Colorful Shape Puzzle, baby will begin to recognize shapes and colors and learn how to fit the pieces in the puzzle. The set contains one wooden board and nine geometric shapes. Designed for little ones age 12 months and up
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Best Puzzle for Teaching Numbers
Top Bright Wooden Number Puzzle
Many toddlers begin counting close to the age of 2, but this Top Bright Wooden Number Puzzle is a great way to introduce your toddler to numbers beginning as early as 12 months. A wonderful tool to strengthen cognitive skills, this problem-solving puzzle will have your babe counting to 10 before you know it! Comes with a wooden base and nine number blocks. Recommended for kids ages 12 months to 10 years
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Best Animal Puzzle
SKYFIELD Wooden Animal Jigsaw Puzzle
This colorful set of four wooden puzzles will have your tot trying to piece together these fun animal shapes while developing hand-eye coordination. The SKYFIELD Wooden Animal Jigsaw Puzzles come with a bear, butterfly, bee and ladybug puzzle and a convenient carry case. Designed for toddlers ages 12 months and up.
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Best Peg Puzzle
Melissa & Doug See-Inside Alphabet Peg Puzzle
A is for Alligator! Introduce your toddler to the ABCs with this Melissa & Doug See-Inside Alphabet Peg Puzzle. A fun activity and great teaching tool to help your child begin to recognize letters by pairing them with the colorful corresponding picture underneath. Comes with a wooden board and 26 pegged letters, making it easier for your little one to put the pieces in place. Recommended for kids ages 3 and up.
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Best Wooden Puzzle for Boys
Melissa & Doug Vehicle Sound Wooden Peg Puzzle
Does your little guy love planes, trains and automobiles? If so, this nine-piece Melissa & Doug Vehicle Wooden Puzzle is the perfect fit for a fun teaching activity. He can put the puzzle together or place the pieces upright to play with like traditional toys. Recommended for kids ages 2 to 4.
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Best Musical Puzzle
Pinkfong Baby Shark Chunky Wooden Sound Puzzle
Who doesn't love Baby Shark? This musical Baby Shark Chunky Wooden Sound Puzzle plays the popular kids' song each time your kiddo puts one of the shark-shaped pieces in the proper spot. The five-piece puzzle comes with Mommy Shark, Daddy Shark, Grandma Shark, Grandpa Shark, and, of course, Baby Shark. Doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo! Recommended for kids ages 2 and up.
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Best Jigsaw Puzzle for Girls
Ravensburger ‘The Little Mermaid’ Puzzle
Disney fans will love this Ravensburger The Little Mermaid Puzzle, which is a bit more challenging with 24 pieces. Little ones will develop problem-solving skills as they work to figure out where each puzzle piece fits to create a colorful picture of Ariel and Flounder. Recommended for kids ages 3 and up.
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Best Dinosaur Puzzle
HIPGCC Wooden Winding Dinosaur Jigsaw Puzzl
Kids can learn letters, numbers and colors while working to put together this adorable HIPGCC Wooden Winding Dinosaur Jigsaw Puzzle. The colorful dinosaur comes with 26 pieces and features letters on one side and numbers on the other. Perfect for parents to engage with their little one to help them piece together the alphabet and learn their ABCs or count together while assembling. Recommended for kids ages 3 and up
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Best Geometric
Mudpuppy Frank Lloyd Wright Puzzle
This 10-piece puzzle uses the fun geometric shapes from architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s iconic designs. Little kids will love exploring shape, form and color with this awesome artistic puzzle for toddlers. Recommended for children age 2 and older.
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Best Personalized Name Puzzle
Fat Brain Toys Wooden Personalized Name Puzzle
Perfect for teaching letters and spelling, as kids can learn to spell their own name and develop letter recognition with this Fat Brain Toys Wooden Personalized Name Puzzle. The colorful, sturdy puzzle can be customized with up to nine letters. Puzzle measurements depend on the length of the child's name. Great for girls and boys ages 3 and up.
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Best Floor Puzzle
Melissa & Doug Traffic Jam Floor Puzzle
Who knew gridlock could be great fun? This rush hour Melissa & Doug Traffic Jam Floor Puzzle comes with 24 thick cardboard pieces featuring a puzzle pileup of colorful vehicles. Perfect for problem-solving car fans ages 3 to 5.
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Best Magnetic Puzzle
Agirlgle Magnetic 3D Magic Cube Jigsaw Puzzle
Talk about animal magnetism! Your little one will definitely be attracted to this Agirlgle Magnetic 3D Magic Cube Jigsaw Puzzle. The 9-piece puzzle features magnetic building blocks that piece together to create six different animals. Perfect for stimulating your toddler's creativity. Designed for kids ages 3 and up
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Best Foam Puzzle for Girls
Tadpoles Soft Foam ABC Puzzle Play Mat
This foam puzzle helps introduce little ones to the concept of letters and numbers. The 12-by-12-inch tiles have pop out letters and numbers and cover 36 square feet of space when connected—making it an ideal play mat for a nursery or playroom. This cute, colorful puzzle is recommended for ages 1 and older.
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Best Foam Puzzle for Boys
Cardinal ‘PJ Masks’ Foam Puzzle Mat 25 Pieces
Superhero fans of PJ Masks will have a blast building this cool puzzle of heroes Catboy, Owlette and Gekko. This Cardinal PJ Masks Foam Puzzle Mat features 25 giant foam pieces and measures 13-by-24 inches. Recommended for kids ages 3 and up.
