Are you looking for fun activities for your child to limit his/her screen time? I know its hard to deter children away from the digital world. But trust me, wooden puzzles for 2-4 year old kids are a great option for you. These are safe and present really fun activity for children and at the same time develops their motor and social skills.
In this article, we have selected the best available wooden puzzles for toddlers to choose from. We have considered many aspects, such as safety, educational value, graphic designs, age, etc. in preparing our list.
Moreover, we have also highlighted the buying considerations for wooden puzzles, so that you can make an informed choice. Every decision involving your child is important, so it is important to have a close look at the toys before giving them to the child. Again, we endorse puzzles as an important toy for the development of the child. So, lastly we have also discussed the benefits of playing with puzzles for children.
Our Best Picks
Best Wooden Puzzles for 2-4 Year Old Kids in 2020
Recommended Age: 2-4 years
Melissa & Doug Classic Peg Puzzle Bundle
Best Features:
This wooden peg puzzle is one of the best-selling puzzles on amazon and beyond. This comes as a no surprise as the puzzles are greatly appealing for their vibrant outlook and at the same time educational for their imaginative design. The set contains 3 pack Wooden Peg Puzzles with three different themes. The themes include an alphabet puzzle, a number puzzle and a fish mix and match color puzzle. The puzzle pieces are made from high quality durable woods, which are sanded smooth for the safety of the child. One of the great features of the innovative puzzle is that, the board comes with matching pictures to the puzzle pieces, which makes it interesting and easy to learn experience for the kids.
This is a perfect set of puzzles for any young kid. The game-play is really simple and interactive for the kids. Children are able to learn alphabets, numbers and colors in no time playing with this toy. Apart from learning the experience, the puzzles also help develop motor skills, hand-eye coordination and metal ability of the child. The best thing about the puzzles is its colorful and matching graphics. And most of all the learning experience of the puzzles are easy and enjoyable.
The alphabet themed puzzle is not suited for toddlers. That one is best for young kids aged 3 or up. However, the other two themes are suited for kids aged between 2 to 4.
Hear from Melissa:
Recommended Age: 1-4 years
Rolimate Wooden Shape Sorter for Toddlers
Best Features:
This hugely popular wooden shape sorter puzzle comes with 1 Cylindrical chassis, 4 Round wooden blocks, 4 Square wooden blocks, 4 Triangle wooden blocks and 4 Rectangular wooden blocks. Apart from different shapes, the blocks come in with different colors as well. The blocks are made of high-quality rubber wood. The blocks are perfectly sized for the toddlers to grip and also made from non-toxic elements.
The column and hole design is really great for improving the hand-eye co-ordination of children. The puzzle is also a good way of learning about shapes and colors. Again, the blocks are made from high quality non toxic rubber woods.
Because of the attractive color and soft wood, children may put the blocks in their mouth. So, there is a rick of accidental swallowing. However, the large size of the blocks make them really hard to swallow.
Recommended Age: 2-4 years
Melissa & Doug Shape Sorting Cube
Best Features:
This amazing shape sorter puzzle comes with a cube box and 12 different three-dimensional shapes. The different shapes are brightly colored and easy to hold for its chunky shape. The box is also made from wood and quite sturdy. The wooden shapes are easily moveable from the cube due to the design. This is a classic shape sorting puzzle toy for kids ages 2 to 4 years old.
The bright colors of the shapes make them attractive to the kids. And the challenge of matching the shapes to the cut outs of the box makes it an engaging and fun experience for the kids. This game teaches the kids about different colors and shapes. The toy is also really helpful in the development of motor skills and brain development of the child. Another great feature of this toy is that this is an interactive puzzle and develops the relationship of the child with the parents.
Some parents feel that this puzzle is a bit too difficult for toddlers. However, the difficult challenge should not be a deterrent factor as it will develop the child mentally.
Recommended Age: 6 months and up
Dreampark Wooden Chunky Jigsaw Puzzles Set
Best Features:
This beautiful puzzle set is eye catcher for the babies. This is a 6 packs jigsaw puzzle in the shape of a bear, a butterfly, a bee, a crap, an owl and a ladybug. The pieces of the puzzles come in attractive bright colors. The animal shapes are really cute and the pieces are chunky thus easy to hold for the babies. The product is also made from non-toxic materials and the edges of the blocks have been smoothed out for the safety of children.
The illustrations of the animals are really cute and attractive. The game play is also fun and easy for the kids.
Again the puzzle set come with a sturdy box so it becomes easier to keep the pieces in one place.
This puzzle also serves as a educational toy for kids as they learn about three different animals with it.
The puzzle base or the board is not made from wood rather made from ply wood materials.
Recommended Age: 2-4 years
Melissa & Doug Farm Animals, Pets and Ocean Peg Puzzles Set
Best Features:
Like any other Melissa & Doug product, this set of pet puzzles is engaging, entertaining and feature beautiful graphic designs. This set includes 3 wooden peg puzzles. Each puzzle contains 6 pegged wooden blocks. The 3 sets are created around three different themes, i.e. identify farm animals, meet neighborhood pets, and discover ocean animals. The blocks are made from high quality materials and easy to grasp due to its size. This set is a perfect gift for toddlers and young kinds alike.
The illustrations of the animals are really beautiful and vibrant. Again, the puzzle board also contains matching animal illustrations, which makes is easier and fun matching experience for kids. Mellissa and Doug are known for creating gold standard toys in early childhood play and this set of puzzles are no exceptional. The puzzles are creative and creativity sparking and fun at the same time.
This is a three set peg puzzle. However, if you want to buy single set, other option are also available for sale.
Things to consider before buying Wooden Puzzles for Kids:
Safety:
This should be the first and foremost consideration before buying anything for you child. Especially, toys involving multiples pieces should be carefully bought. Never buy a puzzle which has small pieces. Children like putting shiny things to their mouths, so buy puzzles with chunky block to avoid accidental chocking. Again, children skins are really sensitive to chemicals. So, make sure that the puzzles are made from non-toxic materials. And lastly the edges of each piece of the puzzle should be smooth. Otherwise, the puzzle may cause accidental cut while playing.
Educational:
A child’s brain develops faster in the first five year rather than any other phase of development. So, it is highly important that the toys are chosen very carefully for the children. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, toys should be engaging, imaginative, and interactive. Learning through playing is one of the main method in montessori approach of education, which have become hugely popular among parents all over the world.
The right type of puzzle can help the child in developing mental and physical strength. The best types of puzzles are those which develop motor skills, hand-eye coordination and problem-solving ability of the child. So, the imaginative design and educational game play becomes very important consideration. However, apart from the learning experience it should be a fun experience also. Too hard to solve puzzle are useless for kids. So, easy and fun puzzles with attractive colors and illustrations are the best choice for the kids.
High quality materials:
You child builds an emotional connection with its toys. So before buying them make sure that they are well build and made for long term use. Again, high quality material is also important for the safety of the child. As any loose end may be a danger for the kid.
Attractive and Fun:
This is really important. If the puzzle is not attractive and fun to play with, you will never get your child to engage or play with it. Children are attracted to bright colors and vibrant graphics. So, always buy puzzles with lots of colors and beautiful illustrations. Again, make sure that the puzzle is interactive and at the same time easy for the child to understand.
If the toys you choose for your child is not fun and attractive then the whole purpose of educational toy will be useless. And your child would prefer digital contents over toys. Which is not good as screen time is really harmful for the development of the child. You must engage your child in other fun activities in order to limit his/her screen time.
Benefit of Puzzles in the Development of Children:
Hand-Eye Coordination:
Playing with puzzles is hugely beneficial for the development of hand-eye coordination of the child. Solving a puzzle requires that the child must pick up different blocks and put them in their right places. This exercise help develop the Hand-Eye Coordination of the child.
Motor Skills:
Perhaps this is the most important skill that the child harness during the early development phase. Motor skill are hugely important for the child and through various activities the child develops it motor skills. Playing with puzzles requires fine motor skills and by playing it the child eventually develops those skills. Solving puzzles help children in the development of muscles in their hands and fingers to help them with fine motor skills.
Social Skill:
Puzzles should not be a toy to distract your children with. Rather, this is an educational toy, which is really important for the development for your child. So, while your child plays with puzzles, interact with them; engage with them in solving the puzzles. And also encourage your child to interact with you while playing.
Shape and Color recognition:
Puzzles for toddlers are great for teaching kids about shapes and colors. Most puzzles are created around some theme and for the toddlers, the best puzzles are those which are created around the theme of shapes and colors. Puzzles are great for preschool preps and early education of children.
Problem Solving Skills:
Each puzzle gives the child to work with a problem and by solving them the child develops mental strengths of problem solving. Make sure that the puzzles are easy to understand for the kids. You need to pick the puzzles very carefully. And also help them learning how to solve the puzzle, interact with them and make the experience a fun activity.
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