Toys & Gifts Kids & Teens The 8 Best Puzzles for Kids of 2023 By Maya Polton Maya Polton LinkedIn Maya has more than 15 years of experience in digital media and communications and specializes in writing about family, food, and lifestyles. Learn about our editorial process Updated on February 15, 2022 Fact checked by Marley Hall Fact checked by Marley Hall LinkedIn Marley Hall is a writer and fact-checker who is certified in clinical and translational research. Her work has been published in medical journals in the field of surgery, and she has received numerous awards for publication in education. Learn about our editorial process Print We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more. Verywell Family / Danie Drankwalter Puzzles are as entertaining as they are educational. They are an amazing tool to build hand-eye coordination, grow logic and spatial skills, and encourage kids to enjoy some screen-free time. As a bonus, they can also engage the whole family in unadulterated fun. The best puzzles are age-appropriate, durable, and come with a storage box. Since the right puzzle will largely depend on your child's age, finding the right one can be a bit tedious. However, there are some features that a puzzle should have no matter what age you're shopping for: a clearly defined image, non-toxic materials, and pieces that will click and stay together easily. We researched popular puzzles from trusted brands with these features in mind. These are the best puzzles for kids on the market today. Our Top Picks Best Overall: Melissa & Doug USA Map Floor Puzzle at Amazon Jump to Review Best for Toddlers: Melissa & Doug Safari Jumbo Knob Puzzle at Amazon Jump to Review Best for Kids: Melissa & Doug Wooden Jigsaw Puzzle at Amazon Jump to Review Best 3D: Rolife 3D Wooden Puzzle at Rolifeonline.com Jump to Review Best Personalized: KIDZCO PUZZLES Wooden Personalized Name Puzzle at Amazon Jump to Review Best for Tweens: Burke Decor Little Puzzle Thing Chocolate Scoop at Burkedecor.com Jump to Review Best Challenging: Mudpuppy Animal Kingdom 100-Piece at Amazon Jump to Review Best Wooden: BeginAgain Animal Parade A to Z Puzzle at Walmart Jump to Review In This Article Expand Our Picks What to Look For FAQ Why Trust Verywell Family Best Overall Melissa & Doug USA Map Floor Puzzle 4.6 Amazon View On Amazon View On Walmart View On Melissaanddoug.com This 51-piece floor puzzle gets top honors for its durability, ease of use, and affordability. It's made of high-quality cardboard and measures 3 feet x 2 feet when complete. It has great picture quality and an easy-to-clean coating that makes wiping up any accidental spills a breeze. While it's recommended for kids 6 years and older, this puzzle is informative for kids of all ages. Younger kids will have fun putting it together, while older kids can learn the location, capital, and primary industry of all 50 states. For storage, you can simply use the box it comes in. Price at time of publication: $17Key Specs:Age Recommendation: 6 years old and up | Pieces: 51 | Material: Cardboard Best Puzzle Subscriptions Best for Toddlers Melissa & Doug Safari Jumbo Knob Puzzle Amazon View On Amazon View On Walmart Young toddlers will love this jungle friends puzzle. Made from extra-thick wood, the three safari animal puzzle pieces have easy-to-grasp jumbo wooden knobs. Safe for kids ages 1 and up, this is a perfect introduction to puzzles. Little kids will love playing with the pieces and getting them into the correct places, and can even mimic animal sounds or use the puzzle pieces like cymbals to explore sounds and coordination. Price at time of publication: $15Key Specs:Age Recommendation: 1 year old and up | Pieces: Three | Material: Wood Best for Kids Melissa & Doug Construction Vehicles Wooden Jigsaw Puzzle With Storage Tray Courtesy of Amazon View On Amazon View On Walmart A great gift for kids from 3 to 5 years old, this puzzle offers an age-appropriate challenge. Made of 48 wooden pieces, parent reviewers love that this puzzle comes in its very own storage tray, so it can easily be stowed away once complete. The original artwork showcases a busy construction site featuring lots of favorite vehicles hard at work. To help younger kids, the wooden base has an outline of all the puzzle pieces, guiding kids to finding the right piece for each spot. Price at time of publication: $13Key Specs:Age Recommendation: 3 to 5 years old | Pieces: 48 | Material: Wood The 13 Best Construction and Building Block Toys of 2023 Best 3D Rolife 3D Wooden Puzzle Courtesy of Amazon View On Rolifeonline.com Best for older kids, this 3D wooden puzzle helps develop hand-eye coordination, problem-solving skills, focus, concentration. Plus it will build confidence once your kiddo can show off their completed puzzle. No glue or other materials are needed as the easy-to-follow step-by-step instructions guide your child through the assembly. If your kids aren't into the elephant design, the company makes lots of other challenging shapes. Price at time of publication: $10Key Specs:Age Recommendation: 8 years old and up | Pieces: Not Listed | Material: Wood Best Personalized KIDZCO PUZZLES Wooden Personalized Name Puzzle Courtesy of Amazon View On Amazon View On Kidz.com Build self-esteem, letter and name recognition, and hand-eye coordination with a personalized name puzzle. Kids will love seeing their very own name in puzzle form, especially those with unique names or spellings. Made in the U.S., this all wooden puzzle has room for up to 12 characters, all painted with colorful non-toxic paint. Reviewers praise this puzzle as a great gift and an excellent tool in helping kids learn to spell their name. Custom options include a choice of letter color, engraving on the back, pegs on the letters, and more. Price at time of publication: $18Key Specs:Age Recommendation: Not Listed | Pieces: Up to 12 | Material: Wood Best for Tweens Burke Decor Little Puzzle Thing Chocolate Scoop Courtesy of East Dane View On Burkedecor.com View On Eastdane.com Designed to be completed in under 20 minutes, these realistic-looking food puzzles provide tweens with a perfect screen-free break from their busy lives. The mini puzzles have just 70 pieces but the challenge lies with the odd shapes of these small treats. Each series is a timed edition with limited quantities, so if there is tasty food or treat that they love, scoop up these puzzles for a favorite tween in your life. Price at time of publication: $15Key Specs:Age Recommendation: 6 years old and up | Pieces: More than 70 | Material: Paper and chipboard The 11 Best Educational Workbooks of 2023 Best Challenging Mudpuppy Animal Kingdom 100-Piece, Double-Sided Puzzle Courtesy of Amazon View On Amazon View On Mudpuppy.com Two puzzles in one, this double-sided choice is just challenging enough, so it’s recommended for kids ages 6 and up. One side showcases illustrations of the world’s most colorful animals while the other side features black and white animals. For easier sorting, one side is glossy and the flip side is matte. Parents praise this puzzle with the only drawback being that the puzzle image doesn’t include labels identifying the animals. Price at time of publication: $17Key Specs:Age Recommendation: 6 years old and up | Pieces: 100 | Material: Cardboard Best Wooden BeginAgain Animal Parade A to Z Puzzle Courtesy of Buy Buy Baby View On Walmart View On Tenlittle.com This creative wooden toy is a puzzle and so much more. Introduce your kiddo to colors, animals, and the alphabet in a fun, interactive way. The 26-piece puzzle is made of animal-shaped wooden blocks that all fit together into an animal parade. Each piece has an uppercase letter on one side and a lowercase letter on the flip side. Younger kids will enjoy playing with all the animals and older children can be challenged to complete the parade puzzle. The beechwood storage box holds all the animals and looks bright and colorful in a playroom or displayed on a bookshelf. Price at time of publication: $35Key Specs:Age Recommendation: 2 years old and up | Pieces: 26 | Material: Rubberwood Final Verdict For an educational puzzle that blends geography with playtime, the Melissa and Doug USA Puzzle (view on Amazon) is a good option. If you have older kids that are open to a challenge, the Rolife 3D Wooden Puzzle (view on Amazon) is perfect. What to Look for in Puzzles for Kids Age-Appropriateness If a puzzle is too advanced for your kiddo, they can easily become discouraged because of the difficulty. On the flip side, if the puzzle is too easy, your older or more experienced puzzlers may get bored and disinterested. To get them started, choose a puzzle that fits their age and experience level. Babies: Most puzzles are designed for children over 2, as puzzle pieces can be choking hazards for smaller children. Puzzles that are safe for children under 2 are often large overall and feature a few large pieces instead of many small ones. The se puzzles encourage problem-solving and critical thinking skills.Toddlers: Puzzles with large knob pieces work best for children ages 2 to 3. Playing with these puzzles develops fine motor skills, and kids can work their way up to puzzles with more pieces.Big kids: Children around the age of 7 and up can handle puzzles with more pieces and can even solve them independently. Depending on your child's age, they may be able to solve up to a 500-piece puzzle.Tweens and teens: With guidance and patience, tweens and older can solve just about any puzzle they're given, and will build fine motor and strategic thinking skills while they do. Durability For little kids that like to gnaw on their toys, a durable and non-toxic puzzle is essential. Most large puzzles designed for smaller children are made from wood. It's a sturdy material that many companies cover with a non-toxic finish, in case a child puts a piece into their mouth. For older kids, you'll want a puzzle that fits together well, with pieces that don't rip or warp with handling. Storage There is nothing worse than losing a piece to a puzzle. Going for a puzzle that comes with its own storage box can help you corral all of the tiny pieces. Frequently Asked Questions What puzzles are best for a 6-year-old? Six-year-olds can try using puzzles that have smaller pieces. You could task your 6-year-old with trying to solve a puzzle that has 50 or more pieces, up to about 100. Be patient with them as they make the transition from littler-kid puzzles with fewer pieces. They are also moving away from large pieces to smaller pieces. A puzzle that has a clearly defined image will be easier than one that is more abstract. Puzzles can help build confidence and independence, which are great skills for a 6-year-old to have. What age can a kid do a 100-piece puzzle? It varies from child to child. A 5- or 6-year-old may be able to do a 100-piece puzzle, if the pieces are larger and the image is simple and clear. An older child might have a favorite 100-piece puzzle that they return to time and time again just because they like it. Since puzzles are a fun way for parents to play with their children, try doing a 100-piece puzzle together! What type of puzzle can my 4-year-old do? Your preschooler might be able to work their way up to a 50-piece puzzle from a 25-piece puzzle around age 4. This is a great age to start transitioning them from larger pieces to smaller pieces. Look for a puzzle with a clearly defined image to help them solve the puzzle, as well as those with interesting shapes, which will be of interest to kids this age. Why Trust Verywell Family? Maya Polton is a former marketing manager and current freelance writer who covers food, home, and parenting. She’s also the mom of a 10-year-old son, 7-year-old son, and 3-year old daughter. Her husband is a “puzzle person” and loves to complete puzzles with (or more realistically without) help from the rest of the family. "When we do puzzles together, everyone has an age-appropriate task that’ll help us complete the puzzle," Maya says. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit