Puzzles & Games for Toddlers

Chunky knob puzzles and simple shape puzzles with a single piece per cut-out are ideal. At one, children lift and drop pieces; by two, they start matching shapes to spaces. Large, easy-grip wooden puzzles with a few pieces suit toddler hands and attention spans best.

Keep it very simple — knob puzzles with three to six pieces suit one year olds, moving to simple inset or jigsaw puzzles of around four to twelve pieces by two. A puzzle that's achievable keeps a toddler engaged, while too many pieces quickly frustrate.

Puzzles build fine-motor control, hand-eye coordination and shape recognition as toddlers grasp and place pieces. Because they're self-correcting, one and two year olds can problem-solve independently and feel the satisfaction of getting a piece to fit, which grows focus and persistence.

A chunky wooden knob puzzle with a few large pieces — animals or shapes — is a perfect first puzzle. The knobs are easy for little fingers to grip, and one piece per cut-out makes success simple, building confidence and coordination in a one year old.

Formal board games come later, but simple matching and posting games suit one and two year olds. First 'games' like rolling a ball back and forth or matching lids to pots build turn-taking, coordination and early social skills in a fun, low-pressure way.