It can be difficult trying to figure out what puzzle is best for your toddler! You may be asking yourself a few (or many) questions. How do you pick the best toddler puzzles? Should you buy the newest puzzle? The oldest? The prettiest? The most complicated? The simplest? First, take a breath! We have you covered. Wood puzzles are a great option, if not the best puzzles for toddlers. They pose no danger with their round edges and well sanded texture and they come in a variety of shapes and themes! Play should be fun and a great way to connect with your child! Don’t worry or overthink it. Keep reading to find out what we suggest and why!

1. Learn from past toys

First, learn from your past mistakes and successes. If you’ve found your child likes puzzles that have bigger pieces, keep that in mind! If your child didn’t like the last toy you bought, brainstorm why that was. Was it too busy for them? Too complicated? Too simple? Trust your gut and learn from the past to ensure that your child will love the puzzle you choose! 

2. Pick puzzles based on what your child loves

The best toddler puzzles are the ones that your toddler will be drawn to! No one knows your child better than you do! Use this information for both you and your child’s benefit! Does your child love dogs? Trucks? Colors? Find a puzzle that will make them excited and keep them engaged!

If your child hasn’t shown an interest in the objects on the puzzle, they won’t be nearly as happy or wanting to play with a puzzle that does in fact have their favorite things!

3. Use your child's age as a guide

As your child grows, there are important milestones that naturally occur. When your child is two, they are working on their sensory and motor skills. Wooden puzzles are a great way to further develop these skills. For example, the best puzzles for two year olds have simple pieces but can be played in a variety of ways. Simply picking up a piece and placing it into its slot helps your toddler work on their fine motor skills! Check out this article for more ideas on how to play! 

If your child is three, they are beginning to be able to answer simple questions and show a general awareness about the world around them. Use this while playing with your wooden puzzle! Ask your toddler questions about the color of pieces or have them point out their favorite objects on the puzzle!

No matter your child’s age, wooden puzzles are a great option when picking out a form of play for your child!

4. Alphabet Puzzles

Puzzles that emphasize learning the alphabet are some of the best toddler puzzles out there! An alphabet puzzle is an awesome way to learn about words and how to spell while still getting the developmental benefits of a puzzle! 

Interested in learning how to play with alphabet puzzles? Check 7 ways to play with alphabet puzzles! Curious about using puzzles for toddler development? We have an article on how to use puzzles for toddler development!

5. Counting Puzzles

Similar to alphabet puzzles, puzzles that work on counting skills through numbers are a great resource for your toddler. Math will be a lifelong skill that they use everyday! Why not help them learn as soon as possible? 

Remember, in a way all puzzles can be counting puzzles. You don’t need puzzle pieces that explicitly say the number itself to teach counting! Gather your pieces and find different ways to add them together.

6. Shape Puzzles

Shapes are all around us. You see circles when you cut a tomato, triangles when you cut up watermelon, squares and rectangles in a block of cheese. Okay that’s enough about food! Finding a puzzle that has the basic shapes are great for forming an understanding about what shapes are and what they look like. 

However, as displayed by the few examples above, every puzzle has shapes incorporated in it! Whether it is a puzzle about nature or a picture of a car, shapes will be a part of it! Point these elements out and help your child start to recognize the various shapes around them.

7. Wooden Puzzles

A great material for puzzles is wood! Not only is it environmentally friendly, but they will last for years to come! Wooden puzzles have especially been popular recently. With this in mind, you know wooden puzzles have been developed with your child’s best interest as the priority! Learn more about wooden number puzzles your toddler will love!

8. Think Longstanding

Whether this puzzle is for your first child or fifth, the lessons it will teach are timeless. Every child will always need to learn the alphabet, how to count, what shapes are, and how to spot similarities and differences! 

That’s why, when buying a puzzle, remember this one puzzle will be beneficial for future generations! You don’t need to be constantly buying new puzzles when you already have a perfectly good puzzle at your disposal!

9. Talk with friends in an online community

We know how lonely it can sometimes feel when trying to find the best resources for your child. Find friends in online forums or even in our comment section to talk to fellow moms and guardians about what they have found works best! Not only will this help inform your puzzle buying options, but it will be a place where you can find support and a sense of community! 

10. Check out what we have to offer!

We want you to have the best options available for your child! With this in mind, check out the toys we have specially made with your child’s best interest as the heart! All of these suggestions can be found in our products, and we can promise you’ll be satisfied with the quality of your order for your own child or whoever you may be buying for! 

Now that you’ve read some of our suggestions for the best wood puzzles for toddlers, comment below what you have found works best for you and your family! Just know that you are already doing so much for your child simply through reading this article! Remember to have fun and that you know your child best!