How to Make the Most Out of Preschool Puzzles

Are you the parent of a preschooler who loves playing with puzzles? If you are, your child may be pleased with simply just playing with a puzzle the "traditional," way. With that in mind, did you know that there are a number of other activities that you can do with a puzzle, namely a wood puzzle?

As a parent, you likely already know that educational puzzles come in a number of different formats. For example, you can find cardboard puzzles, wood puzzles, and even huge floor puzzles. While each of these puzzle types are ideal for preschoolers, this article will focus on the use of wood puzzles, as they are easier to do with the fun preschool activities outlined below.

One of the many preschool activities that you can do with a puzzle involves highlighting what you and your child have. You can start by dumping all of the puzzle pieces on a table. Before you and your child start putting the puzzle together, state what each puzzle piece is. Additional steps can also be taken. For example, if your puzzle focuses on foods, ask your child what food group each food is from. For animals, ask your child what sound each animal makes or what foods they eat. This allows you to get full use out of an educational puzzle.

Combining a scavenger hunt with doing a puzzle is another great activity for preschoolers. What you will want to do is first hide a few puzzle pieces around your home, namely in the same room. Be sure to make these puzzle pieces easy to find. For more complicated hiding places, provide your child with directions. After a puzzle piece has been found, have them return to the table or wherever their puzzle is placed and put each puzzle piece in its correct spot.

If your child enjoys the above mentioned activity, they will likely enjoy this one. What you will want to do is have your child play a game of toss with their puzzle pieces. You can easily set a bucket or small laundry basket a few feet from your child. Also, set their puzzle base next to their basket or bucket. Have your child toss the puzzle pieces into the basket or bucket. Once all pieces have made it into the bucket or basket, have your child put the puzzle together. Due to the average size of the puzzle pieces, wood puzzles work best for this activity.

The above mentioned activities are just a few of the many ways that you can add extra fun, excitement, and education to educational puzzles. These activities are also a great way to bring new life to puzzles that your child may have already grown bored with.