Puzzle Games for Kids

Introducing puzzle games to kids as early as possible has many benefits – it arouses their natural curiosity, stimulates their imagination and develops logical thinking and concentration. For older kids, it staves off boredom and is a better alternative to television! Here’s a look at some puzzle games for kids of all ages, both traditional and new.

Jigsaw puzzles – keeps those little minds and fingers ticking!

Check out Hasbro’s Nickelodeon Dora the Explorer Alphabet Learning.
This 48- piece floor puzzle measures 2ft. x 3ft. It’s ideal for kids 3 years and above who’ll enjoy piecing it together while learning the alphabet at the same time. Available at leading toy stores or online at HasbroToyShop.com.

This one is a must-have for fans of Captain Jack Sparrow! From Buffalo Games comes the Pirates of the Caribbean puzzle. It consists of three puzzles – Jack Sparrow, Will Turner and Capt. Jack with Davy Jones. The jigsaw pieces snap together neatly. Children will love the spectacular colors and of course, the bonus poster from the movie Pirates of the Caribbean – Dead Man’s Chest. Available at leading toy stores, Barnes & Noble or online at Amazon.com, Boardgames.com and PuzzBuffs.

Scene It? Jr.

This one is a DVD game from Mattel for kids ages 6 and above. There are real clips from popular TV shows, films, sports and music with questions and puzzles based on the clips. Available at all leading stores (Toys R Us, Target Stores, Wal-Mart and K-Mart).

A Classic

The Kaleidoscope Classic is one of my favorites, a pattern recognition game for both children and adults. It can be played by a solitary person or as a collaborative venture by more people. The game consists of an 8” x 8” square board and 18 pieces in different shapes. Each piece is double-sided and contains 1-8 squares which are to be placed on the board to match varied patterns. A pattern book is also enclosed, with diagrams that range from simple to extremely complex. (Available at leading toy stores)

Word Game

Want to improve your kids’ vocabulary? Try Briarpatch Nerdy Wordy Game, for ages 7 and up. In this family crossword puzzle game, players have to think up 2-5 letter words, picking letter tiles from a central pool of letters. Players who can create words within words get extra points.

For older kids

Situation 4 (Parker Brothers), for 2-4 players from age 8 upwards, is a war game-cum-jigsaw puzzle, the final objective being to conquer more territory than your opponent and score more points. It’s a test of speed, pattern recognition, hand-to-eye coordination and your ability to strategize, all rolled into one!

A new offering from Kadon is Pseudo-Coup. Based on the popular Sudoku number puzzle game, it’s played with colors.
You can play either Pseudo-Coup Solitaire or 3 strategy games for 2-3 players. A Pocket Pseudo-Coup verson is also available.