| Last night, I took down an old favorite, the ABC Floor | | | | perfect for most 5 year olds. Keep in mind not only the |
| Puzzle from Mudpuppy Press, to play with my | | | | size but the time, patience, and focus required. |
| 22-month-old. The puzzle is made up of 24 big 8" | | | | Age 5-10: 100 piece puzzles are usually just right for |
| square pieces that fit easily together and are easily | | | | ages 5-10. |
| manouverable by a little tyke. The box says 3+, but he | | | | Age 8-11: 200 piece puzzles. |
| enjoyed seeing the picture come together and was | | | | Age 10-12: 300+ piece puzzles will match the skill level |
| pretty darn happy when he could fit one piece to | | | | of 10-12 year olds. |
| another. And I found it sufficiently stimulating to enjoy | | | | My daughter (age 6) and I often put together a 40 |
| spending seven or eight minutes down on the floor | | | | piece puzzle before bedtime. It's quick, fun, and gives |
| with it. Check out Mudpuppy's other puzzles, too - they | | | | us a chance to wind down before the pre-bed routine. |
| are well made and designed, and they come in boxes | | | | Recently, we also tried the highly recommended Global |
| that make storage easy. | | | | Puzzle. With 600 pieces and dimensions measuring |
| There is something zen about putting a puzzle | | | | three feet wide and 18 inches tall, it's a big, big puzzle. |
| together. It has no real productive purpose and is | | | | But it's also a fun learning tool. Except for the oceans, |
| therefore very effective at driving Type A family | | | | most of the puzzle is made of pieces in the shape of |
| members up the wall, though I've seen | | | | the countries they represent. The puzzle is somewhat |
| obsessive-compulsives unable to focus on anything | | | | fragile that way, since most countries do not naturally |
| else until every last piece was put in the puzzle. Me, I | | | | interlock with their neighbors. Some of the pieces are |
| like it because I think it focuses the brain on colors and | | | | very small, though very tiny countries and US states |
| shapes and their inter-relationship. With Brain | | | | are conglomerated into pieces that don't require a pair |
| Awareness Week coming up, it's a good time to think | | | | of tweezers to manipulate. My daughter, still at six, |
| of incorporating puzzles to stimulate neural pathway | | | | was a bit young to do more than fit together big |
| development (in your child) and maintenance (for you, | | | | pieces of land in the same color (Antartica), but her |
| old codger). | | | | grandmother and I spent two days trying to figure out |
| A good puzzle is a great way to spend time with your | | | | where to put Cameroon and Madagascar. |
| kids. Here's a rough guide for puzzle size, though kids | | | | For a slightly older child (the box says nine years, but |
| will vary greatly: | | | | could go younger depending on the child), and for most |
| Ages 1-3: Very simple block puzzles will help the child | | | | American adults, this puzzle is a great exercise in |
| understand relationships between colors and shape. | | | | humility as you realize you can't even get Canada or |
| Age 2-4: 20-35 piece traditional jigsaw puzzles are | | | | Latin America in the right order. It's also sold by the |
| appropriate. | | | | National Geographic on-line store. Highly recommended. |
| Ages 4-7: 60 piece traditional jigsaw puzzles are | | | | |