Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Age or Ability Specific Forums Pre-school Puzzles for 20 month old

I know there is a post about puzzles for slightly older kids, but I have been having a problem finding an appropriate puzzle for my 20 month old. She can very easily do the 9-piece peg puzzles with the picture underneath but I can't find a logical step from this type of puzzle to a floor puzzle. She just doesn't seem ready for a traditional floor puzzle but will very quickly do every peg puzzle I have given her (she also doesn't like repeating it much). Also, sometimes she will throw the last piece at the puzzle then turn the whole puzzle over dumping it over (the ped. said she is probably frustrated it is over and for me to try to find harder puzzles). Is there a puzzle in the middle of these two types? Maybe a floor puzzle with the picture underneath or something? Thanks!!!

I am not exactly sure what a floor puzzle is? Just one with giant pieces? My kids have often found those harder than standard puzzles. I can't remember exactly what age they started but but both my older girls never really liked peg puzzles but have moved very quickly from 12 piece through 20 and then to 49 piece Ravensberger puzzles (they were doing the 49s by 2.5yrs and 3yrs).

I was referring to the loose-piece traditional puzzle that you do on a table or floor. It does not have a frame. Are the 12-piece puzzles like this? I might check those out, the only puzzles like this I have seen have 20+ pieces. Thanks!

Yes Ravensberger are just loose pieces that fit together.

DS10's favorite puzzle when he was that age was a Martin Luther King Jr judy-puzzle, it only had 12 pieces but they were odd shapes and really fun to assemble. He called it "the king puzzle" and he really loved it lol I still have it of course!

I picked up a ton of those judy-style puzzles at thrift shops and he liked them alot. They are heavy duty masonite or MDF type material so way stronger than those cardboard puzzles!

lol i looked up the King puzzle and there are actually a couple on ebay!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=380368521541&_rdc=1

Here's some Judy puzzles on ebay
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200650503854&_rdc=1

Those are exactly what I was looking for! Thanks!!!

http://www.hearthsong.com/productform.asp?q=Puzzles&search_type=normal

http://www.melissaanddoug.com/seasons-puzzle-set

http://www.lakeshorelearning.com/home/home.jsp

You may find puzzles to borrow at the library. Some libraries have kids toddler toys to borrow. I found puzzles at garage sales and Preschool parent Sales.

When DS was transitioning from peg to jigsaw puzzles the earliest jigsaws he did were 2 piece ones. One was similar to this set: http://www.amazon.com/Infantino-156-034-My-First-Puzzles/dp/B0006N8YFO/ref=pd_sim_ba_4

Several friends have this one on their fridge, conceptually similar to a jigsaw: http://www.amazon.com/LeapFrog-Frid...mp;ie=UTF8&qid=1315798071&sr=1-1

We also had some expensive 3D wood puzzles with just a few pieces that DS had a lot of trouble with due to hand eye coordination, holding the pieces at the right orientation and height and then sliding them down to connect was a challenge, moreso than a flat puzzle. By the time he grew to where his fingers could actually manipulate to do it he was bored with the number of pieces.

Haba makes a few flat style puzzles similar to the 70s types: http://www.maukilo.com/paulina-discovery-puzzle.html DS initially found ones with bumps on each piece easier to do than ones that have flat smooth edges. Because with bumps and spots for the bumps to fit it is clearer how the pieces line up.

We gradually accumulated some good puzzles from places like ebay and yard sales. Once DS could do 8 or 12 piece jigsaws there were so many more to choose from.

Good luck with the search.

Polly

My DS3's first puzzle was a 12-piece train puzzle from Walmart. We pretty much skipped the wooden peg ones, so I'm not sure if that is the best transition. I bought it because he loved trains and I figured it was something his sister could do with him (she was very bored with his toys). I never expected my 18 month old to put the whole thing together by himself after seeing his sister do it twice. He played with three 12-piece puzzles until they fell apart and we upgraded to 24-pc by his second birthday. He has since moved on to 48-pc, but I find that he lacks the attention span necessary to complete them most of the time.

I would say to find a puzzle of a favourite character or toy that has large pieces (8-12 would be best). Sit down and do it with her, she just might surprise the pants off you.

Our local walmart carried a few 12 piece wooden jigsaw puzzles that my daughter was able to put together completely on her own prior to her 2nd birthday. The pieces weren't too tight, nor too small to be manipulated, and having a frame really helped her keep her work contained.