"There are 100’s of Djeco puzzles to choose from. And we think they are one of the best kept secrets in the puzzle world." 

It’s hard to know the right type of puzzle to buy for a child – you don’t want it to be too difficult or too easy. Most people don’t know how to match a child's age to an appropriate product. Also, what appeals to one child, may not appeal to another.

We’ve therefore made choosing which item to buy, super easy with this Ultimate Guide.

Did you know there are 100’s of Djeco puzzles to choose from. And we think they are one of the best kept secrets. They are:

• Captivating & unique with designs that captivate kids and adults alike (forgot boring!)
• Excellent quality which will stand the test of time 
• Eco-friendly with production that meets the highest safety standards
• Packaged beautifully - making them perfect for gift giving
• Original Toys that have been designed by artists

Choosing a Djeco Puzzle Based on Age 

When choosing based on age, we can loosely classify children into three main age groups based on general developmental abilities: Toddlers (aged 1-3), Kindergarten/Pre-schoolers (aged 3-5) and Primary Schoolers (aged 6-12) . Of course, in reality, within each group, there will be many variations - therefore the wonderful chart below, courtesy of Just a Mamma, has broken this down further: 

Toddlers

Toddlerhood occurs roughly between the ages 1-3. It comes from the word 'toddle' which means to walk unsteadily, which is one of the defining features of a toddler! This period is one of magnified change and growth, with the need for toddlers to explore the world around them.

Puzzles & Schema's

Schema's are one way of understanding early childhood behaviours. Things like opening and closing cupboards doors, clanking things together, and even the fun stuff like throwing food down, all fall under developmental stages known as schema's. Through these repetitive behaviours, children learn new skills and solidify neural connections in their brain. 

Puzzles can fall under two schema's: connecting and positioning. Connecting is when kids want to join things together and positioning is when they want to position, order and arrange things. A puzzle toy results in an opportunity to partake in these schema's in a safe and fun way. 

What Puzzles are Appropriate for Toddlers

Puzzles that are appropriate for toddlers depend on their stage of toddlerhood. When they are closer to one years old, they can typically handle just a few pieces. By the stage they are three years old, toddlers can usually do one that has up to 26 pieces, as long as the pieces are large enough to grip and fit together easily. 

Puzzles with pegs, knobs and/or chunky ones are the best type for toddlers. Their fine motor skills and their pincer grip, which governs the ability to clasp something, are still developing. Puzzles and other wooden toys, such as pegboards, can actually aid toddlers in this development, as well as the development of their: 

• hand eye coordination
• visual-spatial reasoning
• memory
• perseverance 
• pattern recognition
• problem solving
• language and social skills as they grow older

Djeco Toys are specifically designed to meet the developmental requirements of this age group. From their very simple wooden puzzles with large and chunky pieces to their Duo Range for 2+, they have designed their products with the requirements of toddlers in mind! 

Kindy Aged Kids

According to the six stages of play theory, Associate Play, begins at age 3-4 and is when a child transitions from parallel play (playing near or alongside others) into interactive play where they engage with others during play, and start to share toys. Kindergarten aged children start to speak in longer sentences, develop their ability to name things and retain information, and their social skills start to take off. 

These developmental milestones allow them to partake in more complex puzzles, and to do them together with others, such as family and friends. By 5 years of age, they can typically do up to 50 pieces.

Djeco puzzles can in fact help spearhead different language and social skills, as outlined in the table below. A great example are observation puzzles, which entail the use of language to name the items around the border that need to be found in the completed picture. 

Skills via Starting Blocks Website and have been applied to Djeco Toys

Primary Aged Kids

Primary aged children increasingly display independent and social activity, have growing literacy and numeracy skills, and will have more developed fine motor skills and visual spatial reasoning abilities. This allows primary aged children to do increasingly complex puzzles and games with more pieces and added challenges. They may also enjoy doing them together with family, who may be more advanced then they are, and are able to guide them. 

As a general guide children of the following ages can do the following size puzzles:

• Ages 6-7: 100-200 pieces
• Ages 7-8: 200 pieces
• Ages 8-12: 300 pieces
• Ages 12 and up: 500+ pieces

As to which product is most suitable for this age group, it will really come down to interests. We explore Interests in our next section!

Choosing a Djeco Puzzle Based on Interests

Choosing a Djeco puzzle based on your child's interests is an excellent way to make puzzle-solving even more enjoyable. The great thing is that Djeco toys cater to a wide variety of themes and interests. Here are some reasons why you should choose one based on your child's interest: 

Increases motivation and engagement

When kids are interested in something, they will dedicate their time and attention to it. Choosing puzzles based on their interests can help to increase their enjoyment of the activity, and they are more likely to spend more time solving it, rather than spending time on screen based activities which tend to dull the mind. 

Encourages learning

Choosing an item based on your child's interests can help them to learn about different subjects. For example, animal-themes can help kids learn about different species and their habitats. Similarly, puzzles with landmarks from around the world can touch children and inspire them to learn about different cultures and geography. 

Sparks imaginative play and creativity

As an example, fairy tale puzzles are designed to encourage children to think creatively about different storylines and characters. Similarly, vehicle-themed ones can inspire children to create their own stories and scenarios using their favorite vehicles. 

Helps to develop problem-solving skills

Solving puzzles is an excellent way to develop problem-solving skills in kids. When kids are interested in the theme, they are more likely to be motivated to solve it. 

Common Djeco Puzzle Themes

Animals

Animals are a popular theme for Djeco toys, and with good reason. Children are often fascinated by animals and enjoy learning about different species. Djeco offers a variety of animal-themed puzzles and games, from farm animals to jungle animals to sea creatures. These are not only fun to solve, but they also help kids learn about different animals, their habitats, and their characteristics. Here are some to consider:

Djeco 35pc Farm Observation Puzzle

Djeco Counting Jungle 54pc Puzzle

Djeco Puzz Art Seahorse 350pc Puzzle

Fairy Tales

Fairy tales are a timeless and enchanting theme that children of all ages can enjoy. Djeco offers different fairy tale puzzles and games, including traditional stories like Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Little Red Riding Hood. These silhouette puzzles are perfect for sparking children's imaginations and encouraging them to explore new worlds. Here are some of the fairy tale-themed gifts to consider:

Djeco Snow White 50pc Puzzle

Djeco Aladdin 24pc Puzzle

Djeco Little Red Riding Hood 36pc Puzzle

Djeco Vehicles

Vehicles are a popular theme for children's wooden toys, and Djeco offers a variety of these, including observation puzzles and silhouette puzzles, that are sure to delight little ones who adore cars, trucks, and planes. These are not only fun to solve, but they also help children learn about different sorts of vehicles and their uses. When shopping, here are some vehicle-themed gifts you may like to order:

Djeco Vroom Wooden Vehicles Puzzle

Djeco Aero Club 200pc Observation Puzzle

Fantasy

For children with big imaginations, who love to get lost in the world of fantasy and imaginative play, Djeco has amazing scenes to spark creativity. If you'd like to shop for a fantasy theme, here are some quality toys you may wish to order:

Djeco Enchanted Forest 100pc Observation Puzzle

Djeco Fantasy Orchestra 500pc Gallery Puzzle

Conclusion

At KindtoKidz we believe Djeco Puzzles are one of the best kept hidden secrets of the toy world! They are stimulating, engaging, colourful and developmentally sound for little ones of all ages, starting from 12 months, right through to teen years. The art work in their designs is amazing, as they have commissioned real life artists. They are founded on the idea of ingenuity in toys. 

With a variety of themes to choose from, there is something for everyone, and we recommend them if you'd like to order or send a present, or you are looking for activities for your kindergarten, daycare or therapy centre. We hope you enjoy browsing our full range of Djeco Puzzles!