How to understand which puzzles are small. A Guide to Effective Puzzle Assembly

How to choose a puzzle for a child? Parents of children aged 1.5 years and older face this issue. After all, puzzles are good, contribute to the development of hand-eye coordination, teach patience and perseverance.

A well-chosen puzzle can be a source of joy and development in the game. While too complex can cause boredom and even frustration. Below are some tips on how how to choose a puzzle for a child, which would correspond to the age, development of the child and his skills.

How to choose a puzzle for a child: what to look for?

The number of parts and the experience of the child in picking up puzzles

These two points are combined together, as they strongly influence each other. When buying a puzzle, you see the recommended age for which it is intended this game. But this may have nothing to do with reality.

Some children at 3 years old are able to complete a puzzle of 20 pieces, especially if they have rich experience and the puzzle is their favorite game. For children who are just getting acquainted with puzzles at the age of 3, a puzzle of 4 pieces will be enough. Therefore, be guided by your child and his skills, choosing a puzzle with feasible complexity, which is in his zone of proximal development.

1.5-2 years - 2-3 pcs.
2-3 years - 4-6 pcs.
3-4 years - 6-12 pcs. (for more experienced up to 20 pieces)
4-5 years - 20 - 40 pcs. (for more experienced up to 60 pieces)
6-8 years - from 60 and more

Significantly reduce the complexity of the puzzle:

the presence of a contour in which the puzzle is assembled;
the presence of a picture of the assembled puzzle;
the presence of a picture-base for collecting the puzzle, when the pieces of the puzzle must be correlated with the image in the picture.

The size of each puzzle and how they are connected

The main rule of this paragraph is the following: than younger child, the larger should be the puzzles and their parts and easier way connection of parts.

For a 1.5-year-old baby, the first puzzle with a total size of 10 by 10 cm will be convenient, connected by simply attaching the parts to each other (according to the principle of a split picture).

After 2 years, the child is able to master blocking puzzles (classic puzzles).

Cardboard is the most common material for older children, but must be handled with care to prevent the puzzle pieces from bending or tearing.

Foam appears in puzzles for both young and older children. The foam puzzle pieces are easy for little ones to grab. And in three-dimensional puzzles, they help keep the shape of the puzzle due to their volume.

Both children and adults can benefit from puzzle solving and problem solving skills. Children learn to match pieces based on shape, size and color. They use short-term memory to sort the pieces of the puzzle and remember those that match. various parts puzzles. Depending on the final image, there may be areas that need to be collected through trial and error, which will require the child to make decisions.

At the same time, puzzles are an excellent occasion for joint games with the whole family. Adults can encourage children by asking questions about the assembly process, inquiring about their predictions regarding the connection of various parts and the final result. At the same time, the child learns to cooperate and play in a team in order to solve a common problem.

What do you pay attention to when choosing a puzzle for a child? Share in the comments!

Collecting puzzles (from English word puzzle - puzzle, riddle, mosaic) - most interesting game, during which it is required to assemble a single picture from several parts. Puzzles are popular with both children and adults, which is why they have been popular for many years. In addition, puzzles for children are not only entertainment, but also a useful activity. Already one thing that they develop fine motor skills, affecting the speech center, is a serious reason to introduce the child to this game. In today's article, we will tell you about what puzzles are and how to choose them.

Benefits of jigsaw puzzles for children

Puzzles are useful for the comprehensive development of the child, because thanks to this simple game:

visual perception, visual-motor coordination is improved;
develops the ability to correlate part and whole;
improves memory, concentration;
the child learns to organize and build a strategy for the folding process, developing logic and imaginative thinking;
puzzles are a wonderful simulator for the development of fine motor skills;
painstaking work develops patience, perseverance, diligence and perseverance.

A correctly chosen puzzle is an educational game that brings joy and satisfaction, and too complex or simple, on the contrary, causes disappointment in the child.

At what age do children collect puzzles?

Usually even the simplest multi-piece puzzles are labeled as “3+”. It is assumed that 3 years best age for the first acquaintance with this exciting game. Indeed, the manipulation of cardboard puzzle pieces is much more difficult than playing with voluminous toys, which are more suitable for toddlers. However, a child's fine motor skills do not develop overnight, so you can try to play with puzzles even before 3 years.

At 1.5-2 years old, the baby can be offered the simplest puzzle of 2-3 elements:

At 2-3 years old, the baby will be able to assemble a picture from 4-6 parts:

At 3-4 years old, puzzles of 6-12 pieces are optimal (for experienced puzzle lovers - up to 20):

Children 4-5 years old cope with puzzles of 20-40 elements (experienced - up to 60):

A child of 6-8 years old should buy puzzles of at least 60 pieces:

In any case, when buying a puzzle, it is worth focusing on the capabilities of a particular child: does he have experience in assembling this puzzle, is he able to put together so many elements and, on the other hand, will the chosen game not seem too simple and boring to the child, although the marking and is age appropriate.

Puzzle types

In order not to get confused when choosing a puzzle for a child, you first need to know what types of puzzles exist and by what criteria they can be classified.

1. Adult and children's puzzles . Let's start with the fact that all puzzles can be divided into adults and children. Puzzles for children usually contain from 2 to 260 pieces. Castorland labels 500-piece puzzles as 9+, while Step Puzzle recommends its 560-piece puzzles for children aged 7 and over, but in general they can be classified as adults in terms of complexity. Puzzles for children are usually a bright, contrasting, clear picture with fairly large details (the younger the age, the larger their size). Characters of a children's puzzle are usually cartoon characters, fairy-tale characters, animals. Drawings on adult puzzles are much more intricate and difficult to collect - usually landscapes, photographs of animals, fantastic scenes. Thus, it is necessary to buy a puzzle for a child, first of all, guided by his age. Even if your three-year-old loves kittens, it won't help him put together a 500-piece kitten puzzle.

2. Puzzles with different number of elements . The number of elements is the main characteristic of any puzzle, which determines its complexity. Conventionally, all puzzles can be divided into simple, medium and complex. Simple puzzles contain from 2 to 54 elements; puzzles of medium complexity - from 80 to 1000 elements; complex - more than 1000 elements.

3. Puzzles with large, medium and small pieces . How larger size puzzle pieces, the easier it is to assemble. Therefore, puzzles for kids consist of large elements which are easy for small hands to grasp.

4. Puzzles with details various shapes . The traditional, well-known one is a rectangle with bulges and depressions for gripping parts. But there are also puzzles with triangular, trapezoidal, polygonal elements, as well as elements of a curvilinear shape.

5. Puzzles made of cardboard, plastic, wood, foam rubber ("soft" puzzles), magnetic . Cardboard puzzles are the most common, primarily because of the most affordable price. Plastic puzzles are stronger, more durable, therefore more expensive - however, there may be problems with the adhesion of parts (too strong, therefore, the puzzle is one time, or, on the contrary, not strong). Wooden puzzles are most often bought for children, as they have large enough parts that are easy to grip. Soft puzzles are especially suitable for playing in the bathroom because they do not get wet. In addition, they are usually inexpensive. Magnetic puzzles have soft vinyl pieces that are attracted to metal surfaces.

6. Flat and three-dimensional puzzles . Flat puzzles are the most familiar and common. The picture of a flat puzzle can be either rectangular or round, oval, square, etc. Three-dimensional puzzles are three-dimensional objects: balls, ships, cars, etc.

7. Table and floor puzzles . Most of us associate puzzles with board game. However, there are also floor options - these are foam rubber puzzle mats, large plastic or wooden puzzles. They are bought for the smallest, for decorative purposes or as orthopedic rugs.

How to choose puzzles for a child?

Shops are full of a huge assortment of puzzles for every taste and budget. How to choose the one that is right for your child?

The parameters that you should pay attention to when choosing puzzles are as follows:

the number and size of elements (here you need to take into account the age and experience of the child in collecting puzzles);
the complexity of the picture, its color differentiation;
the visual appeal of the image to the child;
puzzle quality (cardboard thickness and strength);
the presence of factors that simplify the assembly of the puzzle - a contour frame, an image of the assembled puzzle, an image-base on which the assembly takes place.

It is better to choose puzzles together with the child. Surely he will give preference to the image of his favorite character or plot from a fairy tale. Your task is to take into account the age of the baby and offer him those puzzles (in terms of complexity), the assembly of which will correspond to the zone of his proximal development. Recall the age norms given above:

If a child only gets acquainted with puzzles at the age of 3, a simple version of 4 parts will be quite enough. Some experienced three-year-old puzzle collectors are fine with 20-piece puzzles. Consider the possibilities of your child - then the puzzle will bring him both benefit and joy.

As for puzzle manufacturers, the quality of products, as well as prices, vary greatly. Below are brief characteristics puzzles of the most famous companies on the Russian market.

Puzzles Castorland (Labyrinth, Ozone, my-shop)

Castorland is a popular Polish brand that produces traditional cardboard puzzles in various sizes. Customers often remain loyal to Castorland due to their precise cutting and quality materials. These puzzles have a good price-quality ratio.

Puzzles Step- Puzzle (Labyrinth, Ozone, my-shop)

Step puzzle releases most Russian puzzles. An important advantage of these puzzles for many buyers is their low price. The quality of the goods varies, so when buying through online stores, it is better to look at reviews on the selected options.

Puzzles Larsen (Ozone, my-shop)

Puzzles of the Norwegian brand Larsen have a lot of fans for a reason - their parts are made of thick three-layer cardboard and are not subject to deformation. The pictures on the puzzles are bright, colorful and very popular with children. Larsen puzzles are not cheap, but given the really high quality, their price is justified.

Puzzles Trefl (Labyrinth, Ozone, my-shop)

Trefl is another Polish puzzle brand. The parts have a clear and even cut, fit perfectly. Trefl are not inferior in quality to more expensive puzzles.

Puzzles Ravensburger (Labyrinth, Ozone, my-shop)

Judging by customer reviews, puzzles from the German company Ravensburger are among the best in quality. Strong coupling of dense parts, unusually beautiful graphics are the undeniable advantages of these puzzles. The main disadvantage is their high price.

Puzzles Clementoni (Labyrinth, Ozone, my-shop)

Italian Clementoni puzzles are not very common in Russia, despite their high quality. The bright printing of these puzzles will definitely not leave children indifferent.

Puzzles Djeco (Ozone, my-shop)

The French company Djeco produces not just puzzles, but unusual games for children. different ages. Traditional cardboard, wooden, multi-layered, puzzles with tactile inserts, giant puzzles - these and other options for your favorite puzzle are offered by Djeco.

Puzzles Educa (

When today some people (mostly, as a rule, the older generation) ask to explain in a nutshell what a puzzle is, you won’t immediately answer clearly. On the one hand, yes, this is a mosaic that develops into a single image, although, often, the same abstraction can be added from the proposed parts, only with the risk of spoiling the details. =) On the other hand, in most of the "classical" mosaics, the elements still had an identical shape, and differed only in color, but in modern puzzles, the segments have different sizes and contours. You can, of course, as an example, recall the half-forgotten film "Moscow Evenings" by Todorovsky Jr., where the heroine of Alisa Brunovna Freindlich (according to the plot - a terribly successful writer) had fun at the dacha with a little-known game in our latitudes: she tried to put together a picture, in a bizarre way cut into many pieces. Here! An excellent definition: a puzzle is a kind of symbiosis of a mosaic and a puzzle, where a person (or a group of people) is invited to put together a picture that has been figuratively cut earlier into many components.
According to the ubiquitous Wikipedia, puzzles contribute to the development logical thinking, memory, attention, imagination, etc. Again, do not forget about the fine motor skills of the hands (see parenting) - also an important factor. Just do not assume that playing puzzles is exclusively child's play: a very rare young child will be able to assemble a picture consisting of several hundred elements. But, thanks to modern manufacturers, there are simply countless varieties of these puzzles currently being produced, designed for all kinds of age categories, well, maybe only for babies so far nothing has been published.

Puzzle types

Thus, there is a natural need to somehow classify the types of puzzles. So, there are flat puzzles designed to be collected on a flat surface - on a table, for example, as well as three-dimensional puzzles - in the form of a ball, for example (many people really like to collect a globe or an apple), as well as in the form of a cube, pyramid, tube, etc. .P. Accordingly, puzzle pieces can be made from various materials: wood, plastic, from foam rubber, from metal, etc. And, of course, the most popular ones are made of cardboard.
You can also distinguish puzzles by the degree of difficulty. The complexity of the puzzles is determined by the picture itself, proposed for compilation (for example, it is much more difficult to assemble a pure plain sky than the periodic table, where everything chemical elements arranged in a certain order), as well as the number of segments: putting together twenty pieces is easier than two thousand.
The very word "puzzle" in translation from English means a riddle, a rebus, a puzzle, as well as difficulty, confusion - this is as a noun. But the verb "to puzzle" is translated as to puzzle, confuse, complicate, confuse. It is clear why domestic linguists did not come up with any Russian analogue of this very multifaceted term. Once upon a time, by the way, the great Nabokov tried to introduce the word "crossword" into the Russian language instead of the Western "crossword" - it did not take root.

Puzzle history

The Englishman John Spilsbury is officially considered the creator of puzzles - a merchant geographical maps. AT 1761 (!) year, John thought of sticking his product on a thin wooden substrate, sawing the resulting “sandwich” figuratively into many parts and selling this business as tutorial to study geography. And indeed: the student took some separate piece of the map and compiled it with others (you need to understand that a hand-cut image could not, by definition, contain elements that are absolutely identical in shape and size) - in this way, knowledge about who with who borders, what flows where, etc. And now, for two and a half centuries, many people have been devoting their leisure time to collecting a single picture from a different number of small details. And as these same pictures today, just the same all kinds of plots are used. For children, everything is quite simple: heroes of cartoons and fairy tales, animals, cars, flowers, but adults do not limit themselves to the same geographical maps or mountain / seascapes. Classical pictorial works of art, panoramas of museums, fantastic sketches, erotic photographs, biblical scenes - absolutely everything that comes into your head is used to create puzzles these days. Many, by the way, do not burden themselves with the tangible collection of puzzles at home, but download puzzles on the Internet (yes, there are also computer puzzles!) And play the so-called “online puzzles” on the computer.

Puzzles are mosaics of numerous pieces that need to be connected to each other to obtain a certain image. The most common are puzzles made of thick cardboard. The number of details can be different: for kids, sets of 2-6 pieces are produced, and paintings that are interesting for adults start from 500 items. For experienced collectors, the largest puzzles are produced, in which from 13-18 thousand parts or more.

Puzzles are an exciting hobby and an interesting pastime.

For adults, solving puzzles can become a real hobby. It is noteworthy that this activity does not require any significant expenses. Psychologists say that folding pictures from many small pieces is a great way to relieve tension, get rid of stress, and relax. It is also a certain mental activity, and movements that develop fine motor skills of the hands. For example, doctors recommend that older people collect puzzles in order to maintain mental clarity and intelligence for a long time.

What characteristic features have quality puzzles? They have a clearly printed picture, and the details are perfectly aligned with each other. The most famous manufacturers whose puzzles are trustworthy are Educa (Spain), Step (Russia), Clementoni (Italy), Trefl and Castorland (Poland), Ravensburger (Germany).

The more pieces, the merrier.

From how many elements to choose an image? Everyone makes a decision individually. According to puzzle lovers, the most interesting are the largest puzzles, the number of pieces of which exceeds 3, 5, or even 10 thousand. Their assembly takes a significant amount of time and requires a special place where you can comfortably sit with the future picture. Still, of course, patience and perseverance are needed, since a quick result cannot be expected.

It is interesting to assemble large puzzles not only for one person, but also for two or a whole company. This activity can bring like-minded people together.

In ordinary stores, paintings of more than 5 thousand elements are a rarity. But in online stores it is easy to order puzzles of any size, including giant multi-thousand sets.

Puzzle-record holders

Currently the world's largest jigsaw puzzle - 33,600 pieces. This is a huge picture called "Jungle", which depicts the nature of Africa and numerous representatives of its animal world. The dimensions of the canvas are impressive: its length is 5.7 m, and its width is 1.57 m. This colorful masterpiece was presented to the world by the Spanish company Educa. The set comes in a heavy wooden box on wheels to make it easier to transport the giant "toy".

The second largest puzzle in the world consists of 32,000 pieces. This piece is "Double Retrospective" by Ravensburger. The elements are packed in a box weighing 17 kilograms.

In third place is the painting "Life" of 24,000 details. The plot is interesting and attractive: the ocean, many animals and colorful marine life, Balloons, yachts and planets.

These are the largest puzzles widely known all over the world.

The first thing to do before starting the assembly is to prepare a sufficient number of tightly closed containers. They will store the parts after sorting.

Where to start and how to collect puzzles? When assembling large paintings great amount time is spent sorting numerous parts. It is with the primary sorting that the process of getting to know a new puzzle begins. Having carefully examined the image in the picture, you need to conditionally divide it into zones. Next, you need to sort the pieces, grouping them according to different criteria.

In some paintings, individual objects are clearly visible - in this case, the pieces are laid out in containers in accordance with which object they belong to.

If it is not possible to identify individual objects on the pieces, the elements can be sorted by color scheme(greens - in one pile, the sky - in another, dark - in the third, etc.).

Parts that cannot be assigned to any of the groups are put into a separate group.

Be sure to separately set aside the parts that have one (two) sides are even - you will need to assemble a frame from them. This will start the build process. It is always advisable to start the assembly from the frame. And when collecting the largest puzzles, you just need to first assemble the frame so that the dimensions of the picture can be clearly seen.

When the frame is ready, it is advisable to start assembling the fragment adjacent to it. The main thing is that its details are easily identified. You can also collect individual parts of the picture, placing them approximately in those parts of the puzzle where they belong.

The most complex parts of the image (for example, the background or monochromatic areas) should be collected using the selection method. Having chosen suitable parts, you just need to apply them one by one to the assembled areas, thus finding the place for each part. The elements must be absolutely precisely combined with each other, without any effort when folding. Also, there should be no gaps between them. Sometimes some of their tricks and methods arise in the process of collecting, so the question of how to assemble puzzles as conveniently and quickly as possible, everyone will have their own answer.

Where to collect puzzles?

You need to decide on the place of assembly of the future picture before the box with the details is unpacked. Since the process will take enough long time, you need to take care that the puzzle is located in a place where no one will walk through it. It is desirable that the chosen location is well lit. Often there are tips to solve large complex puzzles on the table, since it is much more convenient than on the floor. However, if we are talking about a large picture, consisting of thousands of elements, then it is often not possible to find a table that is suitable in size.

Of course, you can collect the picture directly on the floor. But it is much better to do it on a special mat for assembling puzzles or on a sheet of plywood.

What to do with the collected puzzles?

After a puzzle of several thousand pieces is assembled, there is legitimate question about what to do with it next. There are only two options:

1) Admire, photograph, disassemble and leave until the next time.

2) Glue the elements into a single picture and find a suitable place for it.

Fans of collecting puzzles often choose the second option, since many people are not interested in collecting the same image twice. In addition, large pictures from puzzles can become a spectacular decoration for the interior of an apartment, house, summer house, office space. For gluing puzzle parts, a special glue designed for this, adhesive tape or self-adhesive film is usually used.