Every child can benefit from doing puzzles. Studies show that puzzles sharpen the mind and work on a variety of skills. Puzzle and activity books are a fun way to help your child’s development and keep them busy during the cold winter.
To help your child get the maximum benefit out of puzzles and activity books keep these points in mind:
- Choose age / level appropriate activities - you want your child to be challenged not frustrated.
- Make sure your child understands how the puzzle /coloring /sticker activity works.
- Check in during the activity to be sure that your child is following the directions. This helps your child learn the skill of following instructions and prevents frustration.
- Encourage your child to finish the puzzle (and help them if needed). This teaches your child the valuable life skill of completing tasks.
- Acknowledge your child’s accomplishment! This will give them the confidence to continue doing puzzles and add to their sense of accomplishment.
Different types of puzzles and activities work on different skills.
Below are a few different types of puzzles and activities and the specific skills that they help develop and strengthen.
Coloring Books
Books with pictures outlined for coloring in the lines
Some of the benefits of this type of coloring include:
- Color identification
- Self-expression through color
- Increased concentration skills
- Improved focus and hand eye coordination
- Boundaries, structure and spatial awareness (in attempting to stay within the lines)
Please note that it has been proven that coloring is calming and therapeutic for children (and adults).
Dot to Dot Books
Connect the dots to reveal a picture.
Some of the benefits of this type of puzzle include:
- Strengthens hand and finger muscles
- Helps develop eye hand coordination
- Improves counting and number sequencing
- Develops picture comprehension
- Improves focus
Sudoku Puzzles
Insert the numbers into the grid using critical thinking skills
Some of the benefits of this type of puzzle include:
- Teaches deductive reasoning skills
- Strengthens logic and critical thinking
- Improves decision making skills
- Strengthens the connection between actions and results
- Promotes orderly and methodical thinking
Wordsearch Puzzles
Find the hidden words
Some of the benefits of this type of puzzle include:
- Develops word recognition (consonant clusters, vowel combinations etc…)
- Develops pattern recognition (ex: Q is always followed by U, T is often followed by H)
- Often puzzles are themed which helps vocabulary building
- Improves spelling
Particularly for ESL (English as a second language) learners word searches reinforce spelling and vocabulary in a particularly effective way
Sticker Books
Put the stickers in the correct spots
Some of the benefits of sticker books include:
- Improves pincer grasp (grasp between thumb and pincer or index finger)
- Strengthens bilateral hand coordination (necessary for so many functional tasks ex: zippering a coat, cutting with scissors, handwriting …)
- Strengthens visual scanning (in choosing which sticker to use)
- Improves spatial awareness (in placing the sticker in the correct spot)
Color by Number Puzzles
Color each numbered section in the correct color
Some of the benefits of sticker books include :
- Encourages focus
- Improves pictures comprehension
- Builds fine motor skills (specialized movement of hand, wrists and fingers)
- Teaches symbolic understanding (that numbers can be used to represent other things such as colors)
- Shows the benefit of finishing a project (as when all the sections are colored in the result is a picture)
Coloring, Activity and Puzzle Books help develop critical skills and techniques in a fun and engaging way.
