A puzzle game is generally a problem whose solution is required to be derived with the help of the facts or the clues provided along with the game. A variety of puzzle games are available in the market such as three-dimensional puzzle toys, picture puzzles, riddles, pattern matching, etc. The solution of most puzzle games is usually present within the problem statement itself. The process of solving a puzzle is not only entertaining, but it also helps a person improve his/her mental calibre in various aspects. Solving puzzles can help a person significantly improve his/her problem-solving skills and decision-making abilities. Playing puzzle games from a young age is very helpful in enhancing the child’s observation skills and information processing speed.
Examples of Puzzle Games for Kids
There are a variety of puzzle games available in the market that are designed specifically for kids. Some of them are listed below:
1. Jig Saw Puzzles
Jigsaw puzzles are usually created by breaking down a picture into multiple asynchronous and irregularly-shaped pieces. The prime aim of the game is to assemble the puzzle pieces together to regain or reconstruct the original image accurately. The complexity level of jigsaw puzzles can be varied as per the requirement or the age of the player. Jigsaw puzzles are suitable for people of all age groups. A jigsaw puzzle is available in two-dimensional as well as three-dimensional format. Such games are quite entertaining as well as serve to be a great source to relieve stress. Also, such games help in developing and improving the mental abilities of a child such as pattern-recognition skills, motor skills, problem-solving skills, and hand to eye coordination.
2. Block Puzzle Game
A block puzzle game typically consists of multiple blocks made up of wood, plastic or fibre. These blocks vary in shape and size. Some of the most common shapes in which the blocks of a block puzzle game are constructed include a cube, a cuboid, or a prism geometric shape. The main aim of the game is to arrange the blocks to form creative structures either by imagination or according to the structures that are present on the play cards. One of the most common block puzzle games is the Lego blocks game. The simplicity of the game makes it suitable for kids. A child can improve his/her motor skills, hand to eye coordination, stability, concentration and ability to focus. The game also helps enhance a child’s creativity and imagination.
3. Word Search Puzzle Game
A word search puzzle game is yet another example of the puzzle games that are best suited for children. The word search puzzle generally consists of a grid or a matrix of (n x n) dimensions. The cells of the grid are filled with random alphabets or letters. The player is further provided with a list of words and is required to locate them into the parent grid of alphabets. If the player manages to search all the words present in the list, he/she tends to win the game. This particular game helps a child improve his/her vocabulary, observation skills, pattern recognition skills, and enhances the ability to concentrate.
4. Crossword Puzzle Game
A crossword puzzle game is yet another example of a puzzle game that a child can play with ease for fun as well as for the purpose of personality development. Initially, a crossword puzzle was invented as a pen-paper game; however, currently there exist a number of online and offline digital modes to play the game on electronic devices. The puzzle typically consists of a (n x n) grid. The cells of the grid are either empty or filled with colour. The player is required to fill up the matrix with the possible words that perfectly fit the empty blocks of the grid. The clues or the hints to determine the exact words that are required to be filled inside the matrix are provided with the puzzle sheet. This game helps a child learn a new language, enriches his/her vocabulary, improves the ability to memorize things, and helps enhance observation skills.
5. Find the Difference Puzzle Game
A find the difference puzzle game is yet another picture puzzle that is best suited for young children. The game typically consists of two or more images that appear to be the same, but have minor differences that can be located only upon close observation. The main objective of the game is to locate or find all the differences present in the pictures. The player who is able to find all the differences in the pictures in minimum time is declared the winner of the game. The game helps a child improve focus, enhance his/her observation skills, and develop better pattern recognition abilities.
6. Swap Puzzle Game
A swap puzzle game is one of the most prominent examples 0f puzzle games that are best suited for kids. It typically consists of images of multiple objects cut into smaller pieces of equal dimensions. The images are then arranged randomly on a wooden or cardboard frame. The smaller pieces of the image are free to move within the frame. The main objective of the game is to match the images with each other by moving the pieces along the horizontal or the vertical direction. This particular game helps a child improve pattern recognition and matching ability.
7. Sudoku
Sudoku is one of the most common puzzle games that people of all age groups including children as well as adults can play for educational as well as entertainment purposes. It typically consists of a parent grid with (n x n) dimension that is further divided into multiple smaller subgrids. The dimension of a traditional sudoku grid is generally equal to 9 x 9. The smaller squares contained by the sudoku are further grouped together to form the sub-grids or the children grids. A usual 9 x 9 sized sudoku typically consists of 9 sub-grids. The main idea behind playing sudoku is to fill the grid in such a way that each row, each column, and each subgrid is filled with numbers 1 to 9 without any repetition. Sudoku helps a person improve his ability to memorise things and retain information. Also, it helps in developing a firm grip on pattern recognition, quick information processing, and decision-making skills.
8. Animal Sudoku
Animal sudoku is yet another fun puzzle game designed for kids that make use of simple logic and combination theory. Animal sudoku typically consists of a 6 x 6 dimension matrix or grid that is further divided into 36 individual similar square blocks. Some of the blocks of the matrix are filled with pictures of different animals, while most of the blocks are empty. The main idea of the game is to completely fill the grid by placing the pictures of the animals in such a way that there exists no repetition of animal pictures along the rows or the columns. This helps a child learn about different animals existing in nature, the manner in which different objects can be aligned, and the basics of combination and logic theory, thereby helping enhance his/her mental calibre and personality.
9. Match the Line or Dot to Dot Puzzle Game
A match the line or a dot to dot puzzle game helps a child learn the basic concepts of mathematics such as numbers, counting, addition, geometry, etc. in a fun and easy manner while playing. The game typically consists of a number of points that are plotted on the surface of a sheet. These points are generally marked with numbers or alphabets in an ordered format. The player playing match the line puzzle game is required to join the points together with the help of lines or curves and identify the object formed as a result. This particular game helps in developing a child’s memorising ability, concentration, observation skills, and focus.
10. Object Search Puzzle Game
An object search is a game that generally falls under the category of picture puzzles designed for kids. The game consists of a coloured or a black and white image that consists of multiple hidden objects in a strategic manner. The player playing the object search puzzle game is required to locate the maximum number of hidden objects present in the picture. This helps improve the observation skills of the player and helps reduce the stress level. The object search puzzle game is also used by a number of doctors or therapists to cure or treat various mental disorders.
11. Missing Pieces Puzzle Game
The missing pieces puzzle game is yet another example of the picture puzzle games that children can play to improve their IQ and to develop certain personality development skills. The game basically consists of an incomplete pictorial description of a scene. The missing components of the picture are provided along with the puzzle in a jumbled format. The player playing the game is required to match the missing parts to their exact location and complete the picture. The game helps a child gain the ability to locate similarities between objects and match patterns. Also, one can easily improve his/her critical thinking ability and observation skills by playing a missing pieces puzzle game. The game is available in traditional paper format as well as in digital form.
12. Shapes Puzzle Box
A shapes puzzle game is yet another example of the simple puzzle games designed for the improvement of mental calibre and development of the various personality development skills of a child. A shapes puzzle game typically consists of a box made up of wood or plastic. The box consists of multiple grooves. The groovings made on the box are generally in the shape of generic geometric figures such as a square, triangle, circle, etc. Various three-dimensional game objects that match the shape of the box grooves are provided with the box. The player is required to drop the game objects into the box by passing them through the grooves present on the surface of the box. This helps a child learn the properties and shapes of different geometric figures and boosts his/her confidence. Other personality development skills such as the pattern recognition ability can also be improved significantly by playing the shapes puzzle game.
13. Picture Crossword Puzzle
A picture crossword puzzle is usually available as a pen-paper puzzle game in the market; however, a variety of digital formats of the picture crossword puzzle game are also available over the internet. It typically consists of multiple small square blocks attached to each other in a random manner. Each row or column formed by a set of such blocks is further attached to a small picture. The main idea behind the game is to fill the empty rows and columns with the word of the object whose image is attached to the first block of the row or the column. This helps a child learn new words and improve general knowledge. The game also provides the player with an opportunity to practise the knowledge of the words and objects possessed by him/her and helps improve his/her information retaining capacity and memorising ability.
14. Coordinates Game
A coordinates puzzle game is one of the best puzzle games that can help a child develop motor skills and improve hand to eye coordination. A coordinates game typically consists of a grid or matrix that is divided into multiple equidimensional blocks. The main idea behind the game is to colour the blocks according to the image provided by the game. Here, the player is required to estimate the exact position of the block that is to be filled with a particular colour that enhances the player’s ability to focus and concentrate. The game is best suited for people of all ages. Such games are also used by therapists and psychologists to cure various mental disabilities.
15. Vector Image Puzzle Game
A vector image puzzle game is typically a combination of multiple puzzle games. It typically includes the identification of general objects, detangling the ropes, cracking the maze pattern, and arranging the jumble words in an ordered format. The puzzle typically consists of the image of an object and two rows that are further divided into multiple equidimensional blocks. Both the blocks are placed horizontally on a piece of paper. The top block contains the name of the object. The letters of the name of the object are present in a jumbled format. The main objective of the game is to plot the name of the object into the lower row. This can be done either by directly identifying the object or by tracing the lines that connect the letters contained by the top row to the empty blocks of the lower row. This particular game helps a child improve his/her motor skills, hand to eye coordination, pattern recognition ability, and various other skills. A child can also learn about the names, appearance, and characteristics of certain day to day life.
16. Match the Shadow Puzzle Game
A match the shadow puzzle game is one of the best-suited puzzle games for kids. It typically consists of pictures of some of the daily life objects and their shadows. The main objective of the game is to match the objects with accurate shadows. This helps a child understand the concept of similarity and types of shadows cast by objects from different angles of illumination. Match the shadow puzzle game also helps boost a child’s confidence and improve his/her pattern recognition ability.
17. Find the Object’s Name Puzzle Game
Locate the object’s name puzzle game typically consists of a maze that is formed by randomly connecting the alphabets or letters together. On the top of this maze, pictures of some of the general life objects such as fruits, vegetables, kitchen items, etc. are present. The name of the objects can be located within the maze. The main idea behind the game is to match the picture of the objects to their names by connecting the letters contained by the maze together. By playing the find the object’s name puzzle game, a child tends to learn the names of various daily life articles and objects.
18. Match the Pictures Puzzle Game
A match the pictures puzzle is a simple game that consists of multiple objects that are interlinked to each other in some manner. For instance, assume that a puzzle consists of four objects say, a cloud, an umbrella, an orange, and a glass of juice. Now, to solve the puzzle the player is required to match the cloud to the umbrella and the juice glass to the orange. This particular game enhances the critical thinking ability of a child and improves his/her motor skills.
19. Guess the Next Pattern
A guess the next pattern puzzle game generally consists of a series of interrelated images and a blank box. The objects or the geometric shapes drawn on the images are connected to each other in a particular pattern. For instance, let us say that a guess the next pattern puzzle game contains three images of an arrow. The arrow in the first image points upwards, the arrow in the second image points right, and the arrow in the third image points downwards. Now to solve the puzzle, the player is required to guess the direction of the arrow in the fourth image, which in this case should be left. The main objective of the game is to identify the suitable image pattern to complete the set of four images. This helps the player improve his/her pattern-matching ability, observation skills, and concentration.
20. Rubik’s Cube
A Rubik’s cube is one of the best examples of puzzle games that children can play to enhance their personality traits and to build a strong intellectual mindset. Rubik’s cube falls under the category of three-dimensional puzzle games. It was invented by Erno Rubik, a Hungarian professor of architecture and sculptor in 1974. Rubik’s cube is typically a three-dimensional puzzle block shaped like a cube. The structure of the puzzle toy is built in such a way that 12 cubies are attached to the edge of the main cube, 8 cubies are present on the corners of the parent cube, and one core is present right in the middle of all the cubies. Solving a Rubik’s cube helps a person learn about various mathematical concepts and theories such as ratios, proportions, permutations, combinations, and fractions, thereby improving the computation and numerical reasoning ability of the player. A variety of Rubik’s cubes are available in the market. For instance, a mirror cube, a pocket cube, a standard cube, a master cube, a professor cube, and many more. Usually, the number of layers that a Rubik’s cube can have ranges up to 33.
21. Pyramid Puzzle
A pyramid puzzle is yet another example of the three-dimensional puzzle games that children can play for intellectual development as well as enjoyment purposes. The pyramid puzzle consists of multiple game objects that are basically irregularly shaped three-dimensional geometric shapes. A unique alignment of these haphazard 3D puzzle pieces results in the formation of a pyramid shape. The main objective of the game is to locate the pattern to align the game pieces together and form the pyramid geometric shape. Other variants of the game are also available in the market that contains multiple spherical balls linearly attached to each other. The game helps improve the critical thinking ability and problem-solving nature of a child. Also, the pyramid puzzle game helps a child learn certain mathematical concepts such as properties and characteristics of various geometric shapes, permutations and combinations, order of arrangement of objects, etc.
22. Maze
Maze puzzle game is one of the most common puzzle games among young children. The game is available in three-dimensional toys as well as in pen and paper format in the market. The three-dimensional maze toy typically consists of multiple interconnected pathways with numerous start and endpoints. The structure of a maze toy is generally designed with the help of wood, fibre, or plastic in such a way that only a unique path connects the start and the endpoint of the puzzle. The main objective of the game is to locate the path that connects the start point of the maze to the endpoint of the maze. The three-dimensional maze puzzle toy typically contains multiple small spherical metal balls that are required to be moved from the start point of the game to the endpoint along the unique pathway that is the solution of the puzzle game. Similarly, a pen and paper maze puzzle game consists of a projection of the interconnected maze layout on a piece of paper. Here, the player is required to locate the solution of the game and mark it with the help of a marker. The game helps a child enhance his/her hand to eye coordination. Also, the maze puzzle game aids in improving the overall personality of the player by developing skills such as critical reasoning and thinking ability, problem-solving capability, and confidence in him/her.
23. Alphabet Puzzle Toys
An alphabet puzzle toy is one of the classic examples of fun puzzle games that kids can play to enhance their learning and personality. The game typically consists of multiple puzzle pieces made up of wood, plastic, or cardboard, a play board, and thumb pins. The game pieces are generally shaped like a linear or a curved strip. The puzzle game board typically consists of a 3 x 3 matrix that has grooves on its intersection points. The main objective of the game is to align the puzzle pieces on the game board in such a way that they tend to form an alpha-numeric character and fix them in place with the help of thumb pins. The game helps a child learn the appearance and formation of alphabets and numeric characters in a fun and easy manner. Also, the alphabet puzzle game helps a child develop motor skills, enhances his/her hand to eye coordination, and improves the ability to concentrate on things.
24. Sorting and Stacking Puzzle Games
A variety of sorting and stacking puzzle games for kids are available in the market that helps in the intellectual as well as overall personality development of a child. The complexity and the difficulty level of the game tend to vary as per the age of the player. The game typically consists of a puzzle board and multiple game pieces. The game pieces generally include three-dimensional objects made up of plastic, wood, or cardboard such as rings, cubes, cuboids, spheres, circles, alphabets, numerical characters, etc. The colour, shape, and size of the game objects tend to differ from each other. The main objective of the game is to place the game objects on the gameboard according to their shape, size, or colour. The player playing the game is able to improve his/her pattern-matching ability, creativity, organisation skills, hand to eye coordination, and motor skills in a fun and easy manner. Stacking and sorting toys are also used in various therapy sessions to cure mental disorders such as ADHD, OCD, anxiety, down syndrome, etc.
25. Memory Puzzle Card Game
A memory puzzle card game is one of the best examples of fun puzzle games that kids can play to improve their mental calibre. The game typically consists of ten game cards and a frame. Each game card contains pictures of various daily life articles or geometric figures on their surface. The figures are drawn on the cards in pairs and are arranged in a random manner. Before the game begins, the player playing the memory puzzle card game is given some time to look at the game card and is required to remember the location of the figures. The game card is then placed in the puzzle frame and tags are attached to the grooves present on the frame. The main objective of the game is to guess the position of the figures, locate the similar figures, and pair them up together. The player who is able to locate all the similar figures present on the card in minimum time is declared the winner of the game. The game helps the player improve his/her ability to memorise information. Also, a child playing the memory puzzle card game is able to learn the basic characteristic properties and the structure of various geometric shapes and objects as well as the relationship between various general life articles.
26. Sliding Blocks Puzzle
Sliding block puzzle is a matching puzzle game that falls under the category of three-dimensional puzzle games designed for kids. The sliding blocks puzzle game helps a child learn about different colours and geometric shapes of objects. The main aim of the game is to slide the blocks through the puzzle frame and align similar objects together. If the player is able to sort the objects in the desired order as per the colour or the shape of the objects, he/she is declared the winner. The game helps the players learn the ability to identify similarities between the objects, thereby improving his/her pattern matching ability.
27. Swap the Rows Picture Puzzle Game
A swap the rows puzzle game typically consists of a number of images that are divided into parts by cutting them horizontally. The images are then packed into a physical rectangular frame. The main idea behind the game is to match similar images together and recreate the original picture in the minimum possible time by sliding the parts of the image. The game is available in traditional wooden frame format as well as in digital format. Swap the rows puzzle game helps a child learn the fundamentals of logic theory, improves the player’s ability to identify similarities, and enhances his/her pattern recognition ability. A child can also practice and improve his/her general knowledge by observing and identifying the objects drawn on the surface of the final or the resultant image, thereby improving his/her ability to memorize things.
