Puzzles in early childhood education:Putting the pieces together

When children working on puzzles, which are actually "putting the pieces together" in more ways than one. Puzzles help children build the skills needed to read, write, solve problems, and coordinate their thoughts and actions of all those who intend to use at school and beyond. Find a puzzle with a picture that is of particular interest to her son, and you can help them begin to recognize colors and letters, and come to realize that the sum of its parts make up a whole-a concept that will help you with math later on. By inserting pieces in the puzzle, children also develop the group of muscles used for writing, or "clip" scope.

Children can work on puzzles by themselves, without help from adults or other children. They can also work together in large puzzles and practice in jeopardy and getting along. Because each child must concentrate on the puzzle on an individual basis, experiencing a sense of satisfaction because it contains a piece, broken, and discovers the place where it fits. Piece by piece, beginning to recognize the image that represents the puzzle.

The good quality of the puzzles are a good investment because children can use year after year. You can also search puzzles in the yard sales, stores savings, loans and toy libraries. Children who are developing the ability to use scissors can cut pictures from magazines to create their own puzzles. Just assemble the images of cardboard and cut into large pieces. Homemade puzzles can make great gifts, too!

Make sure the puzzles are appropriate for each child's age and abilities.

Two years old, for example, enjoy putting into pieces and bring them back out as much as they can benefit from assembling in the right place. Children enjoy three or four pieces of wooden puzzles. As they grow and learn to rotate the pieces to match the holes and find pieces that fit, can handle increasingly complex puzzle.

Three years of age still enjoy puzzles with a single knobs on each piece, but also can work on puzzles with five to eight pieces.

Four years of age will enjoy command of puzzles less familiar with scenes and characters. They can handle 12 to 18 pieces of the puzzle.

Five-year-old can handle large or small pieces of 18 to 35 pieces of the puzzle. They move from the pleasure of activity for mastering the task.

As children reach school age, can benefit more complex puzzle pieces 50-100 or more. All family members can gather around the table to help children put the pieces together.

Puzzles has to be well done and attractive to children. The youngest child, the more they will benefit from large parts recognizable to help her complete a picture. Good puzzles can show images of food, cars and trucks, animals, boys and girls, lullabies, and scenes from storybooks. Young children to better understand the figures as simple forms of circles, triangles and squares. Look at the pieces missing or damage to the puzzle. Puzzles must offer a challenge for children, but should be solved. There is nothing more frustrating for a child to try to complete a puzzle and who lacks a piece.

Puzzles can provide formal learning experiences. Teachers can work closely with children to help them learn to solve problems through puzzles. Puzzles also help teachers assess children and observe their development. While the children work alone or in groups, teachers can control the way you speak, move and concentrate.