14 puzzles that will boost kids’ brains at every stage

With easy-to-grab knobs and just three pieces, this makes the perfect first puzzle for babies and toddlers. Underneath each piece there’s picture to match, helping little ones develop their visual perception as well as their hand-eye coordination.

First they sort, then they solve! This toddler-friendly four puzzle set is made from sturdy wooden pieces that are color-coded on the back for easy sorting. When they’re done, just toss it back in the convenient slide-top box for next time.

Made from colorful, thick and sturdy pieces, this is a great puzzle for toddlers who have graduated from the simple wooden puzzles of babyhood. Name the familiar woodland creatures as it comes together and work on vocabulary as well as patience, problem-solving and hand-eye coordination.

There’s so much learning packed into this fun two-sided puzzle! Your budding geographer will quickly catch on to the location and shape of each of the United States with the added bonus of learning capital cities, state nicknames and surrounding countries and bodies of water. If they get discouraged, remind them these lessons could make them a trivia night dynamo. (Or, you know, pass that 4th-grade geography test with flying colors.)

This may look like an ordinary puzzle, but putting it together is only half the fun! Once your kiddo has the ocean scene assembled, it’s time to put their observational skills to the test. 40 creatures are hiding within, waiting for their keen eye to point them out.

If they’re ready to move on to a bigger challenge but need a little extra nudge, scratch-and-sniff pieces are hard to resist. With 71 pieces, it will require a little extra concentration, but the blue raspberry, grape and cherry scents will keep them coming back even if they need a few breaks before they master it.

I’ve done more puzzles this past year than I’ve done in my entire lifetime prior. And while my guilty pleasure has been pairing them with a glass of wine and a murder podcast, that practice isn’t exactly zen. As an alternative, the 300-piece Calm puzzles are the perfect way to mindfully zone out and wind down. The puzzle includes a 30-day subscription to the Calm app which provides a peaceful backdrop and the gorgeous images themselves come together in just a couple of hours.

Sure, there’s nothing stopping you from letting the kids get in on the action here, it’s also fine to reserve it for yourself. Ahhhh.