The 10 Best Pegged Puzzles
This wiki has been updated 22 times since it was first published in August of 2019. Pegged puzzles offer a great way to keep children at the toddler stage engaged and entertained while helping them develop focus, concentration, color and shape recognition, hand-eye coordination, and much more. Here you’ll find affordably-priced selections in a variety of designs and themes to appeal to kids of all stripes, including animals, planets, numbers, and letters. When users buy our independently chosen editorial picks, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
1. Melissa & Doug Developmental
2. Melissa & Doug Mix 'n Match
3. Gleeporte Learning Educational
Editor's Notes
August 14, 2019:
When children are very young, they lack the dexterity and cognitive skills required to tackle framed, floor, and jigsaw puzzles, which is where knob and pegged puzzles come into play. They're designed specifically to cater to the learning stage that babies and toddlers are at, and they feature small, easy-to-grab pegs that allow tots to remove and replace pieces without becoming frustrated.
When kids use these toys, there's an astounding amount of cognitive development at work, with the added benefit that playing with these diversions will prime them for more advanced puzzles as they get older. By rotating them in with other educational games, pegged puzzles can help a child grow leaps and bounds during their most critical development stage.
We felt that in addition to traditional peg puzzles, toys like the Hape Creative Toddler and Skoolzy Montessori challenge youngsters further and help them utilize the skills they're already learning to complete new and exciting tasks, which can do wonders for confidence and give them a sense of accomplishment.
Popular with parents and known for their thoughtful designs and high quality, Melissa and Doug products snagged the top two spots on this list, as well as our #9 pick. That #9 offering, the Melissa & Doug Around the House, is especially entertaining thanks to its integrated sound effects, however, the board is outfitted with light-activated sensors, which means your child must always play in a well-lit area. It may also go off if exposed to light when pieces are elsewhere. Because of this, the puzzle can sound off at inopportune times or function improperly in strong, direct sunlight, so bear that in mind.
Transportation obsessed little ones are sure to get a kick out of Professor Poplar's People Movers, while budding astrophysicists will be delighted with Gleeporte Learning Educational. We also ensured there were units with land and sea animals, numbers, letters, and familiar objects. Durability, safety, and ingenuity were our top priorities when making our selections.
Before purchasing any of these items, remember to check the manufacturer recommended age of the product to ensure it is right for your youngster. Even then, you should inspect the toy upon reception and frequently thereafter to make sure it's in good shape, and never leave your children unattended while they play.
4. Professor Poplar's People Movers
5. Skoolzy Montessori
6. Ryan's Room Classic
7. iPlay iLearn Kids
8. Hape Wild Animals
9. Melissa & Doug Around the House
10. Hape Creative Toddler
Born in Arizona, Gia is a writer and autodidact who fled the heat of the desert for California, where she enjoys drinking beer, overanalyzing the minutiae of life, and channeling Rick Steves. After arriving in Los Angeles a decade ago, she quickly nabbed a copywriting job at a major clothing company and derived years of editing and proofreading experience from her tenure there, all while sharpening her skills further with myriad freelance projects. In her spare time, she teaches herself French and Italian, has earned an ESL teaching certificate, traveled extensively throughout Europe and the United States, and unashamedly devours television shows and books. The result of these pursuits is expertise in fashion, travel, beauty, literature, textbooks, and pop culture, in addition to whatever obsession consumes her next.