Puzzles are among the oldest and most classic categories of toys in existence. When the human brain sees a common word with a letter missing, it automatically fills in the blank—that’s the attraction of puzzles—they satisfy people’s need to turn individual parts into a whole. Children also derive great satisfaction from placing the last piece of a puzzle, filling in the blank or finding the hidden word amongst the scattered letters. Puzzle toys have obvious educational value because they constantly challenge the mind in areas such as math, language and logic. Puzzle toys range from extremely simple, like those designed for toddlers, to extraordinarily difficult. No matter if you’re an MIT graduate or a toddling preschooler, there’s a puzzle toy out there that’s right for your skill-level. Rubik’s Revolution is a great example of a puzzle toy that can be challenging for a variety of puzzle-solvers. This classic puzzle toy remake is an electronic version of the original and it has multiple difficulty levels, plus six different games in one toy.

Rubik's Revolution Test your speed and smarts with this new spin on the world's #1 cube game.	Illuminated W.O.R.D. Touch Screen Game Love word play? This hand-held game puts four sure-fire favorites in your palm.
see more >>	see more >>

Getting kids involved in solving puzzles early can be very beneficial to their mental development. Jigsaw puzzles, for example, exercise multiple brain functions at the same time, plus they keep kids entertained for long durations. Jigsaw puzzles teach kids how to analyze, reason, deduce, problem-solve, understand sequence and grasp spatial awareness. The inherent educational value of solving puzzles is just one positive aspect of puzzle toys. The other value of puzzle toys comes from the content of the puzzle itself. Maps of a country or the world can be made into puzzles, so kids are exposed to geography without being overwhelmed by the fact that they are learning. Puzzle toys are best-used in conjunction with related educational lesson materials. That way, kids can make associations between what their teacher and book are telling them and the information within the puzzle toy.

Jigsaw puzzles aren’t the only puzzle toys that have educational value—word searches and riddles also have great merit. Discovery has put a modern twist on some educational puzzle toy products, like the Illuminated W.O.R.D. Search Game and the Electronic Handheld 20 Questions game. Any time puzzle toy makers can modernize puzzles and make them portable, it only increases the likelihood of children taking a great interest in puzzle toys. Electronic puzzle toys are great for long car rides or flights because they don’t require a lot of open space, like jigsaw puzzles, but they have similar educational benefits.