Gift ideas · for a Puzzler
Gifts for kids who love puzzles and figuring things out
Puzzlers want a problem to work on and the moment it clicks. Good gifts get harder as they go, so the problems don't run out.
Skip: Puzzles that are too easy. If it's solved in five minutes it won't come back out.
Not sure they're a Puzzler? Take the quiz.
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For the kid who wants a problem to solve
Five picks, ages 4 to 12.
- 1Ages 4 to 6A single-player logic game from SmartGamesOur pick: SmartGames Camelot Jr.Cards start easy and get harder, so it grows with them. Find it
- 2Ages 4 to 6A 100 piece jigsaw puzzleOur pick: Ravensburger Mission in Space, 100 piecesA real puzzle they can finish over two afternoons. Find it
- 3Ages 7 to 9Gravity MazeOur pick: ThinkFun Gravity MazeSixty challenges that get harder, and it's satisfying when the marble drops. Find it
- 4Ages 7 to 9A Rubik's cube and a beginner guideOur pick: Rubik's Cube, the original 3x3Learning the method is the puzzle. Find it
- 5Ages 10 to 12An escape room game in a boxOur pick: EXIT: The Haunted Roller CoasterThe Exit and Unlock! series are made for one night at the table. Find it
Product photos: SmartGames, Rubik's, Kosmos.
Ages 4 to 6
- 1A 100 piece jigsaw puzzleOur pick: Ravensburger Mission in Space, 100 piecesA real puzzle they can finish over two afternoons. Find it
- 2A single-player logic game from SmartGamesOur pick: SmartGames Camelot Jr.Cards start easy and get harder, so it grows with them. Find it
- 3Floor puzzles with 24 to 48 piecesOur pick: Melissa & Doug Dinosaur Dawn floor puzzleBig pieces and a big finished picture. Find it
- 4Pattern blocks and cardsOur pick: Learning Resources Pattern Block Activity SetCopy the picture, then make up their own. Find it
- 5A marble mazeOur pick: BRIO LabyrinthTilt, figure it out, try again. Find it
One we made ourselves
Ages 7 to 9
- 1Gravity MazeOur pick: ThinkFun Gravity MazeSixty challenges that get harder, and it's satisfying when the marble drops. Find it
- 2A beginner electronics kit, like Snap CircuitsOur pick: Snap Circuits Jr. SC-100Real circuits with no soldering. Find it
- 3A Rubik's cube and a beginner guideOur pick: Rubik's Cube, the original 3x3Learning the method is the puzzle. Find it
- 4Wooden brain teasersOur pick: Professor Puzzle E=MC2 Puzzle CubesSmall enough to keep in the car. Find it
Ages 10 to 12
- 1A set of cubes from 2x2 to 5x5Our pick: QiYi 2x2 to 5x5 cube gift boxOnce they've solved one, there's always a harder one. Find it
- 2An escape room game in a boxOur pick: EXIT: The Haunted Roller CoasterThe Exit and Unlock! series are made for one night at the table. Find it
- 3A 500 to 1,000 piece jigsaw puzzleOur pick: Ravensburger The Fantasy Toy Shop, 1,000 piecesA puzzle the whole family can chip away at. Find it
- 4A coding robotOur pick: Makeblock mBot2The problem is making it do what they want. Find it
- 5A book of logic puzzlesOur pick: Puzzle Baron's Kids Logic PuzzlesPencil puzzles last a long time. Find it
Things to do near you
Gifts are one way in. Camps, leagues, classes and weekend events that fit a Puzzler are another. Tell us where you are and we'll email when there's a good one close by. About once a month.
Not sure this is your kid?
This list is for a Puzzler: wants to know how it works. Most kids are a mix of two Play Types, so the quiz is the quickest way to know which lists to use.
Gift ideas for the other Play Types
Gifts by what they love
Holiday gift lists
Buying for the grown-ups too? Gifts they'll still own, scored on warranty and repair: for dad, for mom, under $100.
