Play Type

Puzzler kids: how they play and what to try

Wants to know how it works.

Gift ideas for a Puzzler

· Quiz another kid

Remind me beforeor

Try tonight

Jigsaws that get harder each time.

Halloween for a PuzzlerA detective costume with a case to solve, and a candy hunt with clues.See the costume

What it looks like

Puzzlers take things apart, ask why ten times in a row and won't stop until they've figured it out. They go quiet when they're concentrating, and a hard problem is a gift to them.

Give them something hard and let them struggle a little.

Outside

  • A nature puzzle: which animal made these tracks?
  • Build and test paper airplanes to see which flies farthest
  • A backyard escape room with locks and clues

At home

  • Jigsaws that get harder each time
  • Take apart an old gadget with a screwdriver
  • A logic puzzle book

With friends

  • An escape-room kit at home
  • Mystery or riddle game night
  • A build-the-tallest-tower-from-paper challenge

Toys that fit

  • A 3D puzzle or marble mazeOur pick: BRIO Labyrinth Find it
  • A beginner electronics kitOur pick: Snap Circuits Jr. SC-100 Find it
  • A Rubik's cubeOur pick: Rubik's Cube, the original 3x3 Find it

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More gift ideas for a Puzzler, by age

On a screen

Worth saying yes to. Ratings shown on each.

Captain Toad: Treasure TrackerESRB ESwitch · Nothing to buy insideSmall diorama puzzles you turn around to solve. A perfect first puzzle game.Find it on Amazon
Monument ValleyApp Store 4+iPhone, iPad, Mac · Sells things insideBeautiful impossible buildings. It's a paid app with no ads, and one optional expansion.
Baba Is YouESRB ESwitch, PC, Mac, phones · Nothing to buy insideYou change the rules of the level to solve it. Very hard, and very rewarding for older kids.Find it on Amazon

Watch out for

Free puzzle apps are mostly ad machines. Pay a few dollars for a finished game instead.

More gift ideas

By age

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ToddlersAges 4 to 6Ages 7 to 9Ages 10 to 12

By occasion

Stocking stuffersChristmasScreen-freeBirthday partiesKids who have everythingGame night

By what they love

Art and drawingScienceAnimalsDinosaursSpaceCars and trucksCooking and bakingReading

By how they play

BuilderExplorerCompetitorStorytellerCollectorPerformerPuzzler

All gift ideas

Things to do near you

Camps, leagues, classes and weekend events that fit a Puzzler. Tell us where you are and we'll email when there's a good one close by. About once a month.

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The other Play Types

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Made by a dad of three. Ideas and picks are chosen by hand, and nobody pays to be on this site. Game ratings come from the ESRB and the App Store, so check anything yourself before saying yes.

Also made by the same person