Melissa & Doug, the #1 children’s puzzle brand, introduces a new line of innovative puzzles available now in stores and online!
One of the most beneficial types of toys for helping improve logical thinking, goal setting, patience, visual recognition, and problem-solving ability is puzzles—which happens to be a play specialty of Melissa & Doug!
Puzzles have been at the core of Melissa & Doug’s vision of making sure every child has opportunities for open-ended, screen-free imaginative play since the company’s earliest days. One of Melissa & Doug’s first hit toys was the Fuzzy Farm Puzzle back in 1991, and that led to an expansion of our puzzle line to include wooden puzzles, sound puzzles, floor puzzles, and more.
Besides introducing six brand-new innovative puzzles to our selection —from gear puzzles to track floor puzzles to pretend play puzzles and more—we’re also relaunching our top-selling puzzles with new looks, using natural wood design with updated, modern graphics and fonts.
Read on to learn all about our new selection of innovative puzzles, and for more great puzzles from Melissa & Doug, be sure to visit our dedicated Puzzles page, where you’re sure to find the right puzzle to fit your child’s interests and abilities!
Melissa & Doug presents: New puzzles for kids!
Wooden Underwater Gear Puzzle – 18 Pieces
Piece together 18 wooden pieces to create a colorful underwater scene and a puzzle that moves! With this innovative and unique puzzle, pieces fit over pegs in the wooden puzzle board to create three interlocking gears that spin when the puzzle is complete. Artwork depicting an engaging ocean scene is on the puzzle board for easy matching. Vibrant colors and a variety of sea creatures encourage counting and color recognition, and the gears are great for fine motor development and for teaching cause and effect. Ages: 3 & Up
Animal Chase I-Spy Wooden Gear Puzzle
Piece together 24 wooden pieces to create a colorful animal scene and a puzzle that moves! With this innovative and unique puzzle, pieces fit over pegs in the wooden puzzle board to create four interlocking gears that spin when the puzzle is complete – one dog chasing two cats chasing 3 bunnies, chasing four birds! Vibrant colors and a variety of animals encourage counting and color recognition, and the gears are great for fine motor development and offer opportunities to explore cause-and-effect through exciting motion-driven moments. Ages: 3 & Up
Wooden Magnetic Ice Cream Puzzle & Play Set - 16 Pieces
Piece together a deliciously cool puzzle and pretend play fun with this innovative combination wooden puzzle and magnetic pretend play set! There are 16 wooden magnetic pieces, including ice cream scoops, toppings, cones, containers, spoons, and a scooper. For puzzle play, match the pieces to pictures on the sturdy wooden puzzle board. For pretend play, lift and arrange pieces with the magnetic scooper to create ice cream treats! Ages: 2 & Up
Round the Shore Tracks Floor Puzzle – 48 Pieces
Piece together playtime with this circular puzzle with built-in tracks for wind-up vehicles—no batteries required! The 48-piece oceanside-themed cardboard jigsaw floor puzzle can be put together as three separate rings or as one complete circle. A groove in the inner ring lets the wind-up boat cruise past sea creatures and the numerals one through 10 to promote number recognition and counting. The outer ring has a track for the wind-up school bus to drive by the letters of the alphabet and pictures that start with each letter (in English). Sing along as the bus goes round and round! This fun and educational puzzle and vehicle play set measures 27 inches in diameter when complete. When kids work on floor puzzles, they are fine-tuning their gross motor skills, improving their hand-eye coordination, and strengthening their problem-solving skills. Ages: 3 & Up
Race Around the World Tracks Floor Puzzle – 48 Pieces
Piece together playtime with this global racetrack puzzle with built-in tracks for wind-up vehicles—no batteries required! The 48-piece cardboard jigsaw floor puzzle features landmarks from around the world, including Niagara Falls, Big Ben, Mt. Fuji, the Sydney Opera House, and more; a key on the storage box identifies them all! Two wind-up race cars fit into the twisting and turning track on the completed puzzle; wind them up and watch them zoom! When kids work on floor puzzles, they are fine-tuning their gross motor skills, improving their hand-eye coordination, and strengthening their problem-solving skills. Ages: 3 & Up
Outer Space Glow-in-the-Dark Floor Puzzle – 48 Pieces
Piece together 48 sturdy jumbo cardboard jigsaw pieces for an experience that’s out of this world! Assemble the detailed and colorful space scene in a brightly lit room. When the 3-foot by 2-foot puzzle is complete, turn out the lights and watch as hidden pictures and details appear in glow-in-the-dark ink! (The puzzle must first be exposed to bright light to activate the glow-in-the-dark feature.) Playing with puzzles is a great way for kids to explore the fascinating world of outer space while developing their cognitive, physical, and emotional skills. When children work on floor puzzles, they are fine-tuning their gross motor skills, improving their hand-eye coordination, strengthening their problem-solving skills, and beginning to develop logic and critical thinking processes. Ages: 3 & Up
Looking for more great puzzle blogs? Check out these Melissa & Doug posts!
How Play Can Help Kids Build Problem-Solving Skills
Choosing Puzzles for Your Child
Activities & Toys to Help Development of Preschoolers’ Attention Spans
Melissa & Doug: The Story Behind Our Passion for Puzzles
The Power of Problem Solving Play
