If you’re a parent or caregiver looking to improve your child’s problem-solving abilities through play, Melissa & Doug offers a host of developmental puzzles that are perfect for unlocking early learning skills.
Puzzles are perfect for improving your kiddo’s problem-solving ability, concentration, and fine motor skills, making them a fantastic alternative to screen-based activities. That’s why, from our earliest days, Melissa & Doug focused on creating engaging learning fun through puzzles, first by crafting wooden puzzles, which grew into floor puzzles, chunky puzzles, printable puzzles, cube and sound puzzles—you could say we’re a bunch of puzzle enthusiasts. Our passion and dedication even made us the number one puzzle manufacturer!
With such a wide selection of puzzles to choose from, how do you pick the perfect puzzle to stimulate your 1-year-old’s developing brain? Have no fear, Melissa & Doug is here! For 1-year-olds, puzzle play should focus on the basics of physical and learning development, such as promoting gross and fine motor skills: grasping, reaching, and holding. Many of Melissa & Doug’s puzzles for babies and toddlers are designed using large wooden knobs, making it easier for little ones to grasp, hold, and manipulate the large, oversized, and colorfully engaging pieces.
Top Melissa & Doug puzzles for 1-year-old kids
Large Farm Jumbo Knob Puzzle - 8 Pieces
The Melissa & Doug Deluxe Jumbo Knob Puzzle features farm friends that are brightly colored and feature bold outlines. Each puzzle piece is constructed of extra thick, durable wood, and features a jumbo wooden knob so little ones can easily grasp each shape. The eight-piece puzzle includes a chicken, pig, sheep, duck, goat, cow, horse, and a happy farmer. Each piece has a full-color matching picture underneath it to help kids recognize the item. Playing with the puzzle is fun and engaging for kids while they learn about farm animals and practice eye-hand coordination, visual perception, color-recognition, memory, matching, and fine-motor skills.
House Pets Jumbo Knob Puzzle - 3 Pieces
Three favorite pets live in this cozy blue house and are always ready for puzzle play. This extra-thick wooden puzzle includes three big puzzle pieces with jumbo wooden knobs for easy grasping. Full-color, matching pictures appear underneath each piece. A great activity to encourage hand-eye coordination and visual perception skills.
First Play Wooden Jumbo Knob Safari Animal Puzzle
Little hands and big imaginations will love these friendly wooden safari animals with oversized noses! The smiling tiger, giraffe, and lion have wooden knobs for noses that are easy to grasp. Babies and toddlers will delight in matching pieces to pictures on the sturdy wooden 14-inch by 8-inch puzzle board, discovering colors and patterns, and developing fine motor skills.
First Shapes Jumbo Knob Puzzle - 5 Pieces
This extra-thick wooden puzzle features a charming cottage with five big puzzle pieces. Jumbo wooden knobs are easy for little hands to grasp and lift, revealing full-color matching pictures underneath each piece! A great activity to encourage hand-eye coordination and visual perception skills.
Deluxe Jumbo Knob Wooden Puzzle - Geometric Shapes (8 pcs)
The Melissa & Doug Deluxe Jumbo Knob Wooden Puzzle features eight familiar shapes that are brightly colored and feature bold outlines. Each puzzle piece is constructed of extra thick, durable wood, and features a jumbo wooden knob so little ones can easily grasp each shape. The geometric shapes include a circle, square, rectangle, octagon, triangle, diamond, oval, and pentagon. Each piece also has a full-color matching picture underneath it to help kids recognize the shape. Playing with the puzzle is fun and engaging for kids while they learn different shapes and colors. It also helps little ones practice eye-hand coordination, visual perception, color-recognition, memory, matching, and fine-motor skills.
First Play Wooden Touch and Feel Puzzle Peek-a-Boo Pets With Mirror
There's always a smiling face looking back from this mirrored chunky puzzle! Stimulate the senses with four furry, textured animal friends—a kitten, puppy, bunny, and bird—that stand up for pretend play or fit into the sturdy wooden puzzle board, surrounding a child-safe mirror. Babies and toddlers will delight in discovering colors and patterns while developing fine motor skills.
Barnyard Animals Jumbo Knob Puzzle - 3 Pieces
Charming farm friends live in the red barn and are always ready for puzzle play. This extra thick wooden puzzle includes three pieces, with jumbo wooden knobs for easy grasping. Full-color, matching pictures appear underneath each piece. A great activity to encourage hand-eye and visual perception skills.
Looking for more problem-solving puzzle fun for your little one? Click below!
Toys that Grow with Your Child
5 Fundamental Skills You Can Teach Kids Through Play
Throw a Melissa & Doug Pizza and Ice Cream Party at Home!
Play That Helps Give ALL Kids the Confidence to Be Themselves
