As parents, we want the best of the best for our children. We want to equip them with high levels of intelce and a great personality and the right morals and values. How much of that is down to nature and how much is down to nurture is debatable, but there is nothing against assuming that nurture plays a bigger part than nature. If we presume that, then it becomes critical that we give our children the right stimulants and activities to help them develop into that beautiful, well-balanced adult we hope they will be. Puzzles for kids are an excellent way to help your child build their cognitive development. Puzzles entice children because they have bright colors and highly unusual shapes. However, there is more to it than just the visually pleasing aspect. Did you know, for instance, that: - Children can learn that a whole is made out of lots of different parts. - Children develop their fine motor skills, particularly their hand-eye coordination. - Children build their visual and perceptual skills. - Children learn to concentrate and pay attention, increasing their thinking skills such as remembering, recognizing, sorting, problem-solving and matching. - Children develop their language skills because they have to listen to the instructions and then follow them, as well as having to talk about what they are doing. Later on in life, all of these skills are transferred into other critical skills, mainly literacy and numeracy. And you thought it was just a puzzle! Make sure that you choose the right puzzle. Puzzles have age ranges attached to them, and you should pay attention to them. Puzzles that are too difficult will frustrate your child and can even lead to an inferiority complex. If you had to choose between a puzzle that is too challenging and a puzzle that is too easy, picking the one that is too easy is better, because it allows kids to feel good about themselves and have a sense of achievement.