Puzzles for Families: Best Beginner Puzzles for Adults and Kids

This roundup of puzzles for families shares what to look for when picking out a beginner puzzle for adults and kids.

Have you been reading about all the benefits of jigsaw puzzles but aren’t sure where to dive in? We’re here to help! 

Maybe you’re coming to puzzling because:

• You need a new relaxing hobby that doesn’t include screens
• You want an activity the whole family can do together
• You want all the benefits of puzzling, like improved short-term memory and problem-solving skills
• You want a fun activity to do with your elderly loved ones

Whatever your reason is, welcome! At Completing the Puzzle, we’re a community of puzzlers that share our love of jigsaw puzzles together. We’ve got some great tips for newbie puzzlers who want to get started with the best beginner puzzles for adults and kids, so keep reading.

What to Look for in the Best Beginner Puzzles for Adults

It’s easy to get in over your head with your first puzzle, especially if you love the design or artwork on the puzzle. However, it’s important to look at other factors, like piece count, piece size, and more.

For beginner adult puzzles, stick to puzzles under 500 pieces or less. That way the pieces won’t be too small and hard to place.

Choose a puzzle that excites you, but make sure the image isn’t too difficult. Sections in all one color are especially challenging, so opt for a puzzle with tons of color variety instead. That way you can organize your pieces by color and easily navigate through the puzzle.

Here are some great beginning puzzles from our collection:

1. Six Pack by Cobble Hill (500 pieces)
2. Summer Bouquet by Cobble Hill (275 pieces)
3. Mount Rainier by Dowdle (500 pieces)
4. Wonder and Bloom by Galison (500 pieces)
5. Seaside Antiques by Eurographics (300 pieces)

What to Look for in the Best Beginner Puzzles for Kids

Kids of all ages can enjoy jigsaw puzzles! We recommend starting toddlers on board puzzles so that they can learn how to match shapes. As they get a little bit older, they can graduate into fun jigsaw puzzles.

Here’s how you can make puzzling easy and fun for young kids:

1. Look for puzzles with less than 300 pieces
2. Make sure the pieces are large
3. Choose a puzzle image that gets them excited so that they stick with it

As your kids become jigsaw puzzle masters, they can start working on beginner puzzles with you. There are great puzzles in our collection that are under 500 pieces that you can work on with the whole family!

Customize Your Puzzle Experience with Completing the Puzzle

If you’re new to the jigsaw puzzle world, you’re in the right place. With a Completing the Puzzle membership, you can get a great beginner-level puzzle sent straight to your doorstep. Every time you finish a puzzle, simply mail it back to us in the prepaid mailer, and we’ll ship out the next puzzle on your wishlist. As you get the hang of puzzling, you can request more challenging puzzles! 

Completing the Puzzle is all about community. Sharing puzzles is eco-friendly and cost-effective. Plus, if you ever get stuck on your puzzle, you can reach out to the community for help!

We can't wait to start puzzling with you! Sign up for a Completing the Puzzle membership today and get 20% off your first month when you use code SPECIAL20.