The Link Between Early Childhood Puzzle Play and the Development of Spatial Skills

Early childhood puzzle play is associated with the development of spatial skills such as spatial perception, mental rotation, and spatial visualization. Children’s ability to spatially visualize, mentally rotate, and/or move objects around in a physical space is referred to as their spatial skill(s). The use of spatial skills allows children to view objects or ideas from multiple directions and perspectives, to interpret visual aids/diagrams, and to navigate through their physical environment by identifying paths/routes from point A to point B. Research has shown that early spatial skills are predictive of participation in STEM-related (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) career choices. Children’s spatial ability is malleable during early childhood development; therefore, early interventions can contribute towards improved spatial performance later in life. Researchers have explored various ways to develop spatial reasoning in young children through engaging activities; one of the main ways to do so is through puzzle play. Puzzle play can be described as a structured, creative type of play that requires children to identify relationships between parts and the whole. A puzzle can be defined as a closed-ended spatial manipulation task, where there is a specific goal and a set of rules. Model-based block constructions require children to translate two-dimensional representations into three-dimensional actions. This paper presents a narrative review of peer reviewed studies published between 2008 and 2024 that examine associations between early puzzle like spatial play (including jigsaw puzzles, tangrams, and model based block play) and children’s spatial skills in early and middle childhood.