Games children can play alone: puzzling things out at their own pace

Yes. Younger children in particular often play by themselves; they gradually learn to play together between the ages of three and five. Experts also distinguish between two reasons for playing alone: some children like being on their own, while others would like to join in but do not dare. In young children, according to studies from North America, the former is no cause for great concern; shyness deserves more attention. For school-age children, it is good when time on their own alternates with time with their peers.

The first tile-laying and puzzle games in this selection are recommended from age three, such as Katamino Family; Camelot Jr. follows from age four. Child development experts recommend increasingly challenging jigsaw puzzles at this age, which call on visual working memory and planning. Between the ages of five and seven, children become more independent, and puzzles and logic games in which rules have to be applied become interesting. How long a child sticks at it alone varies a great deal; younger children need more support at first.

As much as necessary, as little as possible. Experts advise adapting activities to what the individual child can do and reducing support as soon as the child is ready: the aim is for children to depend less and less on guidance from adults. With puzzle games, this means a small hint first rather than the solution, an easier challenge after several failed attempts, and the solution only at the very end. A challenge should stretch your child but not be too difficult; next time, they can go up a level.

Brain-teasers require keeping information in mind and working with it, thinking steps ahead and looking for another way when one does not lead to the goal. Experts therefore see such puzzles as good practice for attention, working memory and cognitive flexibility. Tile-laying and building games also challenge spatial reasoning: in a large US study, children who, according to their parents, played more often with things such as jigsaw puzzles and building blocks had better spatial skills. Whether the play is the cause, however, remains open.