Toddlers love to play with puzzles and of course they will always mix the pieces in the same box. I have a three year old boy that just started with the 24 pieces and he will put the pieces together and want someone to sort the puzzle. After one attempt to separate each puzzle, I discovered it would be easier to write the name of the puzzle on the back of each of the pieces. Also if you have several toddlers that play together, you can also write their name on each piece. Good Luck!
I am a preschool teacher. Don't put out all the puzzles at once. Put a limited number of puzzles for you child to access. The smaller the puzzle pieces and the larger the puzzle,the less puzzles should be left out. Give him or her a choice as to which to rotate in or out. Using number symbols seem to work best for labeling. Because numbers are endless. Write a number on back of the puzzle itself and the same number on each puzzle piece. Learning how to identify number symbols, sorting and tidying up in the process.
My youngest took at least 15 puzzles - some with as many as 500 pcs. and some very small pieces - and dumped them all together! Talk about a task. My sister said that I should just throw them away but I didn't want to do that. I started sorting by colors and matching with pictures on box. I just put different marks on the backs of each piece. Some would have a dot or a star or a dash. Each puzzle had a different mark. If a piece was missing I put a paper under the puzzle at that particular spot and drew around the edges. If I'd come up with a piece I'd check for the missing pieces. I'm happy to say that all but 2 have been completely put together into their boxes and will be used on a cold winter night. That's my experience with puzzles.
Writing names seems a little tedious...why not chose a different colored marker for each puzzle...each piece gets a mark, if not color it in completely(easier for child to sort). By the time you run out of colors in the pack of markers, you probably have lost enough pieces to toss it out...or they are tired of it or grown out of it...start over with the colors.
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