I have one son who loves puzzles. At a very young age, he was putting together 100 piece puzzles. Now years later, the puzzles have gotten more complicated. He received a 9,000 piece puzzle for Chanukah that he just finished recently. It took him 4 months. It has taken up over half the playroom, even though we took pictures, we don’t have the heart to break it up and put it away. Now with his birthday money, he wants to buy a puzzle with 32,000 pieces!
The problem: You need a really big surface to do these extra large puzzles and I have been really hesitant to give him permission to get this puzzle because I feel it will completely take over the house. We were discussing (ok, I was complaining) this problem while my Aunt was visiting and of course as a retired teacher and a devoted, indulgent, Great Aunt, to her nephew, (whereas before I had some modicum of importance, as everyone knows, once you have kids you are relegated to the role of chopped liver) she took my son’s side. To drive the point home she whipped out her iPad, and used google to give me an impromptu lecture on the importance and educational value of puzzle making. Although I decry the use of lectures in improving children’s behavior, it can be beneficial for parents (Yes, a little self-promotion-I know, I know,I lecture parents for a living!)
She quoted from the following website:
Puzzles help develop the following skills:
- Cognitive Skills: sorting, comparing, classifying, grouping, deducing, analysing and sequencing – how’s that for a list of skills puzzles draw on? Problem solving, reasoning and logical thinking also fostered. Children engage trial and error strategies to fit pieces.
- Maths Skills: puzzles increases visual special awareness and help children to see the whole/part relationships.
- Fine Motor Skills are definitely used as small pieces need to be picked up, grasped, manipulated and fitted. Hand-eye coordination is also enhanced
- Emotional Skills: puzzles can be frustrating when nothing seems to fit. It takes patience to find pieces, determination and “stickability”. When the job is done, there’s a tremendous sense of accomplishment!
- Social Skills: I love using puzzles to enhance social skills. When we sit down together to do a puzzle, we have to share, cooperate and engage in team work within a confined area.
So there you have it. The puzzle has been ordered, although we still have no idea where we are going to put it!