Puzzles are a classic toy that have been shaping people's minds for the better since the 1760's! Talk about a tried and true toy.
What is it about puzzles that perennially keeps them on everyone's best educational toy lists? Here are 5 reasons why your kid should absolutely be playing with puzzles.
1. Puzzles are dynamite for fostering problem solving and critical thinking skills.
There are several steps to solving a puzzle - identifying which pieces may go together, trying out your guesses, regrouping when your guess wasn't correct. Taking a jumbled mess of pieces and creating a finished picture with them is an amazing problem solving exercise.
2. Puzzles foster healthy self esteem.
When a kiddo fits that last piece into the puzzle, a rush of satisfaction accompanies that goal achievement. They have overcome a challenge and this helps build self esteem.
3. Puzzles are top notch builders of patience, perseverance and grit.
It’s not easy to piece together a puzzle, and it takes time and continued effort. Puzzles build patience and grit (a passion and perseverance to accomplish long term goals whatever the obstacles and no matter how long it may take). These traits are HUGE for success in school, work and life in general. Not much of importance gets done without the ability to keep going even when things get tough. "Grit" is being touted as more important than IQ in predicting success and that makes so much sense! Who cares how smart you are if you give up the second things get tricky?
4. Puzzles hone fine motor skills.
Picking up small pieces and fitting them together is wonderful training for all those teeny muscles in the hands and fingers. With the development of these skills, a kid is later able to do important tasks like write, feed oneself or button and zipper their clothes.
5. Improve social skills.
Puzzles are an excellent task for kids to do on their own, but they're also perfect for practicing social skills if done with another child or parent. Working together to complete a puzzle helps hone those team work skills necessary for cooperation in school, the workplace and in personal relationships.
Puzzles are such an all star player and should definitely be in your kid's toy box! Check out our full collection here.
