PUZZLES

Puzzles are a great way to create a fun learning opportunity for children. Puzzles play an important role in early childhood development. It plays an important role in the areas of problem solving, fine motor development, language development, hand eye co-ordination, spatial awareness, cognitive development. Puzzles also play a role in boosting a child’s self esteem because of the sense of accomplishment he/she feels on completing a puzzle.

Puzzles improve language and communication skills in young children. In order to solve or build puzzles, they have to identify shapes, colours, patterns and objects. This helps to develop communication skills and vocabulary. They also talk about what picture is developing as they progress with the puzzle. Once the whole puzzle is complete, it can be used for discussion or question and answer purposes thus giving the child further oppurtunities to share ideas and develop language skills.

Puzzles also play an important role in enhancing children’s fine motor skills. Puzzle pieces require the child to pick them up, turn, manipulate and place them in the correct space. All these actions require finger and hand movement. To assemble the puzzle , children need to move the pieces to specific areas which is an excellent way to improve their hand eye co-ordination.

In order to complete a puzzle, children have to think and develop strategies to achieve the goal. They have to use problem solving methods and adopt logical reasoning skills and critical thinking. This activity of building a puzzle also assists in improving short term memory. It also helps with the ability to focus for long periods on one task thus teaching perseverance and patience.

Puzzles are not just meant for young children in the early developmental stage. They also have many benefits for adults. Solving puzzles helps reinforce existing connections between our brain cells. As in the case of the young ones, adults also benefit from improving their short term memory by working with puzzles.

In some cases , when people get older , certain skills need to be reinforced. Puzzles also assist in keeping the problem solving skills sharp as well as critical and logical thinking. In adults as well, the building of puzzles improves visual and spatial reasoning.

The activity of building puzzles has also been known to improve a person’s mood because dopamine gets released every time a puzzle is completed successfully. Sometimes even just putting a few pieces correctly has a similar effect. This is significant because it encourages the continuation and completion of the task as it is a  “feel good” situation.

Puzzle building also gives both children and adults a great sense of satisfaction and pride. Persisting and completing a puzzle successfully affirms that you can overcome challenges and frustrations through perserverence. This is a great boost for self esteem and confidence.

And PUZZLES ARE FUN!