The Importance of Puzzles

Working on the big floor puzzles can involve movement, language,  cooperation and even strategy--for instance, do you like to flip all of the pieces over and start with the edges, or do you begin by putting together a focal point and work outward?

Puzzles of all kinds are really important at home and in the classroom.  This short blurb describes some of the benefits, and here is another.  The wooden ones with knobs are great for babies and toddlers, and then even early on the thick cardboard floor puzzles can be an almost daily component of playing and learning time.  Many of ours are either hand-me-downs or purchased on clearance, and if you check your local drug store you're likely to see some affordable ones near the Play-doh and coloring books.

Doing a puzzle together can be a good way for Daddy and daughter to unwind before bedtime.

Be sure to get the Sharpies out and label the back of each piece!  (These initials stand for "Where the Wild Things Are")

Once put together, some puzzles can be a teaching tool, like this World Map puzzle.

(Glad I labeled this one, because the kids like to get many puzzles out at once!)

If you sit back and observe two or more children working on a puzzle, you'll learn a lot about the way the children interact with each other.  I used to use "Puzzle Time" as a sort of diagnostic tool to tease out behavior issues between students.

World Map Floor Puzzle

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