It is always the small pieces that make the big picture. Compared to adults, kids have much memory potential. That is because children have fresh memory free of life problems while the memory accuracy of adults is hurt by the fact that they know more than children and tend to apply this knowledge when learning new information, the findings showed.
Therefore puzzles play a vital role to exercise the kids’ memory, physical, cognitive and emotional skills which make the kids a young prodigy later.
It exercises both the right and left sides of the brain. The right is in charge of creativity, emotions and intuitive thinking; and the left is the logical, objective and methodical side.
For a quick glance:
- Attentiveness.
- Problem Solving.
- Emotions.
- Physical.
- Collaboration.
Attentiveness:
Your child has to remember the shape of pieces that don’t fit fir when they will fit later on. Working on puzzles reinforces the connections between their brain cells and form new ones so they are a great way to improve short-term memory.
They use memory in the process of completing a jigsaw puzzle when they remember shapes, sizes, and pieces and visualize where they fit in. A study at the University of Michigan showed that doing puzzles for at least 25 minutes a day can boost one’s IQ by 4 points.
Problem Solving:
Puzzle is not just about fitting. It’s about critical thinking about how to solve. Critical thinking, judgment, visual-perceptual skills and memory are all tested with a puzzle.
They also learn the value of formulating theories, testing hypotheses, and changing their perspectives when something doesn’t go as planned. There is only one way to complete a puzzle and it cannot be cheated.
Emotions:
They also teach patience, self-confidence, and self-control. Making a puzzle takes time and effort. When finishing a puzzle they feel admiration and recognition for achieving it. It teaches to slowly work through the process of the puzzle before reaching the end.
While they are concentrating on how to solve the puzzle, their minds are only on one task and that encourages their brains to go into a meditative state. This leads to a better mindset and better stress coping skills.
Physical:
Doing a puzzle help develop hand-eye co-ordination and motor coordination. Some correlation can be seen in a child’s ability to complete puzzles and their handwriting skills as they have to work carefully.
Jigsaw puzzles require that young ones make very precise movements in order to get the pieces to fit together while Pegged puzzles in particular force toddlers to use the pincer grip. This is a crucial skill that they’ll later utilize to hold a pencil (or a paintbrush) in preschool and kindergarten.
Collaboration:
Assembling a jigsaw puzzle with someone else requires cooperation and communication. While putting together puzzles, little ones have the chance to practice their social skills.
One child could be in charge of finding the outside edges while another focuses on an element within it communication and working things out together is key to the completion of the puzzle which later be useful for them in collaborated works and social communication.
It is not about the pieces but how they work together to reveal a surprise. Let the little ones take the opportunity to learn the shapes and connections through mathematical perception and the development of certain skills for their future.
