Did you know that the modern jigsaw puzzle was first invented in the 18th century as a teaching aid for children? Even back then tutors recognised the power of a good puzzle!
John Spilsbury, a London mapmaker, made the first jigsaw from wood by gluing a map to a wooden block. He then carved around the countries to create separate, moveable shapes. He called these puzzles ‘dissections’ and they were used to help teach children geography.
Today many adults love a good jigsaw puzzle as a fun, mindful way to relax. But jigsaw puzzles have also been used to study cognitive abilities in young children.
Research from the University of East Anglia found that, with regular practice, children as young as four could analyse information instead of guessing to complete picture puzzles. Furthermore, children’s emotional intelligence improved by playing jigsaw puzzles.
Jigsaws come in various shapes and sizes depending on the player’s age. Whether it’s a traditional flat puzzle, 3D puzzle, or a map of the world, jigsaw puzzles are a brilliant way to boost young ones’ brain function.
There’s always a jigsaw on the go in our holistic classroom’s Activity Arena! Our favourite is the world map puzzle. Children enjoy solving the puzzle while also learning about different countries. Playing with a jigsaw also supports their development in several surprising ways.
Here are 15 key benefits of jigsaws for children
1. Understanding basics within the big picture
We always emphasise the big picture while learning and a jigsaw puzzle is essentially a big picture split into many small pieces. This can be used as a metaphor to teach children how small pieces of information contribute to a ‘whole’ and that sometimes you only need to think about placing one piece at a time. Jigsaws also develop basic skills fundamental to learning like shape recognition, concentration, goal setting, and patience. Not to mention the sense of achievement when they see the puzzle pieces come together.
2. Fine Motor Skills
Fine motor skills — the small, precise movements made by the muscles in your hands and wrists — can be developed by playing jigsaw puzzles.
Picking up small, fiddly shapes strengthens the muscles in fingers, hands, and wrists. Children must pick up, tilt, and turn jigsaw shapes to find which piece fits where. Young children start with bigger puzzle pieces and then progress to smaller, trickier shapes as their manual dexterity increases.
Jigsaw puzzles like our world map boosts children’s dexterity. Manual dexterity is the ability to use your hands in a skilful, coordinated way. It helps with a range of activities from holding a pencil to the precise movements needed in the fields of medicine and dentistry.
3. Gross Motor Skills
How can solving a jigsaw puzzle develop gross motor skills? Well, the motion of stretching across the table to pick up a puzzle piece calls for a greater range of motion and the use of larger muscles. Motions we take for granted as adults need to be developed in children. So, if it’s a rainy day, children can still develop gross motor skills without playing outside.
4. Visual Perception
Visual perception is how the brain interprets what the eyes see. Shapes, images, and colours are sent to the brain for processing, helping us make sense of our world. When playing a jigsaw puzzle, children learn why two pieces should connect together and quickly discard shapes that don’t fit. Good visual perception is a key building block for learning to read and write. Without it, children may reach the wrong conclusions, struggle to finish homework, or feel stressed when they struggle to link things together. A jigsaw puzzle develops core skills like visual memory, spotting similarities and differences, recognising common shapes, comprehending visual information, synthesising patterns, and identifying the whole from one piece.
5. Eye-Hand Coordination (should this be hand-eye?)
Developing visual skills also requires good hand-eye coordination. This means that the eyes and hands work together to perform and complete tasks, from tying shoelaces to writing. Playing jigsaws from an early age is an easy and fun way to develop hand-eye coordination as children discern what shape they need and how to manoeuvre it into place.
6. Making connections with other subjects
Learning to see patterns and shapes is Maths! Seeing how small shapes complete a bigger picture builds a solid foundation for understanding geometry and more complex mathematical concepts further into their education.
Our world map puzzle has the added benefit of teaching children geography. When a subject is fun and engaging children are more likely to learn and actively participate in their education.
7. Attention Span
Completing a jigsaw puzzle is a great way to improve children’s attention span. Hunting down the right piece is an engaging, tactile activity but also requires thoughtfulness and patience. We always notice how quiet the Activity Arena becomes when children focus all their attention on determining which piece to place in the puzzle next. Playing jigsaw puzzles regularly gradually trains children to sit for longer periods and improves their overall attention span in class. And as many jigsaw enthusiasts find, once you start a jigsaw you feel motivated to complete it.
8. Problem-Solving
Children like a challenge! And jigsaws are exactly that. Our world map makes them think extra hard too as knowing where the countries are will help them solve the puzzle. Younger players might start with trial and error while older children adopt a logical approach — finding all the corner pieces for instance. Others will match colours, shapes, or patterns in order to crack the puzzle. Learning problem-solving through play is a fun, low-stress way to develop this highly prized skill.
9. Independent Play
We’re firm believers in independent play. Children feel empowered when they let the power of their imagination guide them. The great thing about jigsaws is that no adult intervention is required. Jigsaws can be completed alone or as a group. Letting children take charge of their own play fosters independent individuals who don’t rely on adults or friends for constant interaction and stimulation. For introverted or anxious children, the mindful slowness required to solve a jigsaw puzzle gives them a moment of quiet calm.
10. Spatial Relations
Jigsaws help children learn about spatial relations. Spatial relations is the ability to perceive the position of objects in relation to each other and oneself. Size, distance, and volume are integral to developing spatial relations, as is understanding left and right. When it comes to writing, good spatial relations aids positioning letters and numbers and distinguishing the difference between similar letters like b and d. Size, distance, and volume also plays a part e.g. is the pen on, under, or behind the desk?
11. Cognitive Development
Improving cognitive function is one of the key reasons to play jigsaw puzzles. Players must assess the individual parts of a jigsaw puzzle to figure out how to fit the pieces into their space. Jigsaw puzzles have been proven to engage and strengthen multiple cognitive abilities. The more complicated a puzzle children can complete, the greater their general cognitive ability. Once they reach a certain level of development, you’ll notice how they match pieces based on information not guesswork, a vital skill for the classroom and beyond. Therefore, they should be made a regular part of children’s play to tap into massive cognitive enrichment.
12. Confidence
Completing a complex puzzle is a massive confidence boost! If a child completes the puzzle by themselves, then the sense of achievement is all the greater. Shy children in particular will get a boost from solving a problem without needing to be the loudest in the room. That’s why it’s important to pick a jigsaw at the right level; too complicated and you risk putting children off puzzles. The aim is to feel motivated and engaged, not frustrated.
13. Perseverance
Finishing a jigsaw puzzle is an act of patience and perseverance. Once they begin, children often feel motivated to see the puzzle through to completion. When they do fit the last piece the sense of achievement is palpable. When we watch a child sit in quiet contemplation over a jigsaw, we see a child who is developing perseverance. The ability to prevail despite setbacks is an essential skill in the classroom and the outside world. Matching the wrong piece and feeling frustrated when the right piece eludes them is a low-stress way to learn that mistakes are part of life and that determination to keep trying is what’s important.
14. Emotional intelligence
A study found that building jigsaws boosted children’s emotional intelligence. According to research, understanding the relationship between a picture and the smaller pieces that contribute to it develops alongside grasping the relationship between our beliefs and the world around us. When children complete jigsaw puzzles as part of a group they’re motivated to work together towards a common goal.
15. Relaxation
Finally, we can’t leave without mentioning the stress-busting benefits of a jigsaw. Today’s children face many pressures. From performing well at school to fitting in with their friends, children can sometimes feel weighed down by expectations. A jigsaw gives children the time and space to breathe. The mindful act of searching for the right piece has a calming effect and helps children wind down from the stimulation of the school day while still improving a range of cognitive, physical, and social abilities.
For more information:
Email: lydia@lstuition.co.uk