Why Jigsaw Puzzles are great for all ages....

When I was younger, there was no smartphones, no gameboys, no Nintendo etc… To occupy my time, I would play with dolls, cooking sets, Legos and jigsaw puzzles.

Nowadays you will realize all these toys are getting more expensive… but well, do you know jigsaw puzzles are not so expensive and they are actually a great source of frugal entertainment. And here are some of the reasons why you should pay more attention to jigsaw puzzles.

Do you know that jigsaw puzzles are a actually whole lot cheaper than many other toys..?

You can find jigsaw puzzles with big pieces that work well for little kids or the older folks with dexterity problems. If you like a challenge, go for jigsaw puzzles that comes in a thousand or two thousand or five thousand pieces… My personal record is just 1500 pieces and that was in my teenage years. Whatever your ability, age, or amount of free time, you will be able to find a jigsaw puzzle that is suitable for you.

A jigsaw puzzle will keep you (or your kids or your elderly folks) busy for a good few hours and they are known to be excellent for keeping your brain sharp. Why? This is because jigsaw puzzles actually challenge your dexterity, spatial reasoning, and logic. And jigsaw puzzles get both sides of your brain working simultaneously, something few other activities do. The creative side works to see the finished product, while the logical side works to fit the pieces...

Jigsaw puzzles are really a simple but great ‘toy’ as they teach you to focus and concentrate on the task of finding the right piece to go into the puzzle. In the process, you will also learn patience as it takes quite a while before the jigsaw puzzle comes together and you have to keep trying to fit in your pieces until it does. And while the jigsaw puzzle works your brain, you can still talk with your friends or family while working on it.

Jigsaw puzzles give your subconscious mind a chance to work on other things. Working a puzzle allows your mind to rest and think about other things. And this is why sometimes when there is something bothering me, I get out some jigsaw puzzle and finish it…..

If you have a very nice picture puzzle there… you should glue it together and mount it, so you can get some pretty interesting artwork for your home. The puzzle glue and a frame or mounting board need not be expensive..

Did you know that these amazing jigsaw puzzles are actually a great activity for stroke patients, the elderly and an arthritis patient to improve dexterity and exercise their hands. Moving pieces, picking them up, and turning them doesn’t seem like much to someone with normal dexterity, but to these patients it is a good exercise and great challenge.

Studies have also found that people who do jigsaw puzzles and were fully active gain a longer life span and lesser chances of falling prey to Alzheimer’s, memory loss, dementia and other old age problems. This is because our brain produces a chemical known as dopamine that is chiefly responsible for learning and memory. The production of this chemical increases in the brain at the time when it is engaged in solving the jigsaw puzzle.

Therefore it is undeniable that working on jigsaw puzzles and solving them gives us with very many helpful benefits. It makes us alert, increases our concentration, expands our creativity. Looking at the images can also help us practice visualization, and affect our physical health by lowering our breath rate, reducing heart rate and blood pressure.

When choosing jigsaw puzzles for our kids, we would consider their ability as well as age, and the interesting cartoons our kids might like…

On the other hand, when selecting jigsaw puzzles for the older folks, we should consider the following:

• The degree of his/her condition – if large pieces are better or if the standard, large-count puzzles can do the trick?

• Something familiar – landmarks and favorite pastimes would be ideal subjects. You can also make your own puzzles featuring family photos or other objects cherished by your loved one. For this you can check out http://www.jspuzzles.com . JS Puzzles is an online shop that can turn your favorite photos- be it of your favorite pet, a favorite place picture, a photo of you and your friends or family members or even your favorite book or movie cover !!! Isn't that simply awesome... I know I am so getting a family picture made into jigsaws so we can fix it and then get it framed on the wall.....

 Of course, you should also take some time and work on the jigsaw puzzle with your kids or your older folks… it is not just a great way to boost their mental activity, and also your own but when you work on it together, you actually create even more memories you both can enjoy and treasure….

Pictures all sourced from google.com and used only for illustration purposes. Photo credit belongs to their rightful owners from hubpages.com, aliexpress.com, express.co.uk, ravensburger, manjotkaur.com and unforgettable.org...