National Puzzle Day
Do your children love to put together puzzles? On days when it is cold and miserable outside, nothing is better than sitting in a nice warm house putting together puzzles. Unlike many other activities, puzzles are one of those simple yet challenging activities that be enjoyed by children of all ages. While they may be challenging for younger children, puzzles are a great way to build critical thinking skills in children as well as fine motor skills in younger children. With National Puzzle Day on January 29, we thought this would be a great time to start a new monthly tradition weekend puzzle parties!
National Puzzle Day: History of Puzzles
For years, puzzle enthusiasts have been celebrating National Puzzle Day. The first jigsaw puzzle has been dated back to 1760, when John Spilsbury, a British engraver and mapmaker, took an old map and mounted it to pieces of wood. From there, he cut it up into a variety of pieces, using it to teach others about geography. Very quickly, this concept caught on and then started being used to create puzzles from different favorite pictures and other objects. Puzzles didnt completely catch on until the 1920s, however, when newspapers starting publishing different puzzle contests using words, letters, numbers, and riddles. It didnt take long until the modern puzzle was created, giving children and adults a fun and educational game.
National Puzzle Day: Types of Puzzles
One of the biggest misconceptions that many people have with puzzles is that there is only one type of puzzle. Many people are intimidated when they see 1,000 piece jigsaw puzzles, leading to an assumption that if they dont like complex jigsaw puzzles they obviously dont like any puzzles. Puzzles actually come in a variety of types, sizes, and pieces. Some of the most popular types of puzzles include:
- Jigsaw Puzzles
- Puzzle Cubes
- 3-D Puzzles
- Crossword Puzzles
- Sudoku
- Word Find Puzzles
- Sliding Puzzles
Best of all, most of these puzzles can be purchased in forms that are perfect for children. It is very easy to find activity books for children that contain a variety of thinking puzzles. If you want more hands-on activities for your kids, dont forget you can also buy easy, portable puzzles with pictures of some of your childs favorite themes, including zoo animals, smiley faces, and more.
National Puzzle Day: Weekend Puzzle Party
Rather than spending the weekend playing video games or watching TV, consider putting a few hours aside to put together puzzles as a family. There are a variety of fun puzzles that everyone can put together and you can make a fun, creative weekend out of celebrating National Puzzle Day. Have fun making your own puzzles with different craft supplies, or even put together a fun 3-D puzzle that kids can later play with or display in their room. Kids also love getting candy prizes by seeing who can do the most puzzles in a certain amount of time, or getting a prize by completing a very challenging puzzle with their siblings. One thing is for certain; you can easily have hours of family fun with puzzles!
