Did you know that January is National Puzzle Month—or that January 29 is National Puzzle Day? If not, don’t feel bad: neither did we. But one thing we’re quite sure of is that doing puzzles is a wonderful way to spend time with your family. Plus, it’s good for you. Whether it’s a 1,000-piece jigsaw, a crossword, a sudoku, or something else, doing puzzles has been shown to increase alertness and concentration, improve memory and mood, boost problem-solving abilities and spatial reasoning, and lower stress levels. So in honor of National Puzzle Month, here are a few puzzle-icious ways to disconnect from our hyper-digital lifestyle, reconnect with your family, and generally improve your life.
Puzzle to Relax
It’s almost impossible to walk by an unfinished puzzle. Typically, people intend to stop for only a few seconds, but, 30 to 90 minutes later, find that they’ve lost themselves in the never-ending quest to find “just one more piece.” When choosing a puzzle to relax, imagery is key. Look for images that make you happy like puppies or feel at peace like African animals. Prices vary greatly, depending on piece count (which ranges from 200 to 9,000 pieces!). https://www.ravensburger.us/products/jigsaw-puzzles
Continue reading
If you remember Spirograph from when you were a kid, you’ll start doing your happy dance when you unbox this new art kit from VTech. Comes with four animal-shaped stencils and five gears that will let your little one create a nearly unlimited number of spiral shapes and designs. And in case being absorbed in an art project isn’t enough, the Sounds part of Spirals & Sounds includes 20 melodies, encouraging messages, and a variety of rhymes and chatty banter. Uses standard letter-size paper. Under $10. Ages 3+.