Family: They're Just Like a Puzzle

“Families are like puzzles. They fit together in a certain way, and if one piece is missing, it throws everything off.” - Richard Schiff

Are you looking for a relatively inexpensive activity for you and your family? We’ve got just the thing.

Puzzles!

Working on puzzles together as a family is a bonding experience unlike any other. Don’t believe us? We’ve got a myriad of ways in which tackling a jigsaw puzzle benefits the whole group. Yes, even the teenagers.  

Family Puzzle Night

We know how pricey it can get doing activities together as a family. Even without the kids, a night out can put a dent in your wallet. A family game night working on a puzzle provides the opportunity to do something fun together without having to spend a ton of money. Depending on how challenging the puzzle is, it can become a multiple-nights-a-week activity or perhaps a weekly scheduled activity. Family time puzzle, anyone?

Together Time Puzzle Bonding

It can be a struggle in our fast-paced society to find adequate quality time together amidst the after-school activities, sporting events, and PTA meetings in addition to working a day job. A jigsaw activity provides ample opportunity for spending dedicated time together as a family. Plus, it steers away boredom and limits screen time in an otherwise technologically-driven world. 

Problem Solving as a Unit

Jigsaw activities are great for problem-solving as a group. The process of sorting pieces and fitting a puzzle together requires everyone involved to work on tackling the object as a team. This also provides the ability for each individual to offer a different perspective, encouraging others to see from another angle or think in a way they might not have previously done so. 

Finding Common Ground

Is there anything more satisfying than fitting in the last piece of the puzzle? Completing a puzzle activity collectively as a family provides an all-encompassing sense of achievement at finishing it together. Every individual in the family brings something unique to the table, but working as a team establishes common ground by working together towards a common goal. 

Establishing Empathy

There are bound to be difficulties and disagreements as you work together on a puzzle, especially if it’s challenging. By listening to one another and the thought process behind a given strategy, it creates an opportunity to see one another in a different light and reflect on the decisions empathetically. 

Conversation Starter

Sometimes, trying to have a conversation with your teenager can feel like pulling teeth. Spending time on a jigsaw puzzle together can provide the opportunity to talk about something that you’re both working towards (see ‘finding common ground’ above). Even if you don’t say much initially, the conversation is bound to start flowing the farther along you get on the puzzle. 

Let Loose

Need we say more? Jigsaw puzzles are good fun and can include everyone in the entire family. They’re a great tool to exercise your brain and, most importantly, to spend time together. You don’t have to constantly be going out to amusement parks and movie theaters to find entertainment. So, why not try a family jigsaw puzzle night? 

Still not convinced why you should work on a puzzle together (or solo)? Check out our blog on the many benefits of jigsaw puzzles.