10 Surprising Benefits of Playing with Puzzles for Your Kids
Puzzles not only keep children engaged but also help them improve their memory and vocabulary. Learn more about the top ten advantages of puzzle play for children. Many parents buy puzzles for their children in order to get them to sit quietly and relax. Experts, on the other hand, believe that puzzles are an important form of learning that can aid in the overall development of the child. Continue reading to find out how puzzles can help children develop.
- Mental workout
Doing puzzles is a complete brain exercise because it engages both the right and left sides of the brain. The right is in charge of creativity, emotions, and intuitive thinking, while the left is in charge of logic, objectivity, and methodical thinking. When solving a puzzle, both sides must communicate and collaborate, which improves cognitive function. The occipital lobe, which connects colours and shapes in the brain, is also activated. Mental exercise aids in the prevention of cognitive decline.
- Improved Visuo-Spatial Reasoning
To put together a puzzle, we see different pieces that must be placed within a larger image. We can improve our spatial reasoning by doing this exercise on a regular basis.
- Improved Attention to Detail
It is critical to pay attention to details when solving a puzzle, especially if the pieces are very similar. You must train your eyes to detect small differences in colour or shape that will assist you in completing the image. Capturing small details can help us in all aspects of our lives, particularly at work. The quality of our work improves when we are more detailed and precise.
- Improve your memory
Increases the generation of new connections while strengthening neural connections. This accelerates mental processing and speed. When we pick up a piece, you must search among the others for a colour or shape that you are looking for, and then visualise the image on a large scale to determine which pieces go together. Exercise helps to maintain and improve short-term memory by exercising the part of the brain responsible for storing this information.
- Raise your IQ
Researchers from the University of Michigan, led by Dr. Susanne Jäggi, discovered that solving puzzles and riddles for 25 minutes per day can boost your IQ by 4 points.
- Enhance problem-solving abilities
Because it is a trial-and-error test, you take different approaches to try to solve the puzzles. You also learn the importance of developing theories, testing hypotheses, and shifting your viewpoint when things don’t go as planned. These abilities can be transferred to the workplace, making you more creative in problem solving, more critical thinking, and more adaptable.
- Enhanced productivity
It is easier to focus when you are happier and less stressed. When your concentration improves, so does your productivity. If you’re having trouble staying focused on your studies or work, consider doing a puzzle to reset your brain. Many offices are starting to incorporate puzzles and other similar games into their waiting areas. These games allow employees to disconnect from work for a few minutes before returning refreshed and ready to resume work.
- Improved collaboration and teamwork
Another reason to include puzzles in your workplace is that they promote collaboration among coworkers. Yale University researchers discovered that allowing employees to puzzle together in the workplace improved their relationships as well as their ability to cooperate and teamwork.
- Improved mood
Solving puzzles has a significant benefit in that it increases dopamine production in the brain. This neurotransmitter is in charge of mood and optimism regulation. It has an impact on learning, memory, concentration, and motivation as well. Dopamine is released every time we complete a puzzle or even place a piece correctly. This encourages us to keep going and to push ourselves.
- Reduce your stress level
It not only challenges us, but it also helps us relax. Our brains go from “Beta” or awake, to a state of “Alpha” when you are assembling puzzles. The Alpha state is similar to what we experience when we dream.