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Choose your Designs

· When Children attempt to place a puzzle piece in its place it will only fit if it is placed properly in the right space. The act of manipulating each piece, turning it and testing the fit, is the way children learn to problem solve and develop critical thinking.

2. Language Skills

· Puzzles offer children an opportunity to develop many language skills. When a child asks for a certain piece they will often describe what they are looking for. For example, the round pieces, the blue bumpy piece, etc. Puzzles are often used when working with Autistic children who have delayed speech ability as a playful tool to encourage speech.

· Puzzles teach children several basic math concepts as well. While working with a puzzle children learn to categorize and organize pieces while doing that they are able to classify and label the pieces as well.

· Wooden puzzles build eye-hand coordination. The ability to coordinate what the eye sees, the mind wants to do, and what the hands can accomplish takes a lot of practice. Puzzles offer an enjoyable way to practice this skill while encouraging independence.

· Puzzles offer a fun way to develop fine motor ability. Children need to develop strength in the muscles in their fingers so that they can grasp things and hold onto them. This will later give them the ability to hold a pencil.

6. Social Skills

Wooden Puzzles offer opportunities to expand social skills as well. When children work cooperatively to complete a puzzle they engage in conversation. They develop a plan to solve the puzzle, they take turns and help each other solve problems as they arise.

7. Developing Persistence

When a child works on a puzzle until completion the child is developing persistence. Once the puzzle is solved the child can feel a sense of accomplishment which boosts his independence and self-esteem.

8. Adaptable and Abstract Thinking

Children use adaptable thinking and deductive reasoning skills when they find different ways to put the pieces together. They gain the ability to think abstractly when they are able to see negative space, like the space where a puzzle piece may fit, and figure out what type of shape would be needed to fill that space.

9. Spur Imagination and Creativity

Playing with mosaic puzzles encourages imagination and creativity. The colors and shapes of the mosaic pieces serve to stimulate brain cells and encourage prolonged interest when arranging the pieces in endless designs.

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