It was Father’s Day last Sunday. And we spent the whole afternoon playing the jigsaw puzzle. The father of the house was out, making a living for the family, thus missed the fun.
A day before Father’s Day, I sent him a link to JSPuzzle, a gaming website all about jigsaw puzzles. I’ve requested for a customized puzzle of our family picture as a Father’s Day gift to Husband. I never thought even the boys would love to solve the puzzle. What made it fun to answer is that we could customize the design and choose the number of puzzle pieces. There is also a timer available which makes the boys competitive and eager to beat everyone’s recorded time.
Playing jigsaw puzzle on a Father’s Day
As we took turns solving the puzzle and increasing the number of pieces to challenge ourselves, our Big Bunso asked how the jigsaw puzzle was invented. Good thing I have a wide reader Firstborn who rescued his mom from embarrassment.
Fun Facts about Jigsaw Puzzles
Firstborn relayed that it was believed a certain English cartographer by the name of John Spilsbury made the very first jigsaw puzzle. It was somewhere around 1760s when he mounted a map on a sheet of hardwood and cut it using a saw. He challenged the public to reassemble it.
Jigsaw puzzle got its name around the 1900s when jigsaw was invented to cut the puzzles into pieces.
Benefits of playing jigsaw puzzle
As we played, no doubt that the jigsaw puzzle made our entire brain work. Funny Firstborn even said that it was our left side of the brain that reasonably sorts the pieces. Our right side of the brain, on the other hand, serves to see the finished product.
As we assembled the jigsaw puzzle pieces, we never noticed the time. Indeed, the simple activity helped us relax and clear our mind. The boys got excited as we get closer to putting the pieces together. This mom couldn’t contain her happiness as well seeing her boys laugh, jump even, and tease one another as they compete for the fastest time.
Playing jigsaw puzzle on a Father’s Day
Even our 22-month old boy would want to join the fun. Every time he sees his older brothers jumping and laughing, he would jump and laugh as well. He would even want to touch the mouse and drag it, too. As he watched with curiosity, I would want to assume that the game likewise enhanced his mental and intellectual growth. And he watched with real curious eyes.
I have read once that online jigsaw puzzles are easy on the eyes. Staring at the computer monitor for hours gives no side effect as there is no backlight nor glare that slowly wears down one’s vision.
Playing jigsaw puzzle on a Father’s Day
I wouldn’t want to say we wasted our Sunday afternoon laughing and solving the puzzle. After all, it is seldom that we bond together over things we enjoy doing as a family. Too bad the father of the house wasn’t there to join us. The jigsaw puzzle is, after all, for him as our Father’s Day gift. Anyway, I hope that as comes home, he will find time to solve the puzzle with his boys, too. Surely the boys are excited to play with him as they regard their father as truly gifted with puzzles and anything abstract.
And more than anything, the activity is such an opportune time to nurture positive behavior and create memories. The boys are growing really fast and in a few more years, they would surely love to be with the company of their friends than stay at home with their family.
This is more of a simple and interesting activity to do on any special day. Such activities bring the family closer and stir creative ideas. It is like a quality time spent together. Good way to spend Father’s day! 🙂