While spending copious amounts of hours indoors, whether by choice or not, sometimes the perfect way to spend a calming afternoon can be none other than a good-old-fashioned jigsaw puzzle. When screens and blue light are giving you a headache, these simple, classic creations are a stellar way to pass the time. Why else would they be a staple in everyone’s vacation home? Puzzles provide a fun activity for folks in every position on the spectrums of age and ability. Start off at whatever level you’d like, and move up the ladder as you progress from 100 pieces, to 1000 pieces, or more! There is truly no person left out of the fun, poring through intricately crafted pieces looking for just the right one. Solving jigsaw puzzles is classic, timeless fun - they tend to be inexpensive, easy as heck to find, and are adaptable to a solo challenge or a team effort. If you’re still not sold and looking for a little something extra, well, it turns out jigsaw puzzles are proven to be not too shabby at literally growing and developing the brain.
Bringing order to the complexity of a jigsaw puzzle is a cognitive activity at its core, which is important for people of all ages. First off, the possibility of collaboration brings a whole new level to what was already a great workout for the brain. Working together to crack the code of patterns helps reduce stress (which we all have!) and results in improved collaboration and cooperation for the future. Social skills are everything in this day and age, and teamwork is hard to learn but is vital to success in a world where the greatest achievements are accomplished together. Exposure to games, such as puzzles, also results in enhanced spatial reasoning skills and can help prepare young children who are taking the plunge into their days of schooling. Puzzles truly are the ultimate shape sorter.
For the older crowd, there are even greater benefits to puzzling. Shape selection helps to improve select cognitive skills and can play an important role in maintaining overall neurological health. There’s evidence that jigsaw puzzles can help keep minds sharp as we age, slowing the effects of Alzheimers among the elderly. It’s worth noting that the same can be said of Kubiya’s famous mechanical puzzles! Brain games in general help the mind maintain a sharp wit, faster processing skills, organization, coordination, decision making, and short-term memory, just to name a few! Jigsaw puzzles aren’t the only way to keep up mental activity, of course. People can also use games like crossword puzzles, Scrabble, Chess, Sudoku, Checkers, as well as playing an instrument, or learning a new language.
We could go on forever, but finally, jigsaw puzzles provide a great tool for learning how to think outside the box and approach a problem from new angles. These are vital skills that you can take straight to the bank. Perhaps you’ve been struggling to match pieces using one particular tactic (perhaps lining up the edges to try and find a match). However, if you step away and alter your perspective, you could start to look for matching colors or images on the pieces. Continually reassessing strategies time and time again will train your brain to appreciate the possibility that one single line of thinking may not always be the best. Sometimes, it’s key to step away, breathe, and choose a new strategy. No need to get frustrated and throw the puzzle on the floor! Puzzles can relieve those mental blocks that force you into one-dimensional thinking, and life certainly needs to be lived in more than one dimension!
After going over these benefits of puzzling…..you might have guessed already that Kubiya is now featuring our own diverse assortment of colorful puzzles! We specialize in puzzles of all kinds, and our latest collection of jigsaw puzzles is a great addition to the mix, especially for those who may not be as enthusiastic about mechanical puzzles. The style of these jigsaws is reminiscent of Pop Art, with a multi-color palette taking the form of many different beloved animals. In the collection you’ll see humpback whales, a bull, roosters, wolves, owls, tigers, butterflies, and more.
Check this amazing image of the Nebula "a giant cloud of dust in space" is so crisp you’ll think you’re looking into James Webb Space Telescope.
Take a look at our jigsaw puzzles assortment on our website to get an idea for yourself - it’s difficult to imagine the beauty of the intricate patterns. Each puzzle comes with several custom animal-shaped pieces as well as the standard jigsaw shapes. What’s more, even the “standard” jigsaw shapes all have a clever twist in the design, with curves and swerves at odd angles. The puzzle itself is more challenging than you would expect considering the smaller amount of pieces. Crooked, uniquely-shaped pieces provide an extra challenge beyond traditional puzzles. We imagine that most people would order these puzzles primarily for their beauty, and everything else is an added bonus.
The color schemes are their own unique shade of rainbow streaks, like a map of thermal energy showcasing the spirit of each animal. The zoological theme also bleeds into the shape of the puzzle pieces themselves. Like we said above, many of them resemble the shapes of common animals. If any readers are familiar, I keep thinking of the scene in Life of Pi, during the dream sequences where the main character (of Indian descent) imagines animals of all different colors drifting listlessly under the water. After some digging on the internet, the connection makes sense. Many puzzle designs from our collection hearken back to geometric color patterns from Indian and Buddhist folk art. You may also recognize these designs from famous rainbow paintings that are sold in collections all around the country. The animal images are timeless, and can even be hung as a painting if you glue the pieces together. It’s a tough decision whether to display the puzzle proudly, or save the pieces in order to play with the puzzle over and over.
Ultimately, puzzles are easy to pack, fun for a big group, and a calming exercise for the brain. They reach that perfect sweet spot that balances challenge with relaxation. No WiFi is needed when you’re curled up with a good puzzle, and that’s a pretty tough feat these days. It seems like our whole lives are stored in the phones in our pockets. The best therapy in the world can sometimes be as simple as putting the screens away, clearing your head, and focusing on the task at hand: a goal that requires patience and concentration. So, drink the Kool-Aid, take a leap—and go get yourself a puzzle! There’s nothing to lose, and a lifelong hobby to gain.