Jigsaw Puzzling
Jigsaws are a popular pastime for all ages. They can’t be done badly. Completing jigsaw can take time but you can’t get it wrong which is appealing to all ages.
The positive effects of joining both sides of the brain
Completing a jigsaw requires the left and right-hand sides of your brain to work together. We need both sides of our brain to work together to build the neural pathways that make focus and recall easier and better. Improving “whole-brain synchronisation” has also been seen to positive effects on mental health and the good news is these effects are cumulative over time and can be achieved by both children and adults.
Mindfulness and relaxation through jigsaws
Mindfulness is the practice of purposefully focusing your attention on the present and accepting it without judgement. Completing jigsaw puzzles or other activities such as colouring in, provide a distraction for the mind and a way to focus on the present moment.
Completeing jigsaw puzzles is an absorbing task, so much so that you can lose hours to it and completely forget anything else that was troubling you. And it is this meditative effect that makes puzzles so good for relaxation. It’s interesting that one of the reasons meditation has so many benefits is that it causes both sides of the brain to work together just like a jigsaw.
So, if you have jigsaws at home, get one out. It doesn't matter if you have done it before. Or try these online jigsaws for free - you can even do them with your friends - virtually!
You may use this activity to contribute to your DofE SKILLS Section as long as you provide suitable evidence - this could be images and dates/hours you do the activity uploaded to Google Classroom.
Please join class code xt5vkjf in Google Classroom