I’ve been witness to the power of jigsaw puzzles on numerous occasions. And by “power” I mean the ability to bring a seemingly diverse group of people together for a common purpose. There’s something about all those similar-looking colored pieces that seems to beckon to even the surliest, most isolating person in the group. Jigsaw puzzles are perfect for all ages, all personalities, and all temperaments. There’s just something about jigsaw puzzles…
Jigsaw puzzles are a great addition to any vacation–especially if you are on a group trip, or your family and/or friends rents a large house to share for a group vacation. This is when I first discovered how fantastic a big 5,000 piece jigsaw puzzle can be at providing a focal point for a hodge podge of people. Having the puzzle set up in a central location of a sprawling rented vacation house gives everyone the opportunity to participate as they roam by. One never knows who they’ll meet around the puzzle table and it provides for a fabulous mix of ages and individuals–hunched over the tiny pieces and chatting and working together.
Jigsaw puzzles are perfect for family activities–set one up in a corner of the living room or on the dining room table and you’ll soon have plenty of participants. One of the great thing about these puzzles is that you can leave them as your other activities and responsibilities beckon and return when you’re able. It’s also fun to see the work that other people have done on the puzzle while you’re away. Even rather young children can help turn over the pieces and hunt for the right color and shape.
And, I have to say, there’s nothing quite like the accomplishment folks feel after having put together a huge, complicated jigsaw puzzle–it’s like the ultimate example of teamwork if you’ve done it as a group. I think you’d be surprised how even the crabbiest, seemingly disparate group of people can come together around the mutual project of putting together a jigsaw puzzle.