I STUMBLED on the joy of putting puzzles together during this pandemic. Early on, I bought a 1,000-piece puzzle of ice skaters on a lake because I once loved ice skating. Overwhelmed by so many pieces, I put the puzzle aside. My daughter, Ijanaya, discovered that puzzle when she came home from Sudan on the last flight before our borders closed a year ago March, put it together and encouraged me to start building 300-piece puzzles. I worked my way up to 500 pieces, and now plan to tackle the 1,000-piece ice-skating scene before Christmas.

If you do your research online, you will discover the many advantages of putting puzzles together. Puzzles help children to develop fine motor skills, concentration and problem-solving skills. They help to develop strategising skills and develop visual-spatial reasoning. I can attest to that. When I first tackled puzzles, I often tried pieces that were too big for a space. This rarely happens to me now because I have developed better spatial awareness.

Puzzle-solving helps us to notice detail more, and this skill can help in creative writing. Many puzzle pieces have subtle differences. Noting this helps to develop memory for detail. Over time, I have become shocked at how many times I pick up a puzzle piece I was not searching for and put it directly into a space. It seems like a random act, but I realise memory is involved.

A site I discovered online called cronicas puzzleras says that puzzles 'strengthen neural connections and increase the generation of new connections. This increases mental speed and thought processes.'

Puzzles help us to develop short-term memory, and they help us to adapt new strategies to solve problems. No two puzzles are alike. My first couple of puzzles tended to have many pieces that fit together horizontally so when I came across a puzzle with mostly vertical pieces, I felt stumped initially. I had to adjust my strategies. One puzzle had many pieces that fit together in arcs.

Researches say the strategy-building exercises of puzzles transfer to school and work, making us more innovative while improving critical-thinking skills. They also challenge our ability to adapt to new situations.

The act of putting puzzles together puts us in a zen-like state. Studies say they decrease stress levels, encourage the brain to produce dopamine, which is a neurotransmitter that affects our mood. Cronicas puzzleras claims that our bodies produce dopamine every time we put a piece in the right place. Puzzles provide an instant feeling of joy and success.

Undoubtedly puzzles build confidence. At the beginning of a puzzle I watch all the pieces and doubt that I can put them together. But that feeling vanishes quicker with every puzzle I do. Now, I can talk myself into believing in the process of puzzle building.

Puzzles are the perfect alternative to online games for children. They create a sense of flow - that feeling of being totally lost in an activity. Lockdown aside, children often need such activities to occupy their minds during weekends or long s

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