There is much developmentally that LuLu has never done. One of those things has been putting together puzzles. Early therapeutic and intervention suggestions were to introduce puzzles into her environment. I remember one of her shower gifts after arriving home was a set of wooden puzzles just right for toddlers with animals, alphabet and common objects. LuLu never used them. Despite any attempt to engage her in the activity, she wasn’t interested.

Once, while cleaning out the attic, I found a life-size Barney puzzle that Kay had used. I excitedly presented it to LuLu, helping her start. No go…she wasn’t interested.

I now realize that she truly didn’t have the skills, developmentally to do the puzzle.

Frankly, my interest in getting her to do puzzles took a backseat (way back) to all the other challenges of her life – mostly behavioral and communication. So, after she was no longer a preschooler, puzzles never occurred to me. W (our college daughter) LOVES puzzles. She does the complicated 3-D model kinds with ease and has since she was a child. They were always projects she and Super Dad shared.

So, when LuLu received a 500-piece puzzle from a friend at church on Wednesday as a birthday gift, she looked “puzzled”. And she showed little interest (but at least politely said “thank you”.) Actually I thought nothing of it, and figured it was likely to be regifted or put into a yard sale someday.

Much to my surprise, LuLu and her babysitter began the puzzle Thursday night. The babysitter had to guide LuLu on the basics of puzzle construction (finding the edge pieces and starting there). It’s a complicated prism puzzle of a group of brightly colored ladybugs. Ladybugs are a high interest item for LuLu. So maybe that was the attraction.

I was further surprised when LuLu asked me to join her in a break from school yesterday to work on the puzzle. We worked, side by side, for about 30 minutes. This puzzle is HARD (ages 12 and up the box says). But then again, I’m not a puzzle person either. Yet, LuLu persevered. At one point she started to get frustrated and I explained:

“This is a hobby. If you’re not having fun or are tired of doing it, you stop. You come back to it again later to help you relax or to enjoy yourself.” Again, today, the words seemed to sink in. We worked about five more minutes and then she was done.

I’m intrigued by the benefits of jigsaw puzzles, and amazed at her sudden interests. I found this article, explaining the educational benefits. Mostly they are as I suspected a chance to practice patience, focus, sequencing, and problem-solving skills. There is also the physical eye-hand coordination aspect. But there is also an interesting combination between visual learning and kinesthetic learning that is taking place. And for LuLu, I wonder if this is the attraction.

She is nothing if not a sensory-seeker. The feeling of the prism coating on the front of the puzzle pieces is appealing to her. That and the high-interest ladybug picture may be enough to have enticed her. Whatever the motivation, I'm delighted. And so is she. It's in these small things that we see progress.


Related Links:

What is the Purpose of a Jigsaw Puzzle?
How Puzzles Can Help You

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