Puzzle, Shmuzzle. How About a Giant Floor Puzzle?

By Tara Richter…

With all the electronics out as toys for kids these days, something as simple as a puzzle can be seen as quite plain. No buttons to push, no fancy bells and whistles – just good old imagination and problem solving skills. There are numerous benefits to doing jig-saw puzzles, and not just for children. Puzzles have been shown to lengthen a person’s life span, decrease odds of Alzheimers, memory loss and dementia while promoting/increasing learning & memory, alertness, concentration, creativity and visualization techniques.

When I showed up at the door of my sister’s place with the Galt Toys Giant floor puzzle, my niece was ecstatic with joy. At two and a half, she could hardly contain her excitement and for me to open the box. I wondered at first if it might be too complicated for her, but as we started to put it together it became apparent the benefit of puzzles. I could actually see her starting to process and problem solve; looking for patterns, shapes, and sizes to match pieces. I had to laugh as each piece was successfully placed as she did a fist pump and exclaimed “YES!” Not only was it something that kept her occupied for quite some time, it gave us the opportunity to really spend some great auntie-niece time together. Repeatedly she announced as we worked methodically through the pieces “I love you auntie”, and “you’re my best friend”. In as much as I gave her the gift of a puzzle, the real gift was the time we spent together and the memories we shared. Now every time I go to visit, I’m greeted at the door with an excited toddler announcing “Wanna do a puzzle with me Auntie?”

The Galt Toys Giant floor puzzles include 30 large pieces with 8 templates, cut in the shape of theme of the puzzle; in this case of farm animals. The colours are so vibrant and there are plenty of neat things to find in the puzzle – that each time the child is sure to find something new! The large, easy to handle pieces are made in thick board with a wipe-clean surface. Other giant floor puzzles include Construction Site, Jungle, Dinosaurs and Vehicles. Each completed puzzle measures 60×90 cm.

Look for the Galt Toys Giant Floor Puzzle at Mastermind Toys in Canada in stores and online ($19.99).

One of our readers is going to win a Galt Toys Giant Floor Puzzle (Farm theme!) To enter to win, just use the form below!