Puzzle Day is a nonofficial holiday which is celebrated on January 29th every year. On this day, people try out their favorite puzzles and this holiday doesn’t discriminate either. Some people enjoy jigsaw puzzles on this day, while other people might enjoy some math puzzles, riddles, or just about any other puzzle a person can think of. After all, the goal of this holiday is not to nitpick on what constitutes a puzzle or what puzzles can be enjoyed on this day but to have fun and enjoy all of the benefits that puzzles provide.

The Benefits of Puzzles

Psychologists have known for quite some time now that puzzles help children develop essential skills. By introducing your child to puzzles at an early age you can help them develop hand/eye coordination, fine & gross motor skills, memory, problem-solving and shape recognition. Puzzles allow children to manipulate a piece of their world which helps them develop and fine tune their skills.

While puzzles are good for children, they are not the only ones who benefit from them. People of all ages can benefit from them. Current studies suggest that when adults use puzzles their memory and concentration improves, as well as their creativity and concentration.

The History of Puzzle Day

One of the biggest puzzles out there is who started Puzzle Day. Was it created by an avid game enthusiasts, a teacher, a bored parent or a scientists? No one really knows for sure. It remains an enigma and will probably continue to be one for some time.

The history of puzzles themselves, however, is a little clearer. Puzzles go back to the beginning of civilization. In fact, humans have been designing puzzle games since the invention of language. Over the years, all kinds of word games, logic games and other types of puzzles were developed by human beings.

The jigsaw puzzle, however, is not quite as old. Its history can be traced to the mid-eighteenth century. This is when mapmakers would past their maps onto wood pieces and cut those wood pieces into small pieces. It was then used by children so they could learn geography.

Celebrating Puzzle Day

Do A Puzzle: An obvious way to celebrate this unofficial holiday is by doing a puzzle—either alone or with friends and family. There are all kinds of puzzles out there: everything from word puzzles, to crossword puzzles and history puzzles.

Visit The Puzzle Museum: You can take a trip to one of the puzzle museums that exist. There’s the Logic Puzzle Museum in Burlington, Wisconsin and a National Puzzle Museum in Port Clinton, OH. There is also a children’s museum called the Magic House in St.Louis, Mo. This museum features not only puzzles but also interactive exhibits that children can engage with.  Visit one of these for some great puzzle filled fun.

Create Your Own: If you’re the creative type, then you might want to create your own puzzle. This can be as simple as a word puzzle or as complex as a mechanical puzzle. What you can do is only limited by your imagination.

Host A Puzzle Party: You can also invite your friend and family over for a puzzle party. This is a concept that you can really have fun with by not only making the puzzles the star of the show but also by incorporating puzzle-themed elements into your decorations.

Conclusion

Puzzle Day is a great day to sit down and have some fun. As we’ve seen puzzles are not only fun but they have proven social, physical and mental benefits. So pull out your favorite puzzle and have some fun.