When all the pieces lay before you on a table, you might think that you will never be able to finish a jigsaw puzzle. Don’t quit! It will only take a few minutes to figure out that the fun grows with every piece you connect.

The happy feeling that you get from watching a picture appear in the puzzle pieces is not the only benefit that jigsaws offer. These fun puzzles help your brain, too. They make the brain practice keeping information about piece shapes and colors. You also have to use both sides of the brain to complete a puzzle. The logical left side uses problem solving, while the creative right side looks at the big picture and makes intuitive leaps. It’s exercise for your whole brain!

All this activity benefits the brain in many ways. First, it can reduce your chances of memory loss as you get older. In addition, having the two sides of your brain work together will make it easier for you to learn other things. Who knew fun could be so good for you?