Things Malachy Plays: Puzzles

In the middle of a puzzle session

Some time in December, Mal's Grandma Eileen gave him a cute little box of 4 piece puzzles.  For Christmas, Mal's Grandma Carroll bought him a box of 4, 12 piece puzzles (all of vehicles of course).  When he first got them, we spent a lot of time sitting at the table trying every piece in every open space until he found the one that fit.  He did not understand the idea that each piece was a small portion of a bigger puzzle.  He did not understand about corners and edge pieces. It was just a little fun something to do with mom or dad.

Today we call him the puzzle master.  He LOVES his puzzles. After a few weeks of his Christmas puzzles, he was putting them together in no time at all without any help from us.  We assumed he had just memorized them.  We bought him another box of four (this time they were construction vehicles).  He did those in no time as well.  We bought a couple more.  ...and he does them all.

We recently bought him some 24 piece'rs.  He understands that the pieces are part of a larger picture.  He doesn't just try to jam all the pieces together.  He puts the edges together first and checks the picture on the box as he put the pieces together.  He actually understands how they work.  He chatters the entire time he is working on his puzzles and every now and then I hear him say, "This part is a little tricky."  I don't think that is the case so much because I look up and he is finished.

He mostly does his puzzles alone now.  It is a great solo activity for him and he is so proud when I check on him and he is completing the puzzles.  He rarely does just one puzzle, rather he does ALL his puzzles.  First the 4 piece animals, then the vehicles, then the construction vehicles and lastly the 24 piece train puzzles.  When he is finished, he lines them all up in a row and we admire his work.  They used to stay lined up and on display for anyone who came over to see, but these days he has to pick them up and put them away quickly so his sisters don't eat them.  This doesn't discourage him at all.  "I can do them again.  I am good at puzzles." he tells me.