Family Fun
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Last weekend, we bought Megan a 550 piece puzzle. We were looking for 200 or 300 pieces, but couldn’t find any that she liked. So, we bought this puzzle. She came home last Saturday evening and immediately started working it…and very quickly got frustrated with the complexity.
So, I went downstairs where the puzzle was spread out on our air hockey table (so that they can be left out without being disturbed) and helped her get all the edges done – not an easy task! This puzzle is hard! (Every time Megan hears me say that she says, “No, it’s not.”)
The cool thing about this puzzle, though, is that everyone has been working on it. Megan goes down to the basement purposely to work it, but it never fails that if someone else is down there for any length of time, they’ll wander over to the puzzle and put a few pieces in place – sometimes it’s just one person at a time; other times it’s a couple of people working together.
I’ve already decided that when this one is finished, I’m going to put another one out. I’ve really enjoyed the fact that this puzzle has become a family project — one that has been only positive. Whenever someone finishes a few pieces or a little section, it’s always, “Good job!” There hasn’t been any, “Hey! I was working on that part” or “No fair! I wanted to do that section.” It’s just been one big, cooperative project.
Does your family have any similar on-going projects that you enjoy working on together?
photo credit mykl roventine on flickr
Kris Bales is a newly-retired homeschool mom and the quirky, Christ-following, painfully honest founder (and former owner) of Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers. She has a pretty serious addiction to sweet tea and Words with Friends. Kris and her husband of over 30 years are parents to three amazing homeschool grads. They share their home with three dogs, two cats, a ball python, a bearded dragon, and seven birds.
I would LOVE to do this.. but I don’t know where to put the puzzle where it won’t be disturbed.
I fondly remember working the hard puzzles with my grandparents and it worked the same way. Thanks for the memories.
We did this with a puzzle of the world, but the only place we can do it is the dining table, so it’s a little disruptive to life. But, it was fun when we did it!
I remember a puzzle my parents had of the Tower of Babel. It was HUGE! It was on our dining room table and we ate Thanksgiving dinner on it (somewhat bumpy) a couple years before we finally got it done. I think it was like 10,000 pieces or something surreal like that.
We just pulled out a 750 piece puzzle that we have enjoyed during our Spring Break this week.
We also love woodworking projects and plants that tend to grow into long term, sporadic, memory building projects. Such great times!
~Erin
We also have ours on the hockey table! Right now our project is our “huge” USA puzzle since we are studying states and regions. It wont be put up for at least 10 more weeks; after which all the pieces will be labeled and nicely fused together with hot glue ;o)
We love doing big puzzles like this, but I really need to buy one of those great roll-up things because we don’t have a good place to just leave it out all the time. It is great family, fun, though! ♥
My husband has done a few puzzles with the kids help.
I don’t like puzzles too much, myself.
I love puzzles!!
We do one every Christmas. I alway pack one in our luggage in case none of the family remembers to give me a new one, but most years I get a beautiful new one under the tree.
I love the spirit of cooperation it engenders as well.