Having fun together brings us closer and strengthens relationships. The joys of play, time spent together, and creating memorable moments are priceless. When we think about the best product to bring families together, our JoinAround® puzzle might just be at the top of the list.
The JoinAround Puzzle is made for every puzzler to puzzle together. Made up of 235 pieces, the puzzle splits into four slices, each one varying in difficulty. Build together, or just alongside each other. There are even more ways to play than you might think. Read on to find out how you can JoinAround with your family.
The Joy Of Playing Together
Did you know that play is about so much more than having fun? When parents and children play together, they build a foundation of trust. This helps kids learn problem solving skills, social cues, creativity, and many more benefits discovered by play scientists (yes, that’s a real job) over the years.
There may have been times in your own life when play was an essential component of learning. Whether learning lessons at home, at school, or from friends, the ones that stick with us the most tend to be the ones that include a playful twist.
It could have been as simple as tossing a stuffed animal back and forth while learning times tables.
“What’s 3x8?” a grandma asks as she tosses her granddaughter a stuffed bear.
“It’s 24!” she replies proudly.
For a student who hasn’t ‘clicked’ with math yet, some playful movement can help get the job done. (And makes a core memory. This one was pulled right from a member of the pennycake team.)
Maybe there’s some potential to take a classic geography project and add an element of creativity.
“I’m supposed to make a map out of something…” a daughter tells her mom.
“Oh, I know, let’s draw the globe on a balloon!” mom replies, with some kinetic learning in mind.
Some lessons aren’t quite so academic, but more about adaptation, concentration, and patience. Say an older sister and brother teamed up to make a cake for their dad’s birthday, but found they were missing ingredients.
“Let’s play a taste test game. Whoever can make the best tasting batter using things we have in the pantry wins, and we’ll make that cake,” says the older sister, leading the charge.
“Well, mom told me you can use applesauce instead of eggs. So, I think I can figure the rest out for myself. You’re on!” her brother replies.
What they didn’t know, was that they’d eventually need to combine recipes to balance out some missing key ingredients, resulting in a very fluffy and surprisingly decadent marble cake. We’re sure their dad thoroughly enjoyed it.
It’s moments like these that build fundamental connections in our minds. We learn to be active, draw comparisons, and think outside the box, all because an adult spent time with us doing something enjoyable. Kids are wired to mirror the people around them, absorbing new information like sponges at every moment. They could have learned these lessons the traditional way, with pencils and paper, but they would have missed out on the key component that makes lessons memorable: playing and learning with you.
For lots of families, play might just be the missing ingredient to making time spent together special. But it’s never too late to start. Maybe our JoinAround puzzle can help you get started.
4 More Ways To Play
So, how do 235 pieces come to be? With an easy puzzling recipe, made up of four slices anyone and everyone can enjoy:
22 pieces
36 pieces
75 pieces
+ 102 pieces
___________________________
235 pieces in total
But it’s more than just a puzzle. Once all the pieces are in their place, choose one of these four games to play:
Seek and find:
Take a peek at the puzzle’s border… what do you see? Look around the puzzle and see who can be the first to find each image in the scene.
20 questions:
There’s so much going on! Find something in the scene, but don’t say what it is! See if everyone else can figure out what you’re looking at in 20 questions or less, using “yes” or “no” questions.
Once upon a time:
Look at all of the fun-loving families and friends on your puzzle. What are they up to? How did they get there today? Think of ways to bring each story to life, taking turns adding details. How many stories can you tell about what you see?
How many:
Do you see any duplicate items in your JoinAround puzzle scene? Don’t worry, it wasn’t a printing error! See how many you can find.
See which pennycake best sellers can add meaningful moments to your routine:
Q: How many JoinAround puzzles are there to choose from?
A: Currently, three different JoinAround puzzles are available on pennycake.com. Stay tuned for more to come!
Q: How can you tell which piece belongs in each section?
A: You can determine which slice your puzzle piece belongs to by flipping it over and seeing the color on the back. Use the guide on the back of your puzzle box to make sure it’s where it needs to be.
Q: Do you need to complete the puzzle to play the other four ways?
A: Nope! Finish putting together one slice at a time and play as you go! When you’re ready for the next slice, your story, seek and find, or questions can continue.
Q: How big is the puzzle?
A: 20 inches in diameter.
