Were you to study the history of toys and games throughout the ages, you will find that most of them were created from wood. This held true until just after WWII. Then cheaper raw materials and mass production, meant that wood soon gave way to plastic. Although there are still many people who enjoy trying to tackle a wooden puzzle game.
For most people this seems to take them right back to their childhood. Many a child's first toy has been those hand sized, brightly coloured square blocks made from wood. Relatively inexpensive, and nothing for a youngster to hurt themselves on. Many parents still have these blocks lurking at the back of a toy cupboard.
From wood blocks it seems a fairly natural progression to jigsaws made from the same material. The first jigsaws are little more than shapes which requite the child to refit them in the matching recess in the wood board. It then progresses to the more familiar form of jigsaw. All of these puzzles help the young child to learn, and will also improve the hand/eye coordination.
Many a child will have been packed off to spend time with their Grandparents during the school breaks. The Grandparents try to make the days as fun filled as possible, but with all the good will in the world sooner or later the weather puts paid to the original plans. How do Grandparents overcome this, simply by bringing out the puzzles that your parents used to play with.
There is something very comforting about trying to figure out the self same puzzle that your parents fretted over. As it has been made from wood it will have withstood the ravages of time. If there is a piece that is slightly different in colour, that might be a piece that your Grandfather had to make when the original piece was lost.
Despite there being so many electronic games available to children, there still seems to be a growing market for these traditional items. Times have progressed a long way from when they all used to be hand carved. All of these items have been made from quality materials, and to the highest of specifications.
Many of these games and puzzles are designed to be equally frustrating and entertaining. This is most definitely true when used in reference to the 3D items. They are whole and complete when you get them, so you know that completing it is possible. All starts off well, and then gets more and more baffling. Despite the bafflement there is a real sense of accomplishment when you finally manage to complete everything properly.
Some of these have survived unchanged in design for hundreds of years, whereas some are relatively new. Some names are familiar to many, as everyone seems to have played the Towers of Hanoi. Others are not so familiar, such as the Soma Cube or the Burr type items. Whatever your age when you see someone attempting one of these, you want to have a go at your own wooden puzzle game. Be warned they can be quite addictive.
For most people this seems to take them right back to their childhood. Many a child's first toy has been those hand sized, brightly coloured square blocks made from wood. Relatively inexpensive, and nothing for a youngster to hurt themselves on. Many parents still have these blocks lurking at the back of a toy cupboard.
From wood blocks it seems a fairly natural progression to jigsaws made from the same material. The first jigsaws are little more than shapes which requite the child to refit them in the matching recess in the wood board. It then progresses to the more familiar form of jigsaw. All of these puzzles help the young child to learn, and will also improve the hand/eye coordination.
Many a child will have been packed off to spend time with their Grandparents during the school breaks. The Grandparents try to make the days as fun filled as possible, but with all the good will in the world sooner or later the weather puts paid to the original plans. How do Grandparents overcome this, simply by bringing out the puzzles that your parents used to play with.
There is something very comforting about trying to figure out the self same puzzle that your parents fretted over. As it has been made from wood it will have withstood the ravages of time. If there is a piece that is slightly different in colour, that might be a piece that your Grandfather had to make when the original piece was lost.
Despite there being so many electronic games available to children, there still seems to be a growing market for these traditional items. Times have progressed a long way from when they all used to be hand carved. All of these items have been made from quality materials, and to the highest of specifications.
Many of these games and puzzles are designed to be equally frustrating and entertaining. This is most definitely true when used in reference to the 3D items. They are whole and complete when you get them, so you know that completing it is possible. All starts off well, and then gets more and more baffling. Despite the bafflement there is a real sense of accomplishment when you finally manage to complete everything properly.
Some of these have survived unchanged in design for hundreds of years, whereas some are relatively new. Some names are familiar to many, as everyone seems to have played the Towers of Hanoi. Others are not so familiar, such as the Soma Cube or the Burr type items. Whatever your age when you see someone attempting one of these, you want to have a go at your own wooden puzzle game. Be warned they can be quite addictive.
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