A few years ago, research by the University of Chicago showed that making puzzles is not just entertainment: children who play with them train important spatial and mathematical skills, which will be very useful to them when they grow up . The study, called Early Puzzle Play, was conducted on a sample of 53 parent-child pairs (between approximately 2 and 4 years of age), from different socio-economic backgrounds. Moms and dads were asked to interact and play with their son as usual, while being filmed for 90-minute sessions every 4 months. First of all, it emerged that about half of the parents proposed to play a puzzle together, a game that for generations has accompanied the childhood (and not only that) of many people, without distinction of gender.
At the age of 54 months (about 4 and a half years), the children were administered tests to ascertain their ability to rotate and translate shapes (for example the 'children's mental transformation task'): to obtain the the best results were those who often played puzzles over time. According to psychologist Susan Levine of the Cognitive Development Lab of the University of Chicago, the outcome of the research is interesting because the ability to mentally transform shapes is a predictor of performance in STEM disciplines (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). Two other peculiarities: it emerged that the parents with the highest incomes were the ones to engage their children more frequently in the game of the puzzle; moreover, it was the boys who obtained the best results in the tests.
If your kids like to do puzzles, encourage them - it will be a great training for their future math and spatial skills . Conversely, if you have children who are already grown up and show a predisposition for scientific subjects at school, try to reflect on what their favorite games were as children: they probably loved puzzles.
Furthermore, it seems that already in early childhood the correlation between the use of puzzles and the acquisition of new skills is very close: children who play a lot between 24 and 36 months know how to move better in space and are capable of greater attention and participation.
THE BENEFITS
■ Puzzles are constructive, intelligent and fun entertainment . 
■ They improve concentration , dexterity and observation skills.
■ They relax, train patience and relieve stress.
■ You can play it alone or in company.
■ Promote the development of spatial skills and coordination.
■ Strengthen memory .
■ Facilitate logical ability and intuition , promote reasoning.
■ Stimulate the ability to put things in order .
■ Facilitate the achievement of a goal .
by Tea Guidi (excerpt from Nascere Mamma | Winter)