Ready to donate jigsaw puzzles? If you love speed puzzling and have been practicing to decrease your times, there is no doubt you have a few too many jigsaw puzzles around the house. Honestly, I do too. Which is why I think it’s a great idea to be donating jigsaw puzzles locally and encourage you to do such!
Donate Jigsaw Puzzles: Make a Local Impact
Every community (including my own) has needs and speed puzzlers can actually fill some of those needs by donations of used jigsaw puzzles. While I don’t expect everyone will donate jigsaw puzzles until they have none, a few donations can go a long way. Especially in communities where puzzles aren’t a priority so they aren’t bought for individuals.
My Passion of Puzzles Includes the Mighty Jigsaw Puzzle
As my friends would tell you, my character traits include jigsaw puzzle loving attributes. I’d donate jigsaw puzzles off my personal shelf if I knew it would make another person smile. Then again, I know my speed puzzling pals would too. Which is why, once a month I shake down my puzzle shelves and make a run to local places to give away the puzzle fun.
The mighty jigsaw puzzles seem to bring the biggest surprises when handed to random strangers. I’ve seen older folks glow and youngsters smile, all because they have a gently used puzzle to play. It’s the best feeling for me as I know it impacts their life too! It’s also nice to see an element of speed puzzling being past on to others. Yes, perhaps they don’t practice for speed puzzle competitions like I do, but they do have a piece of the sport on their table.
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Support Your Local Organizations: Free Puzzles Go Far
Donating jigsaw puzzles can be a wonderful way to support various organizations and communities. People might be surprised to hear that a few speed puzzles pals I know came from these donations. First you offer up a puzzle, you chat on how you enjoyed the puzzle and then you talk about what speed puzzling is. It’s a win-win as those donations aren’t just good will, it’s an introduction to a whole new world of puzzle fun!
It’s possible to quickly contect with individuals or organizations that are looking for jigsaw puzzles. Many ask for people to donate through online platforms or Facebook pages. Consider using community-driven websites such as Freecycle, engaging with neighbors on Nextdoor, or exploring local community groups on Facebook.
These platforms typically feature sections specifically for donating items where you can post details about the jigsaw puzzles you wish to give away. Always ask for them to pick up so you don’t have a lot of work to do except leave the puzzles on the porch for pickup.
Where to Share Your Jigsaw Puzzles Locally
Here are some places where you can consider donating jigsaw puzzles:
1. Local Libraries
Many libraries accept donations of books, puzzles, and other educational materials. They may use these puzzles for community events, children’s programs, or to lend out to patrons.
2. Schools and Daycares
Schools, preschools, and daycares often welcome donations of puzzles for classroom use. Puzzles can be used to promote cognitive skills, problem-solving abilities, and teamwork among students.
3. Senior Centers and Nursing Homes
Senior centers and nursing homes often appreciate donations of puzzles to provide entertainment and mental stimulation for residents. Puzzles can be a therapeutic activity for seniors and help keep their minds active.
4. Shelters and Community Centers
Homeless shelters, women’s shelters, and community centers may accept donations of puzzles to provide recreational activities for individuals and families staying at the facility.
5. Hospitals and Pediatric Units
Children’s hospitals, pediatric wards, and waiting rooms may benefit from donations of puzzles to provide entertainment and distraction for young patients and their families during their stay.
Why Puzzle Donations are so Helpful
Providing jigsaw puzzles to local libraries and groups offers numerous advantages beyond mere enjoyment. These puzzles facilitate cognitive enhancement and nurture problem-solving abilities among library visitors. When people engage with puzzles, they stimulate brain functions critical for the development of spatial awareness, memory, and logic. Furthermore, puzzles are a form of inclusive entertainment that can be enjoyed by individuals of various ages, helping to bridge generational gaps and encouraging community interaction in a library setting.
Call Before You Drop Off
Before donating, it’s a good idea to contact the organization or facility to confirm their donation policies and ensure they are currently accepting puzzles. Additionally, make sure the puzzles are in good condition with all the pieces intact. Your donations can bring joy and entertainment to individuals and communities in need.
What about a Puzzle Swap for Friends and Family?
To participate in a puzzle swap with your friends and family, start by gathering any puzzles you’ve already completed and are willing to trade. Reach out to your puzzle-loving friends and relatives to see if they are interested in swapping their own puzzles as well. You can arrange a meet-up or a get-together where everyone brings their puzzles. This way, you can exchange your pre-loved puzzles for others’ puzzles, providing an opportunity for everyone to enjoy fresh challenges without buying new ones. This cycle can continue, ensuring endless puzzle fun for all involved.
Artist Love Extra Puzzle Pieces too
Completed jigsaw puzzles, even those with a missing piece or two, need not be discarded. Instead, they offer a wonderful opportunity for creative repurposing. For instance, puzzle pieces can be transformed into decorative fridge magnets or unique pieces of jewelry. Additionally, during the holiday season, they can be used to make festive garlands for trees or even as embellishments for gingerbread house decorations. These crafty ideas from artists provide both functional and aesthetic value while recycling old puzzles.
How do puzzles provide therapeutic benefits in healthcare settings?
In healthcare settings, puzzles act as therapeutic tools by offering patients, especially those with long hospital stays, a distraction that helps them focus on positive activities, thereby providing a sense of normalcy and reducing stress.
How do puzzles complement or enhance the existing activities or programs at these donation sites?
Puzzles complement existing activities by adding an interactive element that can be incorporated into educational learning, used in social gatherings, and serve as therapeutic activities in healthcare and senior care settings. People love to play puzzles!
What role do puzzles play in the broader community setting?
When you think about a community setting, puzzles contribute to providing recreational resources to those with limited access. It also fosters a sense of community as a donation is an act of love. Plus it’s offering a form of relaxation and mental engagement for people facing various life challenges.
How do puzzles specifically benefit the recipients at each donation location?
Puzzles provide a range of benefits: they help library patrons engage in cognitive and recreational activities, offer elderly residents of senior care centers a way to boost memory and cognitive function, and allow school children to develop critical thinking and teamwork skills.
Why are jigsaw puzzles beneficial for different groups?
Jigsaw puzzles are beneficial as they enhance cognitive skills, aid in problem-solving, and offer mental stimulation across various age groups. The fun had by all serves as both educational tools and sources of entertainment.
Finally, You Can Just Donate Jigsaw Puzzles
If all else fails (or you don’t want to take the time) you could just donate the jigsaw puzzles to a local thrift store. Personally, I try to place the jigsaw puzzles somewhere I know they can be appreciated. Yes, it’s true that I have an emotional attachment after solving the puzzle, but it’s also because I know that some people can’t even afford a puzzle second hand. It’s my privilege to share the joy of jigsaw puzzles with another person so I don’t mind taking a little extra time getting it to a place where I know it will bring joy (and provide a little more interest to speed puzzling.)
