Best Jigsaw Puzzles, Surviving Stay Home Quarantine
Jigsaw puzzles are a great way to spend time with family at home
We’ve assembled a list of the best jigsaw puzzles for kids, families, and adults to help get us through these challenging times of social distancing and staying at home.
What better time than now to break out a new jigsaw puzzle? These are some of the bestselling puzzles, and all are fan favorites, as noted by their overall good customer reviews.
The best jigsaw puzzles for adults and families
1.) “Darrell Bush Canoe Lake” by Buffalo Games
This Amazon #1 Best Seller jigsaw puzzle features a tranquil and quaint cabin scene with a burning campfire and the setting sun. What more could one need to settle the nerves and forget about these trying times?
Includes a poster of the Canoe Lake scene for help in solving the puzzle.
Pieces: 1000 pieces
Finished size: 26.75 x 19.75 inches
2.) “Candy Wrappers” by White Mountain Puzzles
This nostalgic jigsaw puzzle is sure to please those with a sweet tooth. It features a collage of vintage and classic candy that will bring back fond memories to baby boomers.
The puzzle features large, thick pieces that are easy to handle—perfect for the whole family! Educate your kids on the classic candies of your generation. You’ll see well-known names like Snickers and M&M, and less familiar names like Mike and Ike, Jujubes, Pop Rocks, Black Cow, Bonkers!, and Turkish Taffy. You better have some treats to snack on while you and your family put this puzzle together!
Pieces: 1000
Finished size: 24 x 30 inches
3.) “Feathers” by Galison
Here is a jigsaw puzzle for bird watchers and nature lovers. It features beautiful feather artwork reproduced on gold foil for extra vibrance.
Pieces: 500
Finished size: 20 x 20 inches
4.) “The Bizarre Bookshop 2” by Ravensburger
Dreamers and time travelers will love this fantasy bookshop puzzle image filled with hidden messages and puns, as well as fun characters that hang out amongst the books.
Each unique piece of this puzzle is coated with an anti-glare surface. This is a challenging puzzle because of the intricacy of the design and number of pieces.
Pieces: 1000
Finished size: 27 x 20 inches
Who is the puzzle manufacturer Ravensburger Brands?
With over 1 billion puzzles sold, Ravensburger is the best selling jigsaw puzzle brand in the world. The U.K. company makes puzzles of great quality—with extra-thick pieces and glare-free imagery.
More of the best jigsaw puzzles for adults
5.) USA Shaped Puzzle by TDC Games
This fun map puzzle comes in the shape of the contiguous United States. The road trip theme is great for teaching kids the names of the states, famous landmarks, and state animals and products. Upon completion, it makes great wall art for hanging.
Pieces: 1000
Finished size: 31 inches wide
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6.) Dreamy Positano – Signature Collection “Night Sea View” by Blppldyci
Dream of faraway places while you piece together this European scenic jigsaw puzzle.
Pieces: 1000
Finished size: 27.56 x 19.69 inches
7.) “Cuba by Michael Storrings” by Galison
Liven up your day with this vibrant and colorful Cuban street scene jigsaw puzzle. The fun illustration artwork is created by artist Michael Storrings.
Pieces: 1054
Finished size: 20 x 27 inches
8.) Frank Lloyd Wright Gold Foil Puzzle by Galison
Fans of Frank Lloyd Wright will enjoy the challenge of piecing together his colorful, iconic Saguaro Forms and Cactus Flowers design. This art-deco-style artwork was originally a magazine cover and remains one of his most popular designs.
The puzzle pieces are created using a foil-stamping process and an insert about the famed architect is included with this puzzle.
Pieces: 1000
Finished size: 20 x 27 inches
More of the best jigsaw puzzles for adults
9.) University of Alabama (Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa, Alabama) by MasterPieces
Sports lovers (and especially fans of the Crimson Tide) will enjoy piecing this puzzle together. This popular jigsaw puzzle won the Dr. Toy Award of Excellence – 100 Best Toys. It looks great framed once you’ve finished!
Pieces: 1000
Finished size: 13 x 39 inches
10.) Antique World Map by Educa
Everybody loves maps! And here is a great map puzzle for history lovers from 12 to 99 years old. The puzzle artwork shows an ‘antiqued’ version of the current countries around the world.
Customer reviews report that the puzzle comes with its own glue in case you need it. But be aware that this puzzle’s unified color scheme can be an extra challenge to assemble.
Pieces: 1000
Finished size: 26.75 x 18.75 inches
The best jigsaw puzzles for kids
Kids’ jigsaw puzzles usually feature larger pieces with interesting and colorful imagery. Here are some of the recognized benefits kids can gain from putting together jigsaw puzzles:
- Jigsaw puzzles help learning recognition and improve short term memory.
- Assembling puzzles requires logical thinking.
- Kids learn patience, hand-eye coordination, and build self-esteem.
- Puzzles may improve motor skills and problem-solving abilities.
11.) “Under the Sea” Jigsaw Puzzle by Melissa & Doug
Take a splash into the colorful ocean life of this fun puzzle. It is a great way to offer a fun, screen-free play experience for your children age 3 to 5 years old.
They can identify sea creatures like a shark, seahorse, octopus, and crab as they piece together their puzzle. The large, wooden pieces fit easily in a child’s hand.
Pieces: 24
Finished size: about 12 x 18 inches
12.) “No Dogs on the Beach” by Ravensburger
Everybody loves dressed-up dogs, especially when they are hanging out at the beach! This fun jigsaw puzzle is made for kids 6 years old and up and is available at the puzzlewarehouse.com.
Pieces: 100
Finished size: 19.5 x 14.25 inches
VIDEO: Use puzzle glue to finish your jigsaw puzzle
More of the best jigsaw puzzles for kids
13.) “Cat’s Got Mail” by Ravensburger
This irresistible puzzle features cute cats romping and having fun in old-fashioned mailboxes. The puzzle’s large pieces for great for kids 9 and older, and make for a fun family project.
Pieces: 300
Finished size: 27 x 20 inches
14.) “Summer Bouquet” by Cobble Hill
This puzzle shows an image of a beautiful painting of birds resting on a basket of summer flowers by artist Rosemary Millette. The puzzle’s easy-handling large pieces are recommended for kids and adults 10 years old and above.
Pieces: 275
Finished size: 18 x 24 inches
15.) “Big Cat Nap” by Ravensburger
Fans of the Jungle Book will love this jigsaw puzzle featuring a beautiful image of big jungle cats like lions, tigers, and cheetahs in a serene cuddle. Perfect for kids 8 and up.
Pieces: 200
Finished size: 19.5 x 14.25 inches
The best jigsaw puzzles – frequently asked questions (FAQs)
What are the most popular jigsaw puzzles?
The most popular jigsaw puzzles are those that show images of dogs, birds, lighthouses, and even frogs, according to a CBS Sunday Morning report.
What are the benefits of putting together a jigsaw puzzle?
Jigsaw puzzles are a great way to pass the time and keep the mind active. You can work on them solo or with a group. What better way to involve everyone in the family or add a new wrinkle to game nights?
Puzzle-solving is a great way to exercise motor skills and memory in older adults. Children learn hand-eye coordination and problem-solving, as well as self-esteem upon completing their puzzle.
What should I know about the difficulty level of the best jigsaw puzzles?
The more pieces a puzzle has, the more difficult it will be to piece together. As a general rule, follow these guidelines for choosing a jigsaw puzzle for children and adults:
- For kids from ages 2 to 7 years old, select a puzzle with under 100 pieces.
- If kids are between 8 to 10+ years old, choose a puzzle that has 100 to 300 pieces.
- For adults, jigsaw puzzles can have up to 1000 pieces or more (even 5000+ pieces!).
What are the different puzzle cuts used in the best jigsaw puzzles?
The most common jigsaw puzzle cut is the ribbon cut. It is mostly square with tabs or gaps on its sides. When assembled, the pieces form a relatively simple grid-like pattern.
Some puzzles employ random cut pieces, which can be any shape imaginable: custom shapes, triangles, curved shapes, etc. Random cut pieces are generally more challenging to assemble than ribbon-cut jigsaw puzzles.
What are some tips I should know before starting my puzzle?
The following eleven tips will help you make your jigsaw puzzle experience more enjoyable:
- Check on the construction quality of your puzzle before purchasing it. Customer reviews are a great place to start.
- Use a moveable support (like a board or piece of cardboard) under your puzzle in case you have to move it.
- Have a magnifying glass handy for difficult, detailed, and complex puzzles.
- Start on the outer edge of your jigsaw puzzle. These pieces are easier to find because of their flat sides.
- Use the picture on the box as your guide. It’s sometimes easier to focus on a central figure in the image and work out from there.
- Sort your pieces by color. You’ll begin to narrow down which pieces fit together this way.
- Don’t take on too much at one time; start on small sections of the puzzle.
- Rotate your puzzle pieces to test how it fits on all sides.
- Don’t force pieces to fit. They should snap together easily without a lot of pressure.
- If you discover you have missing pieces, contact the puzzle manufacturer for replacements. Not all companies will respond, but you’ll be surprised by how many do.
- Many puzzles are suitable for framing once you’ve completed them.
We hope you have enjoyed this list of the best jigsaw puzzles for surviving the quarantine. Stay home, stay safe, and be well!
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By Greg Johnson | Published 3/31/2020
